Project 2027 was what Los Angeles Lakers fans dubbed the long-term plan to build around Luka Doncic. While there is certainly some nuance that needs explaining about the exact circumstances, that should be exactly when Rob Pelinka's next game-changing maneuver should be expected.
ESPN's NBA insiders published a story on Wednesday that offered extensive look at the situation in Los Angeles. That write-up offered a strong estimation on how the Lakers' should be expected to capitalize on their opportunistic approach that has prioritized flexibility.
ESPN wrote, "An ideal situation is to parlay the expiring contracts into players who can help now and next season. ... That would put the Lakers in a position to have close to $100 million in cap space in 2027."
The NBA insiders highlighted notable 2027 free agents Giannis Antetokounmpo, Stephen Curry, Nikola Jokic, Karl-Anthony Towns, Donovan Mitchell, and even Anthony Davis as players who should be on the radar. The Lakers would be positioned to strike, like they have done in the past.
Lakers have enacted this exact same plan before
ESPN offered their proof as to how the Lakers are poising themselves for 2027 by rewinding the clock to the past summers of 2018 and 2019. In 2018, they set themselves up to bring in LeBron James. The following offseason is when they built their championship core.
The front office were able to similarly line up the contracts and maneuver the pieces back then to prime themselves as big players in free agency. The NBA insiders highlighted that a combination of getting to play with Doncic, the Los Angeles market, and a new owner, should make for a strong pitch.
Naturally, things are not exactly the same as they were back then. The biggest difference that can make this plan to retool in free agency a dud is, of course, the dreaded new CBA.
Everyone was reminded by ESPN that the more lucrative financial options for these stars is now typically found in extending with their current team. That is why many of these high-caliber players have opted to take the money and force their way out via trade request, when necessary.
That is not what the Lakers will want to hear. While the team is not completely without tradeable assets, Los Angeles is certainly not rich in that department.
The balancing act that faces the Lakers is not enviable. They will have to maintain a strong roster that allows them to compete now, while continuing to fixate on the game-changing opportunity that is ahead of them. As things stand, though, every indicator points to that being the vision in Los Angeles.