"We want to try our hardest" - Rob Pelinka says the LA Lakers want to keep the core of the team together at any cost
The LA Lakers, led by Anthony Davis, LeBron James, D’Angelo Russell, Dennis Schroder, Rui Hachimura, Austin Reaves and Jarred Vanderbilt, reached the Western Conference finals.
After spending most of the season hovering between 10th and 13th place, they became the hottest team in the NBA after the trade deadline.
Lakers GM Rob Pelinka knows free agency will have a major role to play in how the team will be constructed next season.
Here’s what he had to say about his priority in the offseason (via Dan Woike):
“We want to try our hardest to keep this core together.”
"We want to try our hardest to keep this core together," Rob Pelinka says. Lakers have been really clear about their plans this summer.
LeBron James, unless he decides to retire, should be in a purple and gold uniform next season. Anthony Davis will also continue his partnership with “King James” as a leader of the team.
Keeping Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura will possibly be Pelinka’s biggest task. The LA Lakers can only offer Reaves $50-51 million for four years while other teams can go as high as potentially $100 million. LA has officially tendered qualifying offers for both, which has made them restricted free agents.
If the Lakers match max offers for Reaves and Hachimura, Pelinka’s free agency plan will be significantly different. The Lakers would unlikely be able to retain D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley and Mo Bamba.
Furthermore, Dennis Schroder, an unrestricted free agent, could play for another team who can pay him above the veteran minimum.
ESPN’s Bobby Marks explains the potential situation:
"Lakers could potentially create roughly $17M in room if they let [Malik Beasley, Mo Bamba] and D'Angelo Russell go... I would expect [Austin] Reaves and [Rui] Hachimura back."
"I would expect Reaves and Hachimura back in a Lakers uniform."
@BobbyMarks42 forecasts the Lakers' free agency moves ⬇️ https://t.co/s0Zq77HZkU
The LA Lakers drafted Jalen Hood-Schifino, a combo guard with great size at 6-foot-5 and a first-round talent. Potentially losing Russell and Schroder could mean they need to get another experienced point guard to help run the show.
Pelinka can keep Anthony Davis, LeBron James, Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves but filling out the roster with good players is crucial.
James and Davis, over the past few years, have missed a chunk of games. They need able bodies to keep them afloat if that happens.
The LA Lakers’ core might still not be enough to get them past the Denver Nuggets
While the LA Lakers are trying to keep their best players, the Denver Nuggets are ready for next season. The defending champs’ core of Nikola Jokic, Aaron Gordon, Michael Porter Jr., Jamal Murray and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope are signed for at least another year.
The Nuggets will also likely need to replenish their depth as Bruce Brown, Jeff Green, Ish Smith, Reggie Jackson and DeAndre Jordan could be gone. Denver could give more minutes to Christian Braun and their rookies, and get veteran help.
"Regardless of what happens in this series, we are entering a phase where the Denver Nuggets will be the favorites in the Western Conference going forward for the foreseeable future. ... There's a long runway in Denver for this team to contend for titles."
—@jj_redick https://t.co/bVVJpsBIAw
The important thing for the Nuggets is the chemistry of their five best players. The LA Lakers do not have that luxury and will have to build rhythm as the season progresses.
Playing catchup on that end could cost them against the Denver Nuggets’ whirring offense built around Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray.
Also read: 2023 NBA Free Agency - LA Lakers are willing to match any offer sheet to Austin Reaves