The Los Angeles Lakers are expected to have a busy summer, with the biggest question being what the future holds for LeBron James ahead of free agency. However, James isn’t the only player slated to hit the open market, as both Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart have player options for the upcoming free agency period.
Recently, NBA insider Dan Woike of The Athletic broke down his line of thinking regarding the likelihood of Smart and Ayton returning to the team next year.
“(The Lakers) have also spoken about a desire to get younger and more athletic. If I had to pick one to be back, I’d lean Smart. I just think the Lakers want a more traditional (Luka) Dončić-style center,” wrote Woike.
Of course, if Ayton opts into the second year of his two-season contract, the Lakers will still have him on the roster, as is the case with Smart, but Los Angeles could still look to trade or bench Ayton if they can find a better option at center on the trade market or in free agency.
Both Smart and Ayton ended up being starters for Los Angeles this past season after being picked up on the buyout market, which Woike described as “…a godsend for the team as they bridged from whatever they were before the Dončić trade to whatever they’re going to be next.”
Indeed, building a team tailored to Doncic’s strengths and weaknesses is priority number one for Los Angeles, and while Ayton had a solid season, he isn’t exactly the archetype that Doncic usually succeeds alongside.
In any case, free agency is slated to open for business on June 30.
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