As the start of free agency nears, Los Angeles Lakers vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka is busy trying to find avenues to improve the roster.
With D’Angelo Russell opting in and LeBron James being willing to take a pay cut, a number of different options open up for Pelinka to make moves.
One player the Lakers have been linked to heavily is Klay Thompson, clearly looking to add some outside shooting to the organization. Thompson has a number of other suitors though and the mid-level exception may not be enough to convince him to come to the Lakers.
If James is going to take the pay cut though then it has to be for a worthwhile addition. Another player the Lakers are believed to be interest in is Brook Lopez of the Milwaukee Bucks, per Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports:
Context on LeBron James' potential pay-cut: His exact next deal with the Lakers seems dependent on what talent Los Angeles can add over coming days. In addition to Klay Thompson, sources told @YahooSports the Lakers have an eye on trading for Brook Lopez: https://t.co/njTZVUprlY
— Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer) June 30, 2024
Lopez has an expiring $23 million contract so the Lakers would likely need to send some salaries and assets back to Milwaukee in order to make a deal happen.
The 36-year-old is in the tail end of his career but is still a quality player and would be an ideal fit as a big man next to Anthony Davis. Lopez can space the floor, shooting 36.6% from 3-point range last season, while also protecting the rim on the other end with 2.4 blocks per game.
With the Lakers believed to be looking to upgrade the center position, a reunion with Lopez would make sense. It may take too many resources to acquire him, however, so Pelinka and the front office will need to figure out a backup plan as well.
Lakers interested in re-signing Taurean Prince and Spencer Dinwiddie
The Lakers also have reported interest in re-signing a pair of their free agents in Taurean Prince and Spencer Dinwiddie.
The organization currently has close to a full roster so moves will need to be made to open up spots. A Lopez trade could help them do that if they were to send a couple of players back to Milwaukee.
Regardless of what they do, it’s shaping up to be a busy free agency period for the Lakers.
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