2018-19 NBA Season Preview: Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles went into the summer, looking for some utilitarian incorporations to their roster and came out on the other side, getting more than what they had ever bargained for. While the Lakers were able to keep their full young core intact, it came at the expense of adding Kawhi Leonard to the roster.
If we look across the roster, there are guys who can play multiple positions and can create variegated opportunities to score. That, in today's NBA, is a weapon.
By far, LA houses the squad which everybody in the league is dying to watch. When the season kicks off, it would be really interesting to see Bron team up with the extremely talented roster along with some bonus veteran additions like Rondo & Stephenson, and how it will unfold during the course of the season. It’s an unbelievable opportunity for everyone on the team to learn from one of the best to ever do it.
Let's take a look at how they shape up as a team for the 2018-19 season:
Offseason Activity
There is no arguing the fact that the past summer was a summer like none other for the Lakers front-office. Though LeBron signing the blockbuster $154M/4-year contract with the franchise was the highlight, there was much more happening than what met the eye.
To make things even more interesting, they brought along one of the superstar's "rivals" in the name of Lance Stephenson who signed a one-year, 4.5 million dollar contract.
JaVale McGee agreed to a one-year contract along with Michale Beasley who came in on a $3.4M/one-year contract.
Also, the addition of Rajon Rondo($9M/one-year contract) and the re-signing of Kentavious Caldwell Pope helped an ever-growing cast of one-year signings as the Lakers continued to load up on playmakers to help out Bron.
While the franchise added loads of talent, many of the older ones declared free-agency. Some of the prominent ones being Julius Randle, Isaiah Thomas, Brook Lopez and Channing Frye.
The latest update of change to the LA roster came when the Los Angeles Lakers waived forward Luol Deng two years after signing him to a four-year, $72 million free-agent contract.