The Los Angeles Lakers have their eyes set on a big summer this offseason.
The Lakers were relatively quiet in this year’s trade deadline. Their only moves were acquiring Luke Kennard from the Hawks and signing Kobe Bufkin to a two-year deal to fill their 15th spot on the roster.
Those moves don't exactly scream "all-in," but L.A. could be gearing up to do just that this summer. Dan Woike of The Athletic outlined the team's latest free-agency plans in his most recent column.
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“There seems to be a clearer-eyed approach to this summer, which is different from past star pursuits, ” Woike wrote. “The Lakers have more cap space than any other competitive team, so they can be aggressive in acquiring players who fit their needs. The center position remains a priority, again. They could engage with restricted free agents like Denver's Peyton Watson and Houston's Tari Eason. And while restricted free agency comes with complications tied to offer sheets and prior teams' rights to match, the Lakers could try to bypass those steps with draft capital in sign-and-trades.”
Are the Lakers Poised for an Aggressive, All-In Offseason Push?
The Lakers will not lack money this offseason. Los Angeles is projected to have approximately $55 million in cap space this offseason. That puts them in a great position to add a multitude of high-level, two-way players that complement Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
However, while the money is nice to have, that’s not the only route the Lakers can take. Woike elaborated, “Team sources have maintained that the Lakers won't pursue a single pathway. That's the luxury of their position; they can and should pursue Antetokounmpo. They can and should explore high-level role players whom they can trade draft picks for and absorb into space. They can and should look into aggressive ways to pry loose one of the top restricted free agents.”
The Lakers have a ton of options at their disposal. L.A. is all about acquiring the top stars in the game. With Giannis Antetokounmpo likely at the forefront of the offseason this summer, look for the Lakers to make an aggressive push at the 10-time All-Star.
By the summer time, the Lakers will have plenty of assets to acquire a big-time star, whether it is Antetokounmpo or someone else.
Newsweek