Your Lakers Free Agency Guide
BEST OF THE BEST
Kawhi Leonard
This is a big deal
Kyrie Irving
D’Angelo Russell
Good for how long?
Kemba Walker
starter material
Brook Lopez
Danny Green
Bojan Bogdanovic
Darren Collison
Now we got depth
Terrence Ross
BEST OF THE BEST
Kawhi Leonard
Raptors · 28 yrs · 6-7 · 230 lbs
Last Contract 5 yrs · $94.2M
pts
26.6
reb
7.3
ast
3.3
blk
0.4
stl
1.8
A do-it-all wing
There have not been strong indications that Kawhi Leonard wants to play for the Lakers. There have been reports about his lack of interest in teaming up on a super team with LeBron James. The Clippers and the Raptors seem to have the inside track. And yet, because he’s Kawhi Leonard, no one really knows for sure what he wants. And it could be possible that he wants to join the Lakers, who now have the money to get him.
THIS IS A BIG DEAL
Kyrie Irving
Celtics · 27 yrs · 6-3 · 193 lbs
Last Contract 5 yrs · $94.3M
pts
23.8
reb
5.0
ast
6.9
blk
0.5
stl
1.5
Elite scoring PG
He might be the perfect free agent to pair with Anthony Davis and LeBron James. He knows what it’s like to win alongside James, and he’s got the skills as a passer and, most importantly, as a dead-eye shooter, to turn the Lakers into the NBA favorites. Most people think he’s headed for Brooklyn, but with salary cap space now available the Lakers have to be in the mix.
THIS IS A BIG DEAL
D’Angelo Russell
Nets · 23 yrs · 6-5 · 198 lbs
Last Contract 4 yr · $23M
pts
21.1
reb
3.9
ast
7.0
blk
0.2
stl
1.2
High-upside PG
Welcome back? All signs are pointing to both sides being open to it — for good reason. Players as young as Russell, 23, and as good as Russell — 21.1 points and 7.0 assists per game — almost never hit the market. The tricky thing with Russell will be the timing. Currently a restricted free agent, he’ll be unrestricted if the Nets sign Kyrie Irving, but that can’t happen until July 6. Can the Lakers afford to wait?
Good for how long?
KEMBA WALKER
Hornets · 29 yrs · 6-1 · 184 lbs
Last Contract 4 yrs · $48M
pts
25.6
reb
4.4
ast
5.9
blk
0.4
stl
1.2
Scoring PG
Walker is a score-first guard probably best suited for a team that needs offense. It’s why Boston, and not the Lakers, seems like the best bet here. Still, he’s an All-Star player at a position of need for the Lakers, so they’ll give him real consideration. A return to Charlotte, which would probably cost them every penny of the five-year max contract, is possible too.
STARTER MATERIAL
Brook Lopez
bucks · 31 yrs · 7-0 · 270 lbs
Last Contract 1 yr · $3.4M
pts
12.5
reb
4.9
ast
1.2
blk
2.2
stl
0.6
The stretchiest 5
Makes sense for the Lakers to keep Brook Lopez around after bringing him back last year to provide spacing for LeBron James. Wait a second. That didn’t happen? Oh yeah, that’s right, he left. Here’s a chance to undo that mistake by convincing Lopez it’s worth coming back and being the starting center. Last year he became the first player in NBA history to average at least two three-pointers and two blocks per game. He just did it in the wrong uniform.
STARTER MATERIAL
Danny Green
raptors · 32 yrs · 6-6 · 215 lbs
Last Contract 4 yr · $40M
pts
12.5
reb
4.9
ast
1.2
blk
2.2
stl
0.6
Champion 3-and-D guard
Green is a championship-level shooting guard on a team that needs a shooting guard to operate in a clearly defined role. Green plays with great smarts and effort on the defensive end and shoots it from beyond the arc on the offensive end, no more, no less. He’s also regarded as one of the best teammates in the NBA.
STARTER MATERIAL
Bojan Bogdanovic
pacers · 30 yrs · 6-8 · 216 lbs
Last Contract 2 yr · $21M
pts
18.0
reb
4.1
ast
2.0
blk
0.0
stl
0.9
Punches above his weight
Assuming the Lakers don’t land one of the max-level players they’ve targeted, their cap space needs to be split up trying to find players who can shoot the ball and spread the court for James and Davis. Bogdanovic is coming off a great season in Indiana, where he had to do more than expected. He’d complement any offense looking for shooters who can move without the ball.
STARTER MATERIAL
Darren Collison
pacers · 31 yrs · 6-0 · 175 lbs
Last Contract 2 yr · $20M
pts
11.2
reb
3.1
ast
6.0
blk
0.1
stl
1.4
Underrated PG
The Lakers need a starting point guard and Collison is certainly a competent one. The former UCLA and Clippers guard is coming off two good seasons in Indiana, where he shot the ball incredibly well. He plays with a lot of pace on both ends and is comfortable conceding some playmaking duties, which a Lakers point guard will need to do.
NOW WE GOT DEPTH
Terrence Ross
Magic · 28 yrs · 6-7 · 206 lbs
Last Contract 3 yr · $31.5M
pts
15.1
reb
3.5
ast
1.7
blk
0.4
stl
0.9
Microwave bench scorer
Ross is a heat-check waiting to happen, a high-scoring guard who can come off the bench and torture second-unit defenses. He made more than 38% of his three-point shots last season and is willing to fire no matter how difficult of a look. Jeremy Lamb is another player who could fill this role for the Lakers as they fill out their roster.