2023-24 Los Angeles Lakers Season Breakdown
Die-hard Los Angeles Laker fan Mike Javid discusses his thoughts on the Lakers' season, the Darvin Ham firing, and a potential offseason.
Jason Miller via Getty Images
Losing to the Denver Nuggets for the second consecutive season raised many questions about the Los Angeles Lakers: Was Darvin Ham the problem or was he a scapegoat? Should LeBron James opt out of his contract and leave Los Angeles? Should the Lakers move on from D’Angelo Russell and trade for a third star? Right now, nobody knows what the Lakers will do moving forward after a season filled with drama. Let’s get into all of it.
The 2023 Offseason
David Zalubowski via AP Photos
Coming off a Western Conference Finals sweep to the Denver Nuggets, the Lakers actually looked really promising. Around the duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis, this team was filled with youth and depth. Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, Lonnie Walker IV, and Jarred Vanderbilt were all young players who were a key part to the Lakers postseason success. However, most of the Lakers outside of James and Davis were free agents.
Not only did the Lakers have tons of free agents, they also had the seventeenth pick in the draft. While many fans wanted this pick to be traded, the Lakers kept it and drafted point guard Jalen Hood-Schifino from Indiana University. At the time, fans were ecstatic with this pick. Both Dennis Schroder and D’Angelo Russell were free agents and the Lakers were realistically going to lose one of those point guards. Having Hood-Schifino as a backup option was not a bad idea.
The Lakers also drafted forward Maxwell Lewis out of Pepperdine University. Many people saw this as the steal of the draft as Lewis was a projected first round pick. He was a great slasher and shot 35.4% from three in College.
Los Angeles had just six players under contract going into free agency in LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Jarred Vanderbilt, Max Christie, Jalen Hood-Schifino, and Maxwell Lewis. They had two restricted free agents in Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura along with D’Angelo Russell under bird-rights. They also had two exceptions in the non-taxpayer mid-level exception and the bi-annual exception.
They used the non-taxpayer mid-level exception to sign point guard Gabe Vincent on a three year deal worth $33M. He was coming off a Finals run with the Miami Heat where he was the starting point guard. Many people were optimistic with this signing as he brought in point of attack defense, replacing a lot of what Dennis Schroder was doing.
The Lakers used their bi-annual exception to sign wing Taurean Prince from the Minnesota Timberwolves. Prince was brought in on a one year deal worth $4.5M and was expected to provide shooting and defense off the bench. He had shot 38.1% from three with the Timberwolves in 2023. With that considered, this contract was excepted to be one of the biggest steals of the summer.
Another low risk-high reward signing General Manager Rob Pelinka made was signing center Jaxson Hayes on a minimum contract including a player option. Hayes brought in a lob threat who could protect the rim, rebound, and block shots. He was not expected to play a ton of minutes going into the year, but this was a good signing for injury replacements.
The Lakers also signed wing Cam Reddish on a minimum contract with a player option. Reddish was a good wing defender and could get hot from three every once in a while. Another low risk-high reward move for Los Angeles as he was a former lottery pick in 2019.
Arguably the best signing the Lakers made in free agency was bringing in big man Christian Wood on a minimum deal with a player option. Wood was expected to bring shooting and length to this Laker team. The thing fans were most excited for were the minutes of Wood and Anthony Davis together.
Los Angeles unsurprisingly re-signed shooting guard Austin Reaves on a four year deal worth $54M. However, what was surprising about this contract were the terms. Especially coming off a playoff run where he shot 44.3% from downtown, Reaves was expected to get over $75M, but took a pay-cut to remain a Laker.
It was uncertain whether or not guard D’Angelo Russell would remain a Laker considering his poor Western Conference Finals against the Denver Nuggets. Though many fans wanted him gone, he re-signed with the Lakers on a two year deal worth $36M including a player option. This contract was tradable and that may have been what the Lakers were planning on doing at the trade deadline.
Lastly, the Lakers re-signed forward Rui Hachimura on a three year deal worth $51M. Hachimura was red-hot from three in the playoffs, shooting a whopping 48.7% from that distance. He was expected to compete for the final starting spot along with Taurean Prince and Jarred Vanderbilt.
The Regular Season
Ethan Miller via Getty Images
According to BetMGM, the Lakers had the fifth highest odds of winning the 2024 NBA Finals at +1300 only behind the Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, Denver Nuggets, and Phoenix Suns. The Lakers went just 2-4 in preseason action with wins against the Brooklyn Nets and Sacramento Kings. To be fair, the games they lost were against projected title contenders in the Golden State Warriors twice, Milwaukee Bucks, and Phoenix Suns.
With power forward Jarred Vanderbilt sidelined for the first few weeks of the season, many people thought Rui Hachimura should have been the starter, but Head Coach Darvin Ham decided to go with Taurean Prince, a better defender than Hachimura. The idea did not work too well on opening night as the Lakers took a 119-107 loss to the Denver Nuggets. Ham ran a ten man rotation, but there were two things with which Laker fans were disappointed. Cam Reddish got the backup shooting guard minutes over Max Christie and Hachimura played just fifteen minutes off the bench.
Another key storyline of the opening night loss was after the game, Darvin Ham said he planned on managing the minutes of LeBron James, who played just twenty-nine minutes. However, without James, the half-court offense looked dreadful and James played thirty-five in their next game leading to a 100-95 win against the Phoenix Suns on Oct. 26.
The Lakers got off to a shaky start at just 3-5. While guys like Gabe Vincent, Rui Hachimura, and Taurean Prince were in and out of the rotation, it was not a good look. Austin Reaves was struggling so Darvin Ham made his first questionable decision by benching Reaves for Cam Reddish on Nov. 10 against the Phoenix Suns in the Lakers first In-Season Tournament game. Reddish played very well in his new role, scoring seventeen points including five threes. Off the bench, Reaves was fantastic with fifteen points and seven assists. The Lakers ended up winning 122-119 in Phoenix, a great win on the road that gave the team confidence.
That game started a hot stretch for the Lakers. They beat teams they were expected to beat, going 5-1 in their next six games, including finishing 4-0 in In-Season Tournament Group Play. On Dec. 2, Jarred Vanderbilt finally returned from injury and made his season debut in a dominant victory against the Houston Rockets. Their next game was their In-Season Tournament quarterfinals game against Phoenix. They got a narrow 106-103 win at home, punching their ticket to Las Vegas, Nevada.
In the semifinals was the New Orleans Pelicans, who had just beaten the Sacramento Kings. On Dec. 7, the Lakers made quick work of New Orleans as after they were trailing 30-29, LeBron James hit three consecutive three pointers and the Lakers never looked back, winning 133-89. To meet the Lakers in the championship was Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers, who had just defeated the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics. While many people were picking the Pacers to upset the Lakers, Los Angeles led for most of the game and won 123-109. Anthony Davis scored forty-one points and grabbed twenty rebounds. Many fans thought he should have won the In-Season Tournament Most Valuable Player due to his performance, but that ended up going to James. Both James and Davis made the In-Season Tournament First Team.
After the In-Season Tournament victory, the Lakers started to collapse, losing ten of their next thirteen games, falling to 17-19 despite being relatively healthy. This mainly was due to Darvin Ham adjusting the lineup too often. On Dec. 23, Ham made his first change and quite possibly the worst decision of his Laker tenure by starting Jarred Vanderbilt in place of D’Angelo Russell. A lineup of LeBron James, Cam Reddish, Taurean Prince, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Anthony Davis had just one ball-handler in James and two non-shooters in Reddish and Vanderbilt. While they defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder after the change, they went just 2-3 before the new calendar year of 2024. It also did not help that Gabe Vincent missed nearly five months post knee surgery.
On Jan. 3, Darvin Ham made another adjustment, starting Austin Reaves in place of Jarred Vanderbilt. Fans had wanted Reaves to start for a while as he provided a secondary ball-handler, shooting, and playmaking. After a blowout loss to the Miami Heat that night, it was reported by Shams Charania of the Athletic that there was a growing disconnect between Ham and multiple players with his rotations and constant lineup changes.
The new starting unit lost their first two games against the Miami Heat and Memphis Grizzlies, falling to 17-19. Yes, they had a nice 106-103 victory against the LA Clippers on Jan. 7, but they immediately got embarrassed at home against the Phoenix Suns four nights later, falling 129-110. After losing again to the Utah Jazz on Jan. 13, Darvin Ham made yet another change, going back to the original starting five of D’Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves, Taurean Prince, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis.
The adjustment seemed to work well as the Lakers defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder and Dallas Mavericks at home, improving to 21-21. This optimism did not last long as the Lakers got blown out at home by the Brooklyn Nets on Jan. 19. This was one of the worst losses of the season as Brooklyn was 3-14 in their past seventeen games before this. Sure, they ended the month with wins against the Portland Trail Blazers, Chicago Bulls, and Golden State Warriors, but they were 24-25 after a blowout loss against the Atlanta Hawks with no Anthony Davis.
A big moment when fans wanted Darvin Ham gone was when on Jan. 27 against the Warriors, it was obvious that Jarred Vanderbilt was outplaying Taurean Prince. Despite closing with Vanderbilt, Ham started Prince the next two games in blowout losses to the Houston Rockets and Atlanta Hawks.
Trade rumors were really starting to heat up. Though D’Angelo Russell was playing some of his best basketball ever, he was rumored to get traded for Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray. Gabe Vincent, Rui Hachimura, and Taurean Prince were all in trade talks too. In fact, the Lakers were willing to ship Prince, but Darvin Ham did not want him gone. Rumors say Ham promised to bring him off the bench as the Lakers demanded for him to do that. After a shocking win on the road against the Boston Celtics with no LeBron James and Anthony Davis, Ham benched Prince on Feb. 3 against the New York Knicks. Unfortunately in the win against Boston, Jarred Vanderbilt suffered a season-ending foot injury.
Despite a bunch of trade rumors, the Lakers did not make a single trade deadline move. However, they did go into the buyout market and sign point guard Spencer Dinwiddie. The Lakers were in need of a backup point guard as they were uncertain whether or not Gabe Vincent would return from injury. Dinwiddie provided playmaking and shooting off the bench.
The Lakers went 5-1 in their next six games with this new unit of D’Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis. Their only loss was on Feb. 8 against the Denver Nuggets. By the All-Star Break, they were 30-26, good for ninth place in the Western Conference. Things started looking a little ugly for Los Angeles as after losses to the Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors, they found themselves down twenty-one points in the fourth quarter against the LA Clippers on Feb. 28.
This was before LeBron James vetoed Darvin Ham’s gameplan of going at Kawhi Leonard and running drop coverage against James Harden. Instead, with James knowing the Clippers were switching everything, he decided to get Daniel Theis on him consistently from screens and blitzing Harden instead of dropping. The adjustment worked as James hit five threes in the fourth quarter as the Lakers stunned the Clippers, winning 116-112.
After a close victory against the Washington Wizards, the Lakers began their toughest stretch of the season with games against the Denver Nuggets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Sacramento Kings twice, Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Golden State Warriors. In these games, they went 3-4 with wins against the Thunder, Bucks, and Timberwolves. The Lakers could have easily beaten the Warriors too, but with poor officiating and an Anthony Davis injury, they took a tough loss.
Anthony Davis returned for their next game against the Atlanta Hawks and the Lakers won in a 136-105 rout. This started a hot stretch for Los Angeles as from Mar. 18 to Apr. 6, they went 9-1. While most of their wins were against poor competition, they had a 150-145 win against the Indiana Pacers, a 128-124 win against the Milwaukee Bucks with no LeBron James, and a 116-97 win against the Cleveland Cavaliers. This stretch put the Lakers above the Sacramento Kings, good for the eighth seed with one week to play.
However, this excitement did not last long as LeBron James got a flu and Anthony Davis dealt with nausea after taking a shot to the face in a 129-119 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Apr. 7. Their next game against the Golden State Warriors was the most important game of the season. With Davis ruled out, James tried all he could as he pushed through the flu and scored thirty-three points. However, Golden State won comfortably, 134-120.
Davis returned against the Memphis Grizzlies and the Lakers were able to get a narrow win on the road, improving to 46-35. Lastly, they had to go into New Orleans to face the Pelicans. New Orleans was competing with the Phoenix Suns to avoid the play-in tournament while the Lakers were competing for the eighth seed. A win would get them the eighth seed and if they lost, they would fall to tenth. Los Angeles came to play, winning 124-108.
The Phoenix Suns were able to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves, therefore the Lakers had to face the New Orleans Pelicans again in the first leg of the Play-In Tournament. The winner would matchup against the #2 seeded Denver Nuggets in a seven game series. The Lakers made the game closer than it needed it to be, but they ultimately won 110-106, earning a rematch with Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and the Denver Nuggets.
First Round vs. Denver Nuggets
Jack Dempsey via AP Photos
Like last season, the Denver Nuggets had a starting lineup of Jamal Murray, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Michael Porter Jr., Aaron Gordon, and Nikola Jokic. However, there was no Bruce Brown and Jeff Green off the bench. Their bench contained Reggie Jackson, Justin Holiday, Christian Braun, Peyton Watson, and DeAndre Jordan. Many experts thought the Lakers could win one or two games, but everyone was picking Denver to beat Los Angeles for the second consecutive season.
In game one, the Lakers got off to a strong start, leading 49-37 with 6:05 to play in the second quarter. Anthony Davis had sixteen points and James chipped in fourteen. However, a big Nuggets run cut the lead to three at halftime. Denver’s momentum continued and with 1:37 in the third quarter, they led 89-75. While the Lakers cut the lead to six with 6:15 to play, Denver breezed to a 114-103 victory. While Davis and Nikola Jokic went back and forth, the Nuggets role players outplayed the other Lakers. James had seven turnovers and D’Angelo Russell was just 1-9 from downtown.
Game two started similar to game one. With 4:13 left in the first, the Lakers led 24-14. However unlike game one, the Lakers maintained a lead throughout the half, leading 59-44 at halftime. D’Angelo Russell struggled in game one, but made six threes in the first half of game two. Anthony Davis shot 11-12 from the field, good for twenty-four points. Denver went ice cold from three as outside of Michael Porter Jr. and Nikola Jokic, they went 0-14 from that range. While the Lakers extended their lead to twenty early in the third quarter, the Nuggets cut the lead to ten going into the fourth. The Lakers half court offense did not look great as Denver went on a 10-0 run at one point.
The fourth quarter went back and forth as the game was tied 99-99 after Jamal Murray hit a mid range shot over Davis. LeBron James had Kentavious Caldwell-Pope on the ground, but missed a wide open three. Murray got the rebound and Denver Head Coach Mike Malone opted not to call a timeout. Murray got the switch on the slower Davis and sunk a step back mid range shot right in his face as time expired. The Nuggets broke the Lakers hearts, beating them for a tenth straight time and going up 2-0.
Anthony Davis led the Lakers with thirty-two points and eleven rebounds. LeBron James had twenty-six points, eight rebounds, and twelve assists. Even with D’Angelo Russell bouncing back, scoring twenty-three points and six assists on seven threes, it was not enough. Nikola Jokic had a monster triple double, scoring twenty-seven points, grabbing twenty rebounds, and dishing out ten assists. Michael Porter Jr. continued to kill the Lakers with twenty-two points and six threes made. Jamal Murray was quiet, but like always, turned it up when it mattered most.
Game three was a must win for the Lakers and the Lakers dominated the first quarter, leading 33-23. While they maintained a lead throughout the first half, Denver cut the lead to four at halftime. Outside of Anthony Davis and LeBron James, nobody showed up for Los Angeles. The Lakers were also just 1/11 from downtown. For Denver, Aaron Gordon contributed with fourteen points and nine rebounds. The third quarter was all Nuggets. Denver took a 69-61 lead midway through the quarter and never looked back. They led by as much as fifteen and cruised to a 112-105 victory.
Aaron Gordon continued his dominance with twenty-nine points and fifteen rebounds. Nikola Jokic chipped in twenty-four points, fifteen rebounds, and nine assists while Michael Porter Jr. and Jamal Murray scored twenty-two and twenty-one points respectfully. For the Lakers, Anthony Davis had another monster game with thirty-three points and fifteen rebounds. LeBron James had twenty-six points, six rebounds, and nine assists while Austin Reaves chipped in twenty-two points and four steals. D’Angelo Russell had his second stinker of the series, scoring zero points on 0/7 shooting.
Facing elimination, the Lakers won the first quarter once again, 28-23. It was looking like a good night for the big three of LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Austin Reaves, who combined for twenty of the twenty-eight points. The Lakers extended their lead to thirteen to end the first half, leading 61-48. However, to start the third quarter, the Nuggets sliced that lead to seven. Then in the fourth quarter, the Lakers went on a run to go up 106-87 after D’Angelo Russell hit a three with 5:58 left. While Denver scored twenty-one points in the six final minutes, it was not enough and the Lakers won 119-108, defeating the Nuggets for the first time since Dec. 16, 2022.
Anthony Davis led the Lakers with twenty-five points and twenty-three rebounds. LeBron James scored thirty and Austin Reaves chipped in twenty-one along with six assists. D’Angelo Russell had his second great game of the series, scoring twenty-one points on four threes made. For Denver, Nikola Jokic filled the stat-sheet with thirty-three points, fourteen rebounds, and fourteen assists. Michael Porter Jr. had twenty-seven points with eleven rebounds and Jamal Murray scored twenty-two.
Game five started off back and forth and for the first time all series, Denver led after the first quarter. Jamal Murray, who was listed as questionable with a calf strain before the game, scored twelve first quarter points. The Lakers went on a 12-0 run and led 41-34 midway through the second quarter. While the Lakers never trailed for the rest of the half, they led just 53-50 at halftime. The third quarter began well for Los Angeles with a 69-60 lead. Darvin Ham got a ton of criticism when after the Nuggets went on a 14-2 run, he finally called a timeout. Denver led 74-71. To be fair, a big part of this run was a shoulder injury to Anthony Davis, who collapsed with Michael Porter Jr early in the third quarter, but stayed in the game. It was looking like the Lakers were going to crash on the road, but they were down just two points heading into the fourth.
After Jamal Murray hit a three, putting the Nuggets up 87-81, the Lakers went on an 8-0 run, taking the lead. The teams were trading buckets during the final couple minutes. Down two, Austin Reaves hit a big three, putting the Lakers up 102-101 with 2:12 to play. Nikola Jokic and LeBron James each hit layups, but Aaron Gordon got a big offensive rebound and it led to another three from Murray, putting Denver up 106-104. Reaves missed a fadeaway, but the Lakers got a key stop on Jokic. James drove in and drew a foul on Michael Porter Jr. He hit both free throws, tying the game at 106.
Despite Nuggets Head Coach Michael Malone having two timeouts, he did not call even one, and Denver unsurprisingly went to the Jamal Murray-Nikola Jokic pick and roll. Austin Reaves went over, creating the two on one, but Anthony Davis did a good job guarding it. Rui Hachimura did not step up in backside help in time, and Murray hit a jumper with 3.6 seconds left. Taurean Prince leached up a half court, but airballed. The Nuggets won 108-106, eliminating the Lakers for the second consecutive season.
LeBron James gave it his all, scoring thirty points, nine rebounds, and eleven assists. Anthony Davis had seventeen points and fifteen rebounds. Austin Reaves was spectacular, scoring nineteen, including nine in the fourth quarter. D’Angelo Russell and Rui Hachimura were not bad either. For Denver, the trio of Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Michael Porter Jr. combined for eighty-three points. Denver had their best shooting performance of the series, shooting 16-38 from three.
Overall, the Lakers season was a massive disappointment. This team had expectations to go right back to the Western Conference Finals at the start of the season. They had all the potential in the world to be a top three seed, but with coaching, execution, management, ownership, and everything in-between, they became a first round exit.
The Darvin Ham Firing
Stephen Lew via USA TODAY Sports
Four days after the Lakers lost, the Lakers fired Head Coach Darvin Ham. Most fans viewed this as a positive move as Ham made very questionable decisions including benching Austin Reaves for a third of the season, starting Cam Reddish and Taurean Prince for a good stretch, and not playing Max Christie during the playoffs.
As hard as it is to fire someone, this was a pretty easy firing to make. Ham consistently failed to adjust and lost respect from multiple players. In fact, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic, the Lakers fired Ham due to them fearing the idea of Anthony Davis demanding a trade. The body language from all players was awful all season, especially LeBron James.
The hate from Laker players got so bad that D’Angelo Russell dropped a whole article exposing Ham. What stood out most was Russell stating the two could not connect due to Ham’s relationship with Dennis Schroder. This could perhaps be with Ham coaching Schroder from 2013-2018 in Atlanta. Russell stated, ‘‘His relationship (Schroder) with Darvin is the reason I couldn’t have a relationship with Darvin. When I was struggling (2023 Western Conference Finals vs. Nuggets), I would’ve been able to come to the coach and say, ‘Bro, this is what we should do. Like, I can help you.’ Instead, there was no dialogue. I just accepted it. We got swept, I’m here, he’s not, and I like our chances.”
Ham was getting a ton of slack after the Lakers lost as he kept on using the injury excuse when Anthony Davis played seventy-six games, LeBron James played seventy-one, D’Angelo Russell played seventy-six, and Austin Reaves played all eighty-two. That was about as healthy of a season you could hope for and Ham did not capitalize, benching Russell and Reaves at certain points this season.
Ham also overplayed Cam Reddish, putting him in the starting lineup for a good chunk of the season. Teams were sagging off Reddish all season, disrupting the flow of the offense. When Ham finally started Austin Reaves again, the Lakers started to get going as they became an offensive minded team. Yes, Reddish had a couple of great moments this season, but Max Christie getting DNP’s was completely unacceptable. Most Laker fans would agree that Christie is the better shooter and better point of attack defender than Reddish.
It is very rare to see a coach have all the tools for success and not take advantage. From the start of the season, it was likely the starting five would be D’Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves, LeBron James, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Anthony Davis. While Vanderbilt made his season debut on Dec. 2, he was back in shape by January. When you consider the 32.4 net rating of this lineup, there is absolutely no excuse this unit was not together often.
All in all, firing Ham was an easy decision. Losing respect from your own players about rotations is far from a good thing. Being a coach for one of the most storied franchises in sports is challenging, so you must be on top of your game. Ham was not, and got deservingly canned.
A Potential Los Angeles Lakers Offseason
Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Now that the Lakers have announced JJ Redick as the Head Coach, let’s discuss what a potential offseason could look like for them. Will they keep or trade the seventeenth overall pick? Will LeBron James re-sign? This will be a very interesting offseason with all the questions and storylines we have.
Hire Veteran Assistants next to JJ Redick
Mitchell Leff via Getty Images
After Dan Hurley declined a massive six year offer worth $70M, JJ Redick was named the next Head Coach for the Los Angeles Lakers. While Redick has yet to coach at the NBA level, this is what LeBron James wanted, and he of course has all the leverage. James being a free agent, the Lakers must listen to him here as they do not want to lose him for nothing. The Lakers will target veterans such as Jared Dudley, Sam Cassell, James Borrego, Rajon Rondo, and Terry Scotts. If they can get some of these guys as assistants, this could be a very deep coaching staff with a ton of IQ.
Redick and James ran the Mind The Game Podcast together and it has had a ton of success. He does have a great basketball mind and has shown that through his color commentating for ESPN. While Redick never won a ring, he has won many playoff series and is one of the greatest shooters to ever play the game. He can be a mentor to guys like Austin Reaves, Max Christie, Jalen Hood-Schifino, and others.
Player Option Predictions
Adam Pantozzi via Getty Images
Though Christian Wood already opted into his $3M player option on May. 7, the Lakers still have four players with player options going into Free Agency: LeBron James, D’Angelo Russell, Jaxson Hayes, and Cam Reddish.
LeBron James is going to turn forty years old in December and will have a player option of $51.4M. James just averaged 25.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 8.3 assists per game while shooting 54% from the field and 41% from three. James waits until a couple days prior to the Jun. 29 deadline, but ultimately decides to opt into his player option, remaining a Laker.
While D’Angelo Russell disappointed in this year’s postseason, signs still point to him opting out of his $18.6M player option. Having had a solid regular season, he does not need to overthink this decision. Russell can get a fresh start somewhere else if he does not think the Lakers are the right fit for him. Like James, he waits before making the decision, but ultimately decides to opt out and test free agency.
Cam Reddish was in and out of the Laker rotation this season. It is probably best for the Lakers that Reddish opts out of his contract, but he does what is best for him and opts into his $2.4M option. It is unlikely Reddish gets a major contract if he opts out due to his offensive struggles, shooting just 38.9% from the field and 33.6% from three.
Jaxson Hayes has the exact same player option Cam Reddish has. Unlike Reddish however, Hayes played some really solid stretches at backup center. Hayes shot 72.0% from the field for the Lakers. He will get a good contract this summer which means he declines this player option of $2.4M. He has shown he can protect the rim and catch lobs consistently.
Draft C Kel’el Ware out of Indiana University with the Seventeenth Overall Pick
David Berning via Getty Images
Kel’el Ware is a sophomore from Indiana University who can play right away. He averaged 15.9 points and 9.9 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game, while shooting 58.6% from the field and 42.6% from three last season with Indiana. Ware measures at 7’0 and while he could put a little more weight on, he is lengthy and athletic. For a big, he is a good playmaker and provides floor spacing. The twenty-year old is also a great rim protector. He has drawn comparisons of LaMarcus Aldridge, Jarrett Allen, and Brook Lopez. It is unlikely he is in the Opening Night rotation, but he should be ready to play in case of an injury.
Draft PG Bronny James out of USC with the Fifty-Fifth Overall Pick
Katelyn Mulcahy via Getty Images
While many people think this is just to keep LeBron James happy, Bronny James out of USC could be a very solid role player in this league. Sure, he averaged just 4.8 points on bad efficiency, but he knows what he is capable of and that is defense. He is strong for his size and does not take plays off. James was also hitting threes at the NBA Draft Combine, hitting nineteen of twenty-five threes and had a 40.5 inch max vertical. He has drawn comparisons of Marcus Smart, Avery Bradley, George Hill, and Miles McBride. James will be on a two-way contract, spending time playing NBA games and NBA G-League games for the South Bay Lakers.
Re-Sign SG Max Christie to a Three Year Deal worth $18M including a Player Option
When Max Christie got playing time this season, he excelled in his role, shooting 35.6% from three while playing solid defense. He appeared in sixty-seven games, twenty-six more than his rookie season. Christie has the potential to be a very solid role player for many years in this league. LeBron James and Anthony Davis need two-way role players around them. This formula worked during the 2019-20 season with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Danny Green, Alex Caruso, and others. Christie can replicate what those guys were doing as Lakers.
Re-Sign SF Taurean Prince to a Two Year Deal worth $10.8 with a Player Option using the Non-Bird Exception
Ronald Martinez via Getty Images
Taurean Prince has stated he would like to remain a Laker for the 2024-25 season. While the Lakers do not have his bird-rights, they can sign him on a multiple year deal using the non-bird exception at either 120% of his salary for the previous season or 120% of the league's minimum salary, whichever one is higher. In this case, Prince’s contract would be a two year deal worth about $10.8M including a player option on the final year.
Prince provides three point shooting as he shot 39.6% from three last season. He is a perfect rotational piece for a team around LeBron James and Anthony Davis as they are best suited with floor spacers and defenders around them. That is exactly what Prince is and his role should be the same as it was during the second half of last season.
Re-Sign PG Spencer Dinwiddie to a Minimum Contract worth $3.3M
Kiyoshi Mio via USA TODAY Sports
Spencer Dinwiddie was acquired from the buyout market last season on Feb. 10. In twenty-eight games, he averaged 6.8 points per game on 38.9% shooting from three. He has already stated he would like to remain a Laker and after the disappointing season he had, it is unlikely he gets many good contract offers. Dinwiddie will not be playing a major role with the Lakers as he will be a third string point guard, but he provides solid depth if needed.
Sign SG Gary Harris to a Two Year Deal worth $10.6M with a Player Option using the Non-Taxpayer Mid Level Exception
Rich Storry via Getty Images
While Garry Harris enjoys Orlando, the Magic are interested in multiple guards. This could cause him to lose minutes. Plus, they already have guards in Anthony Black, Jalen Suggs, Cole Anthony, Markelle Fultz, and potentially even Jett Howard all receiving playing time. If Harris wants to win now while also getting playing time, the Lakers could be the best bet for him. He provides three point shooting, shooting 37.1%, point of attack defense, and playoff experience as he made the Western Conference Finals with the Denver Nuggets in 2020.
Sign PG Chris Paul to a Minimum Contract worth $3.3M
Patrick Smith via Getty Images
It is an easy choice for the Golden State Warriors to waive Chris Paul. He had a rough season with the Warriors and this will likely be his final contract. He is best friends with LeBron James and has a perfect fit with the Los Angeles Lakers as a backup point guard. He can help be a mentor to Bronny James, Austin Reaves, and Max Christie and could even help JJ Redick as he has a smart basketball brain. Paul provides point of attack defense, playmaking, and shooting, three things you want from a point guard. He will get everyone in the right sets and should elevate Anthony Davis’ game.
Trade for C Wendell Carter Jr. from the Orlando Magic
Michael Gonzales via Getty Images
LAL receives: C Wendell Carter Jr.
ORL receives: PG Gabe Vincent, PG Jalen Hood-Schifino, and a 2031 Unprotected Protected First Round Pick
Wendell Carter Jr. is another player the Lakers would love to have as he provides floor spacing as a big man, shooting 37.4% from deep. He could hold his own on bigs, allowing Anthony Davis to roam when both are in the game. With Spencer Dinwiddie, Austin Reaves, Max Christie, Garry Harris, and Chris Paul, Gabe Vincent and Jalen Hood-Schifino will not get much playing time. Losing the 2031 first round pick will undoubtedly hurt the most, but the Lakers may do it just to compete with LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
While Orlando takes on the Gabe Vincent contract, they get a valuable first round pick in 2031. It is unlikely the Lakers have LeBron James and Anthony Davis by then and there could be a generational prospect Orlando could get. This could also just be a valuable trade piece for an expiring Wendell Carter Jr. Jalen Hood-Schifino will likely spend time in the G-League or he could be a trade piece at the deadline. They would start Goga Bitadze, but they could get an upgrade using Hood-Schifino, Markelle Fultz, and other contracts either in the offseason or trade deadline.
Get off the Cam Reddish Salary
Andrew D. Bernstein via Getty Images
LAL receives: Nothing
DET receives: Cam Reddish and a 2025 second round pick
The Los Angeles Lakers need to get rid of one player and they do so by trading Cam Reddish to get under the second apron of the luxury tax. The Lakers already have a ton of guards and wings on this roster, so trading Reddish will not hurt too much.
The last two offseasons for the Detroit Pistons have been trading for bad contracts to get draft capital. They do that here by getting a second round pick along with Reddish, who could get some rotational minutes with Troy Brown Jr. potentially gone.
The New Roster
Kyle Terada via USA TODAY Sports
PG: Austin Reaves ($13M), Chris Paul ($3.3M), Spencer Dinwiddie ($3.3M)
SG: Max Christie ($5.5M), Gary Harris ($5M)
SF: LeBron James ($51.4M), Taurean Prince ($5.4M), Maxwell Lewis ($1.9M)
PF: Jarred Vanderbilt ($10.7M), Rui Hachimura ($17M), Christian Wood ($3M)
C: Anthony Davis ($43.2M), Wendell Carter Jr. ($12M), Kel’el Ware ($3.8M)
Approximate Bill: $178.5M
Overall, this roster solves the Lakers’ goal of getting two-way role players. On paper, this bench looks very good with Chris Paul, Rui Hachimura, and Wendell Carter Jr. leading it, and the rotation is filled with shooting and defense. With LeBron James and Anthony Davis as the top two guys, the squad would be much improved and could definitely be a top four seed in the Western Conference.
This Lakers offseason will be one of the most important ones in Laker history, especially given the season they just had. It will be super interesting to see what they do throughout the summer. From the NBA Draft and Free Agency to trades they make, I cannot wait to see how it all plays out. What do you think?