It was a weird year for the Los Angeles Lakers, one that began with a brand new head coach and a clunky roster that went 2-10 to start the year and ended with an appearance in the Western Conference Finals where they were swept by the eventual NBA champions. Los Angeles had a legitimately admirable in-season turnaround, thanks in large part to a solid trade deadline and Darvin Ham’s defense-first approach paying dividends as the year went on.
Still, the Lakers are in quite the spot heading into the summer. LeBron James and Anthony Davis are still here (assuming James doesn’t do something completely out of left field and retire), but a number of the players who came up big in their playoff run are hitting free agency, with guys like Rui Hachimura, Austin Reaves, and Dennis Schröder hitting the open market. Plus it’s the Lakers we’re talking about here, and while they’ll certainly try to bring guys back, few teams are better at figuring out how to make a splash via a trade or free agency if they can make the finances work.
Of course, with James and Davis, certain archetypes of players are always going to be valuable, particularly those who can do stuff on the perimeter on both ends of the floor. Youth is also of the utmost importance, as James is going to turn 39 this year and Davis will miss games every now and then due to injury. Fortunately for them, they have a first-round pick to get a much-needed injection of youth in the 2023 NBA Draft.
Roster Needs: Three-point shooting, people who can play point guard, perimeter defense
Jalen Hood-Schifino (No. 17 overall), B: Hood-Schifino’s efficiency at Indiana left a lot to be desired this season, which is definitely worth noting. There are caveats, including the fact that Indiana’s offensive structure was not conducive to his individual success, and Hood-Schifino does have very good tools when it comes to size and pick-and-roll ability. He’s also a stout defender, and if he can figure out the offensive side within a smaller role, the Lakers can maximize him.
2023 Free Agents:
D’Angelo Russell (UFA)
Rui Hachimura (RFA)
Lonnie Walker IV (UFA)
Austin Reaves (RFA)
Troy Brown Jr. (UFA)
Tristan Thompson (UFA)
Dennis Schröder (UFA)
Wenyen Gabriel (UFA)
Scotty Pippen Jr. (Two-Way)
Roster:
LeBron James
Anthony Davis
Malik Beasley (Team Option)
Mo Bamba
Jarred Vanderbilt
Shaquille Harrison
Max Christie
Cole Swindler (Two-Way)