This summer there will be a lot of eyes on the Los Angeles Lakers. The franchise has positioned themselves very well with two max-level free agency slots, as well as two draft picks and a young core of players that showed a ton of potential in winning 35 games, their most since 2013.
It is that promise on the roster combined with the salary cap room that has many believing that this is finally the offseason the Lakers sign a big-name free agent. Because the team has struck out in the past on the likes of LaMarcus Aldridge and Carmelo Anthony however, there are still some concerns, and with good reason.
One current All-Star believes that is due to change soon. An unnamed player told Lee Jenkins of Sports Illustrated why he believes the Lakers will make a notable signing:
“They’ll get somebody soon,” says an All-Star due to hit free agency in the near future. “They play hard. They play together. They know their role. And, most important, they’re in Los Angeles.”
There are some very big names who will be on the market the next two summers. Much of the focus of course, is on this offseason with LeBron James, Paul George, and DeMarcus Cousins being the biggest prizes.
The summer of 2019 has plenty of star power as well if the Lakers maintain some cap space as Klay Thompson, Kawhi Leonard, Kyrie Irving, and Jimmy Butler could all be free agents.
The important thing for the Lakers is that they have positioned themselves to have a chance at these players. The work that president of basketball operations Magic Johnson and general manager Rob Pelinka have put in has been exceptional so far and the promise the Lakers showed on the court only makes them more appealing.
This summer will be the biggest in a long time for the Lakers, but for the first time in a while the Lakers are truly on the correct path and could take another huge leap with the right move.
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