The allure and prestige of playing for the Los Angeles Lakers just isn’t what it once was. That shouldn’t be much of a surprise for a team coming off its lowest win percentage in franchise history, but the Lakers were unable to land any of the big-name free agents that had been labeled so often with “#FutureLaker” on Twitter.
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Again, this shouldn’t be much of a surprise. Los Angeles hasn’t scooped up a star free agent since Shaquille O’Neal in 1996 — nearly two decades ago. Other than that, the Lakers have built themselves into regular title contenders through blockbuster trades and impossibly lucky, smart drafting.
But in this age where the free agency bonanza dominates the summer news cycle, a historically great team like the Lakers expected a strong offseason that would put the organization back on the path to greatness. Unfortunately for the purple and gold, L.A. seems destined for another lottery pick next season after an underwhelming summer.
So what are we to make of another missed opportunity that proved — once again — that good weather and an illustrious brand is no longer enough to attract top-level talent? Here’s a look at the Los Angeles Lakers’ offseason, with individual grades for every move so far.
Next: The Draft