Whenever trade season rolls around, the Los Angeles Lakers find themselves at the center of the conversation. Sometimes they make the big swing for a superstar, other times they decide upgrade their depth or, very rarely, decide to stand pat.
This year, general manager Rob Pelinka decided to stand pat at the deadline for the most part, a move that came as a mild surprise to the NBA community. Outside of swapping Gabe Vincent for Luke Kennard to add more shooting, LA is set to roll with largely the same roster from opening night as they push for the playoffs.
It has been no secret that the Lakers want to maintain flexibility to build a perennial contender around Luka Doncic. They will have the chance to do so as soon as this summer, which gives them a key advantage.
The Lakers are set to have a lot of trade and financial flexibility this offseason
With LeBron James likely to leave this summer or retire from the game, that will open up a huge amount of salary for LA. Doncic is set to be the only max salary on the Lakers’ cap sheet ahead of next season and even with a looming extension for Austin Reaves, LA will have significant cap space.
In addition to that, the Lakers will have access to three more first-round picks that become eligible to be traded. This is a huge factor to consider, especially if they want to pursue Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was at the center of trade rumors this past deadline and has an uncertain future with the Bucks.
Even if LA decides to not go that route, having those picks when it comes to acquiring more depth will be important. Whether they decide to pursue Pelicans forward Herb Jones, Mavericks forward P.J. Washington, or if they want a frontcourt upgrade in Mavericks center Daniel Gafford or Jazz center Walker Kessler, having those picks to offer will be a nice luxury for the Lakers.
When LA made the big swing to acquire Doncic last February, it became very clear that he is the next face of the franchise. Pelinka has emphasized acquiring players on Doncic’s timeline to build a long-term contender, a blueprint Dallas established when they had the Slovenian superstar. The Lakers will have their first real chance to build a team that caters to Doncic this summer and with their flexibility, they could have a much-improved team next season.
