The offseason is officially underway with the NBA Finals concluded. After reaching the playoffs but being eliminated in the second round by the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Los Angeles Lakers could be one of the teams to make big moves this offseason. However, rumors speculate that making trades rather than signing free agents might be the best path for L.A.
In Dan Woike’s latest column for The Athletic, Woike explained how some of the best players in this year’s free agency class may be restricted free agents. Assuming their respective club’s match any offers made for their players, the Lakers won’t be able to acquire star talent in free agency.
“If free agency is weak and the Lakers don’t have a strong desire to run back their roster from a year ago, it really only leaves one pathway for the team to improve using cap space — acquiring players via trade,” said Woike. “While there’s some talent at positions of need in restricted free agency, the options aren’t considered particularly logical according to league sources… Prying players loose in restricted free agency is one of the biggest gambles in the NBA, and generally speaking, it’s regarded as a poor Plan A for teams trying to make moves.
Woike names Walker Kessler (Utah Jazz), Jalen Duran (Detroit Pistons), Mark Williams (Phoenix Suns), Tari Eason (Houston Rockets), and Peyton Watson (Denver Nuggets) as some of the potential top restricted free agent options. So, those individuals may have to be crossed off the list as Lakers targets.
That leaves trades, perhaps multiple, as a potential strategy for L.A. to improve the roster. However, acquiring talent is not the only reason Los Angeles should consider making some trades, especially if the front office decides to make deals to match salary cap space.
“The team could be aggressive in trades up until free agency begins on June 30, and if they’re able to make moves that involve sending out matching salaries, league sources said there’s a pathway for the Lakers to actually operate as an over-the-cap team,” said Woike. “If they do so, having James’ Bird rights would become particularly valuable and could give the team easier pathways to paying James closer to his worth.”
Overall, the Lakers have options. It just depends on which direction Rob Pelinka and the front office choose to go. The NBA Draft is set to begin on June 23, with free agency opening on June 30. It could be a busy few weeks for L.A.
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