5 Players The Lakers Should Target In Free Agency
By Rahul Lal
The offseason has two major events: the NBA draft and NBA free agency. The Lakers want to be considered winners at both and are in a position to do so.
The last few years have been almost laughable for Lakers fans who have become accustomed to success. While it was a terrible year, it ended on a positive note as fans, old and young, got a chance to see one last vintage Kobe Bryant performance to close out the season and his historic 20 year career.
The Lakers' most attractive feature to potential free agents, outside of location and winning history, is the youth movement we are seeing in Los Angeles. The Lakers have selected in the lottery of the NBA draft each of the last three years and each pick provides reason for significant optimism. Even with a great core, the Lakers have a lot of options to improve this team.
Before we get into free agency, let's take a look at the current roster.
*Free Agent
^2016 Draft Choice
Projected Starting Five:
PG - D'Angelo Russell
SG - Jordan Clarkson*
SF - Brandon Ingram^
PF - Julius Randle
C - Larry Nance
Reserves
Guards: Lou Williams, Marcelo Huertas*
Forwards: Nick Young, Anthony Brown, Brandon Bass*, Metta World Peace*, Ryan Kelly*
Centers: Ivica Zubac^, Roy Hibbert*, Tarik Black*, Robert Sacre*
As you can see, more than half of the team's status is up in the air whether they will return due to free agency. With Kobe's retirement, the Lakers have freed up $25 million in cap space to play around with this summer. Last season's acquisition Roy Hibbert's eventual departure adds an additional $15.6 million.
The Lakers will look very different next year as they are not expected to return fan favorite Metta World Peace, Ryan Kelly or Robert Sacre. Brandon Bass has declined his $3.1 million player option but has expressed interest in returning to the Lakers leaving the team with over $55 million to spend in July. Sounds like a fun month for Mitch Kupchak and friends.
The Lakers are expected to offer qualifying offers for both Marcelo Huertas ($1 M) and Tarik Black ($1.1 M) to shore up some of their depth. The biggest decision the Lakers will have to make with their own free agents revolves around Jordan Clarkson, it's also one of the easiest.
The Core
Clarkson is one of the bargain buys of this year's free agency crop. Thanks to something known as the 'Gilbert Arenas Provision', Clarkson is only eligible to be signed for the mid-level exception for the first year of his new contract. He is eligible for a slight 4.5 percent raise in year two before earning max-contract money in years three and four. The Lakers will receive quite the discount, getting Clarkson for a combined $11 million over the first two years of his deal rather than his market price of above $20 million annually.
Clarkson fits in well with new head coach Luke Walton's offensive scheme. Walton was the assistant coach of the Golden State Warriors over the past two seasons and led them to a 39-4 record last year while head coach Steve Kerr was sidelined. Walton spent many seasons in a Lakers jersey being coached by beloved coach Phil Jackson and stars like Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal. Walton will be the youngest head coach in the NBA at only 36 years old; he's younger than a handful of current NBA players.
While the roster is thin, Clarkson, D'Angelo Russell, Julius Randle, Larry Nance, Anthony Brown and both draft selections, Brandon Ingram and Ivica Zubac, are all under 24 years old. Even with Russell's well-documented (literally) antics, he showed flashes of greatness last season and is expected to make a big leap with his new opportunity.
Randle played his first real season last year (only 14 minutes played in his rookie season due to an injury) and averaged 11.3 points and 10.2 rebounds in only 28 minutes a game. Nance was a bit of a surprise after being selected at the back end of the first round in 2015 but showed that he is a rebounding and dunking machine capable of being a starter in this league.
Brandon Ingram is only 18 years old and wasn't even born in time to see Kobe drafted. He has a great frame and lethal scoring abilities and should be the perimeter threat the Lakers have been looking for. Second round selection, Ivica Zubac, has a 7'1" frame and is only 19. He should earn good minutes right off the bat.
The Lakers are off to a great start but have a chance to really kick their rebuild into next gear when free agency officially hits.
Free Agency Targets
1. Hassan Whiteside
Whiteside would be the best potential prize for these Lakers and cap off the best offseason league-wide. Whiteside emerged in the season before last as an all-around center. He is a force on the defensive and has developing post moves but uses his athleticism as a safety. He would be able to run in Walton's system and fill the Lakers' biggest hole.
Whiteside is eligible for the league's maximum contract, a figure he's likely to secure. With his recent emergence, Whiteside is eligible for the lowest value, maximum contract. While some have concerns signing him to a long-term deal because of his age (27) or lack of experience, Whiteside will be able to use that to his advantage only having played so many minutes in his career. Whiteside averaged 14.2 points with 11.8 rebounds and 3.7 blocks in only 29 minutes per game; numbers that would only rise with an opportunity in LA.
2. Al Horford
This is not only a move to fill a major need but also to grab a player with a lot left in the tank who can provide some much needed experience to this young Lakers squad. Horford just turned 30 years old and could be the ideal fit for a Walton-run system, which is the reason he is expected to explore his options with the Warriors as well.
Horford averaged 15.2 points along with 7.3 rebounds and over a block while averaging over a made three pointer a game as a center. He also churned out the healthiest season of his entire career starting all 82 games for the Hawks. Playing with Julius Randle could be a similar fit as he had in Atlanta with Paul Millsap while adding in other dangerous weapons and shooters as he had available the last few years as well.
3. DeMar DeRozan
DeRozan is a tough case to predict. On one hand, he is coming off a career year where he averaged 23.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4 assists per game while taking his team to the Eastern Conference Finals but, on the other hand, you have to wonder if that team has reached its peak in the improving Eastern Conference.
DeRozan was born and raised in Los Angeles and played his college ball at USC having dreams of playing with his idol, Kobe. Wouldn't it be a storybook move in his book to fill those giant shoes and become the next high scoring Laker? While he isn't much of a shooter, DeRozan can light it up from the field and relentlessly finds his way to the free throw line. He has significantly improved each year of his career and is still only 26 years old. With a young team to grow with and a rapidly rising skill set, DeRozan can turn into a true star back home in Hollywood.
4. Nicolas Batum
Batum spent his entire career in Portland before switching over to Charlotte last season now it's time for him to switch one more time. Batum has shown a sort of all-around game that is nearly impossible to find in today's NBA. He packs a loaded punch of defense, passing, shooting and rebounding and can be a great example for a young team trying to get going.
Batum would likely find his spot starting at the shooting guard position and using his length at 6'8" to create mismatches alongside 6'5" PG Russell and 6'10" SF Ingram. Not only does he instantly help on the court but he could provide a lot of off the court help by mentoring the young players and helping Ingram develop into the versatile player he's capable of being.
5. Bismack Biyombo
Biyombo is potentially the most polarizing player in free agency. It isn't a secret that he's cashing in on a great playoff series but he truly is a defensive monster with great potential. At only 23 years old, Biyombo will be signed to a deal he would've never thought possible just two or three months ago.
In only 22 minutes this season, Biyombo put up 5.5 points, 8 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game. During the Raptors' playoff run, Biyombo stepped in as a spot starter for Jonas Valanciunas and averaged 9.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in only 25.3 minutes. While the numbers aren't eye popping, the big man made play after play and did a lot of the things that don't show up in the stat sheet changing the game with his energy. We may not know a lot about Biyombo, but, the Lakers would be wise to gamble on him and add to their extremely young core.
No matter what, the Lakers have the money to really cause some dents in free agency and the core to become a force one day. Lakers fans, get ready to rejoice.
Rahul Lal is an LA native stuck in a lifelong, love-hate relationship with the Lakers, Dodgers and Raiders. You can follow him on Twitter here.
