The Los Angeles Lakers are expected to become aggressive anew in the NBA offseason as they pursue another star to aid LeBron James and a bunch of young superstars to get back on track. There are a lot of big-name free agents expected to be available in the offseason but pundits believe the purple and gold will have their work cut out for them.
According to the Athletic, the common prognosis is that free agents will bypass the Lakers and opt to sign elsewhere. Among the big names that could be available if they don't end up sticking with their current NBA teams Kyrie Irving, Kemba Walker, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, DeMarcus Cousins, Khris Middleton, Nikola Vucevic, Jimmy Butler and Kawhi Leonard.
Some of those names have been occasionally linked to the Los Angeles Lakers and reeling them in, would depend on what each player is looking for. But being a big name, the obvious thing is wanting to be the top dog on a team. With LeBron James at the helm, that is unlikely to happen, at least for the next three years.
George, Thompson, and Leonard heading to Hollywood would make sense since they were born in or around the Los Angeles area, the Bleacher Report said. Unfortunately, that has not become the sole yardstick for players nowadays. It would depend if that team in pursuit of their services has the potential to win an NBA title and of course, pay them handsomely.
Looking at the Lakers performance this NBA season, getting back on the winning track is already a struggle as it is. Despite having James, one of the greatest players still active to date, the Lakers need to fill up key positions to compliment the King.
Kyle Kuzma, Lonzo Ball, and Josh Hart have shown promise although it is suspect on up to when the Lakers would patiently wait for them to break out of their shell. Brandon Ingram is another key element although his recent blood clot problem raises concerns on his NBA future.
As one can see, Lakers team president Earvin "Magic" Johnson faces a tough task ahead to get key pawns to push Los Angeles back to its glory years. There will be player movements starting July although there is no promise that some would hop on to the Lakers' bandwagon.
Finally, unless the Lakers get James some help, it would mean a wasted investment on the three-time NBA champion. He has three years remaining and is reaching the twilight of his career.
