When the Los Angeles Lakers entered the NBA‘s free-agency period in late June and early July, it looked like they had any number of possibilities ahead of them. There was a chance, even, that they could keep LeBron James around for another year or so, and build off a core of James, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, a group that played well together when healthy. But they moved on from James in the early going of the summer and instead put together an eye-opening series of signings in one afternoon.
All at once, it seemed, the Lakers used up their considerable cap space to bring in Walker Kessler, Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili and Collin Sexton, completely remaking a roster that had reached the second round of the postseason even without Doncic. There was enthusiasm–four new shiny toys for what was now just the Doncic-Reaves core.
Lakers Had July Spending Spree
That enthusiasm still reigns for those Lakers fans wearing purple-and-gold colored glasses. A harder look reveals that this team seriously sacrificed depth to make four-year commitments not just to Kessler–who is worth it–but to Grimes and Mamukelashvili, who are role players and should not require hefty long-term deals.
Not only that, but this was essentially the Lakers’ one shot. That is because the team coughed up pretty much all of its remaining draft assets to send to Utah for Kessler. Again, Kessler is probably the best fit next to Doncic and Reaves but if the Lakers were going to leave themselves such a thin margin for error, they should not have squandered their best resources on two bench players (Mamu and Sexton) and Grimes.
No Money, Limited Draft Assets
That’s a point that was hammered home this week by Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus, a cap guru who listed the Lakers among his group of, “5 NBA Teams With the Worst Salary-Cap Situations.”
The Lakers will have small chunks of free-agent money in the future, but that’s about the only opportunity they will have to add to their rosters.
Writes Pincus: “On paper, the Lakers’ current ceiling is third in the Western Conference behind the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder. That’s best-case, given the gauntlet of talent L.A. will need to fight through to win at the highest level. For the foreseeable future, the Lakers are spent.
“The team has just one first-round swap available to offer .. (and) only three second-round selections available—two from the Washington Wizards, both starting in 2031—which may help smaller deals get done, but may not help land a needle-mover. Improvements will need to come via small free-agent signings or trades where the Lakers’ outgoing talent or willingness to take on other unwanted salaries will drive deals more than the squad’s meager draft capital.”
Lakers Tabbed Among NBA’s ‘Worst Situations’