The Los Angeles Lakers have quite a bit to look forward to now that the team has improved on both ends of the court since the trade deadline. For one, they got rid of Russell Westbrook and have added three solid players in D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, and Jarred Vanderbilt. Not to mention, Los Angeles added talented forward Rui Hachimura, who is still only 25 years old and is averaging a solid 12.4 PPG and 4.8 RPG. Along with LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the Lakers look primed for a strong ending to the season with the hopes of making the playoffs.
Speaking of LeBron James, The King has been sensational all year by posting 30.0 PPG, 8.4 RPG, and 7.0 APG for the Lakers while shooting 50.8% from the field. Anthony Davis is probably the biggest All-Star snub, as he has posted 26.0 PPG, 12.3 RPG, and 2.0 BPG for the Lakers through the 35 games he has played in. With this much firepower, the Lakers should be a lot better than what their 27-32 record says. With only 23 games left in the season, can Los Angeles make the playoffs? That remains to be seen.
Assuming the Lakers do not win a championship this year, as this is almost a certainty given how inconsistent they have been all year, what does next season look like? Lakers fans are basically waiting for the season to end and focus on next year with a new team that does not include Russell Westbrook anymore and some new pieces that can lift the Purple and Gold. But what does the 2024 season look like from now?
Rather, how does the Lakers’ salary cap stand with all the new additions and two superstar players making over a combined $85 million? It is time to look at the Los Angeles Lakers’ salary cap situation in the 2023-24 season and deduce how they can plan their attack to win a championship next year. By utilizing a mix of attracting free agents, re-signing talented players, and letting some others go, here is how the Purple and Gold can plan their 2024 NBA season.
Lakers Players Under Salaries: LeBron James ($46,698,737), Anthony Davis ($40,600,080), Mo Bamba ($10,300,000), Jarred Vanderbilt ($4,698,000), Davon Reed ($2,066,585), Max Christie ($1,719,864)
Obviously, LeBron James and Anthony Davis are in for the long term as they have a contract in 2024 and player options in 2025. Both stars are untouchable unless a top-10 player in the world somehow becomes available, and in that case, Davis could be moved. Otherwise, James and Davis will be Lakers players next season and that is almost a certainty. When healthy and playing at least 65 games each, they might be the best duo in the NBA because their skill is combined with size, basketball IQ, and pure impact.
Other Lakers players under contract include recently-acquired Mo Bamba, who is averaging 7.2 PPG and 4.6 RPG while also shooting 38.1% from three and blocking 1.0 shots per game. Bamba is not a star by any means, but he is only 24 years old and can have the potential to be a modern NBA center who can space the floor and block shots, similar to Brook Lopez. Newly acquired Jarred Vanderbilt is a stout defender, and at less than $5 million, he will likely be on the roster next year because he is 6’9” and is posting 8.3 PPG and 7.8 RPG so far. Davon Reed was brought over from Denver and is a high-energy player who can fill in bench spots and give pure hustle every night. Finally, Max Christie is one of the most promising players on the Lakers and has shown he can get it done on both ends of the court at only 20 years of age. That means Christie will either be a valuable role player for the team or a juicy trade asset.
No doubt, the Lakers have set themselves up nicely for next year with James and Davis taking the bulk of the money while a few role players remain on the roster at reasonable contracts.
Team Options: Malik Beasley ($16,524,106), Rui Hachimura (Qualifying offer $8,486,619), Scottie Pippen Jr (Qualifying offer $1,761,752), Cole Swider (Two-way contract $547,349)
Los Angeles also has a few players with team options attached to them, meaning the Lakers have plenty of flexibility in the 2024 season. Malik Beasley is nailing 35.7% of his threes this season and is actually a 38.0% career 3-PT shooter. If the shooting guard can show, he can be a long-term starter, perhaps the Lakers will exercise their team option and bring him back on board for over $16 million. Rui Hachimura will almost certainly be brought back because a 6’8” forward who competes on both ends is a necessity in the NBA.
Scottie Pippen Jr will be given his qualifying offer and will be brought back because he is an excellent role player at under $2 million. Cole Swider has a two-way contract, and the Lakers can really fill his spot with any player of their choosing in free agency because he is making under $1 million and does not really count as a fixed player at the moment. Overall, the Lakers have decisions to make on team options because their flexibility depends on what trades they want to make, which free agents to target, and who they want to surround LeBron James and Anthony Davis with.
Free Agents: D’Angelo Russell, Lonnie Walker, Dennis Schroder, Troy Brown Jr, Wenyen Gabriel, Austin Reaves, Matt Ryan, Sterling Brown
The most important players for the Lakers in 2024 are the free agents. D’Angelo Russell was the “star” addition for the Lakers before the trade deadline, and the team has a massive decision to make on the 26-year-old who was actually selected No. 2 overall by the Purple and Gold in the 2015 NBA Draft. As a shot-creator averaging 17.9 PPG and 6.2 APG on 39.0% 3-point shooter this season, Russell is not a bad option at point guard. Lonnie Walker is another high-energy player who hustles and can defend, but does his career 34.8% 3-point percentage throw the team off?
Dennis Schroder was brought back on little money this season and has been a solid point guard all year by posting 12.4 PPG and 4.2 APG. A slashing point guard who knows how to run the offense alongside LeBron James, he could be brought back on a team-friendly deal. Troy Brown Jr was brought in this season for shooting, and he is nailing 36.2% of his threes this season. He is a decent role player; the Lakers could bring him back but wouldn’t suffer if he does not return. The same goes for Matt Ryan and Sterling Brown, two players at the end of the bench.
No doubt, Wenyen Gabriel and Austin Reaves, in particular, are the most intriguing free agents outside of D’Angelo Russell. Gabriel is 25 years old and is posting 6.3 PPG and 3.9 RPG this season. Those are not great numbers for a player who has played 46 games, but his energy and size at 6’9” means he can provide depth for the Lakers. It will be interesting to see what deal the Lakers will consider offering for the Sudanese national. Reaves has been thrust into an important role for the Lakers since the team has struggled so much to find talent, and the young man has actually flourished.
Reaves is a smart basketball player who defends, passes, and has improved his shooting. LeBron James trusts him, Lakers fans appreciate him, and the franchise will probably want him back. It won’t be easy, because there will be teams after the 24-year-old’s signature, but hopefully, he can return to the Lakers and average more than 10.5 PPG and 3.0 RPG on 37.2% shooting from three.
Lakers Currently Have $106 Million For Salaries In 2023-24 Season
The Los Angeles Lakers have a total of $106 million in salaries for the 2023-2024 season. That is a reasonable number considering almost half of that is tied to LeBron James and Anthony Davis, two of the top-ten players in the world when healthy. With this much flexibility, the Lakers can manage to trade the most valuable assets they gained before the trade deadline this season and acquire superstar players such as Kyrie Irving and Draymond Green.
It is important to note that the salary cap for the NBA season will likely rise to $134 million and $162 million on a tax level, which is record-breaking. With this amount of extra money being afforded to the Lakers, the flexibility to trade for Kyrie and add Draymond Green is extremely feasible. Remember, the Lakers have the ability to trade players on their salary cap, including Beasley (team option extended), Mo Bamba, and Rui Hachimura (qualifying offer extended). Of course, there is that valuable 2029 first-round pick that teams are asking for, and the Lakers could package that along with any other draft asset they can muster up at this point. With these three players and possibly a youngster like Max Christie in the mix, perhaps Los Angeles can engage the Dallas Mavericks in a sign-and-trade deal if the point guard wants to reunite with LeBron James.
To do this, Kyrie Irving must be willing to accept a pay cut and accept a deal somewhere around $20 million per season, so the Lakers can still acquire Draymond Green and use their mid-level extension to sign one more important piece. There is absolutely no guarantee Irving accepts a pay cut because he wants maximum money and basically forced his way out of Brooklyn because of it. What if it means joining LeBron James and Anthony Davis in LA? Could winning a championship be more important than winning for Kyrie Irving? Possibly. Of course, the Lakers aren’t the only teams interested in the services of the talented 8-time All-Star as there could be other destinations that could intrigue the 2016 NBA champion.
Meanwhile, Draymond Green has become somewhat of an outcast in Golden State. His jerky reaction to LeBron James in the 2016 NBA Finals got him suspended and cost the team the championship. His aggression towards Kevin Durant on the court basically forced the superstar forward out of Golden State due to hurt feelings. The most recent attack on Jordan Poole at practice was the final straw, and the Warriors might feel that the player who helped them win 4 NBA titles is not worth the trouble anymore. In come the Lakers, who will be fond of Green’s competitiveness, defense, and championship experience. Most importantly, Draymond is clearly in LeBron’s camp as a friend and fan, so he could be a wonderful addition to the team. How would a lineup of Kyrie, LeBron, Green, and Davis work? They would be scary to play against, without a doubt.
The Lakers can basically trade any of their most valuable assets (Beasley, Hachimura, Reaves, Christie, Pippen Jr, Bamba, Russell) by engaging in sign-and-trades for Kyrie and Draymond. As both stars are free agents, anything is possible next season. As long as the Lakers can get their four stars intact, the rest of the roster can be built in the buyout market or via free agency with a mid-level exception possible, along with veteran minimum options. Assuming the Lakers can gut their depth for the stars, it is likely they can re-sign at least Dennis Schroder and any of their youngest players to team-friendly deals for depth purposes.
The Lakers have more flexibility than most thought entering the 2024 season, mainly thanks to an increase in the salary cap and the addition of valuable trade assets in the Russell Westbrook deal. With Kyrie and Draymond the key targets, it is up to the Lakers to maneuver well in the market and trade as least as they can for the top stars while bringing back as much as they can on minimum deals. It is easier said than done, but Rob Pelinka has a lot to do this offseason to improve on a team that has been under .500 for two straight years.
Source: fadeawayworld
