July 1st is the day when the trading door of NBA opens. As the trading time approaches, various trading rumors also spread. As a popular team in the league, every move of the Lakers affects the nerves of many fans. Recently, there have been some clues about the Lakers' offseason operations.
1. About Westbrook
The primary target of the Lakers' offseason cleanup is Westbrook. The league's former MVP and triple-double king has become synonymous with high salary and low performance. Last season Westbrook represented the Lakers in 78 regular season games, averaging 18.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, 7.1 assists and 1.0 steals in 34.3 minutes per game. The three shooting percentages were 44.4%, 29.8% and 66.7%. Judging from the data, Westbrook still has star player-level contributions, but low offensive efficiency and high salary have become the fetters for him to continue to stay in the Lakers.
Westbrook has previously announced that he will implement the player option for next season, which means that Westbrook will take a salary worth US$47.1 million from the Lakers next season. According to reports from Lakers reporter Jovan Buha, the Lakers are still leaning towards sending Westbrook away through trade, but they will not send away their future draft picks (2027, 2029) in related transactions. Judging from the current market conditions of Westbrook, it is almost impossible to obtain valuable assets through trading Westbrook. Therefore, the Lakers are also prepared to keep Westbrook on the team's roster at the beginning of next season.
2, About the expired contract
In order to help the Big Three rush to the championship last season, the Lakers used one year's minimum salary to summon Anthony , Howard , Ariza , Malik Monk, Ellington , Bay A group of experienced veterans such as Zimmer, with the loss of the season, except for Anthony, Howard, and Monk, the veterans who can stay in the Lakers lineup in the new season are not optimistic about the hope of staying on the team.
In addition to the above-mentioned players whose contracts have expired, the Lakers also have several team option contracts. Including Stanley Johnson (2.4 million), Gabriel (1.9 million) and Reeves (1.6 million). According to sources, the Lakers management is currently inclined to implement the team options of these three players. Judging from their performance last season, all three have shown their value at different stages, especially Reeves. The 24-year-old guard often performs brilliantly. In the team's last game of the regular season against the Nuggets, he even recorded a triple-double of 31 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists. It would be a good choice to keep these three players at a reasonable price.
3, About the free agent market
Although there are currently only 5 players on the Lakers' roster with guaranteed contracts for next season (Westbrook, James , Davis , Tucker , Nunn ), but if If the Lakers choose to exercise the team options of Stanley Johnson, Gabriel and Reeves, the contract value of these eight people will reach 150.8 million, which makes the Lakers' operations in the free agent market stretched.
Although the Lakers' salary space is limited, they will still pay attention to the free agent market. Those players with low price and cost performance will become the first choice of the Lakers management. According to Lakers reporter Jovan Buha, sources revealed that in the upcoming free market, the Lakers are focusing on wing players with both offense and defense. They hope to use the mid-level exception to sign 1-2 wing players who can start next to James. The Lakers management believes that players with three-point shooting ability and the ability to defend multiple positions can help strengthen the lineup of James, thick eyebrows , and Westbrook. In addition, the media also revealed that the Lakers are paying close attention to free agent Blake Griffin, and they intend to sign this "White Warcraft" with a minimum salary contract.
Although the door to the trading market has not yet opened, judging from the Lakers' offseason operation ideas currently exposed by the outside world, the Lakers still hope to continue to strengthen the team with James, Big Eyebrow, and Westbrook as the core, and once again launch an impact on the championship. Because the Lakers management is very aware that James has less and less time left in the league.
