The 2019 NBA offseason will be extremely important for the Los Angeles Lakers as they will look to land a second All-Star player via free agency or trade.
Additionally, the Lakers will also have to make decisions on a number of their own free agents including the likes of JaVale McGee, Rajon Rondo, and Reggie Bullock.
Of all of the team’s pending free agents, McGee would seem the most likely to return. He has already spoken about his desire to return to Los Angeles, and the Lakers are extremely thin at the center position.
Now, McGee is also making his free agency pitch following his first season with the Lakers.
“There’s opportunities on and off the court out here. I mean, we had the most TV games out of anybody and we were coming from a losing season,” McGee said during his recent exit interview. “So that’s just showing you how much spotlight and how much opportunity there is being with the Lakers if you’re winning or losing. It’s just opportunity out of anything.”
There is no doubt the Lakers provide a spotlight unlike any other team in the league. Even role players get more attention than top players on other teams and McGee believes any player should want to embrace that.
“So anybody who wouldn’t want to take advantage of that opportunity just because their fear of the spotlight is childish,” McGee said.
The question now is whether the Lakers will be able to convince another All-Star player to come to Los Angeles. The likes of Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, and Kyrie Irving still seem unlikely to join the Lakers, leading some to wonder if they will focus more on second-tier All-Star players like Kemba Walker or Khris Middleton.
McGee experienced all that comes with being a member of the Lakers — both good and bad — in his first season and is ready to come back for more. Now, the 31-year-old hopes to convince others to do the same.