Los Angeles Lakers: Mid-tier free agents team could target in 2018

If the Los Angeles Lakers’ attention turns away from the superstars during 2018 NBA free agency, these three mid-tier free agents better be on their radar.

All of the talk this offseason has been about the Los Angeles Lakers‘ pursuit of superstars during 2018 NBA free agency. What happens, though, if they decide to only sign one of LeBron James or Paul George? Or, what if they simply miss on one or both of them?

In these hypothetical scenarios, the Lakers would have plenty of money to spend and limited candidates to hand max contracts to. I’ve already addressed their options beyond the King and PG-13, and it’s far from inspiring. Still, it’s a very real possibility that fans need to be prepared for.

Instead of making a risky move that could involve spending too much on one player, the Lakers could take the “spread the wealth” approach. By that, I mean spending the ~$36 million needed to sign LeBron on a number of players instead, as an example. It may not be the sexiest allocation of funds, but it may actually get the Lakers closer to contender status.

A very vague sampling of this would be Los Angeles using that ~$36 million on three above-average players, paying each about $12 million in 2018-19. It may not land the Lakers a superstar, but it gives them a more balanced roster and substantially more depth to depend on.

I’m just saying, it’s not as crazy of a solution as some might think.

If the Lakers do end up taking that route, I believe these three mid-tier talents could be in their crosshairs. All are quality starters who wouldn’t break the bank, but can bring experience and proven playmaking ability to this squad while also filling significant needs.

All contract details via Spotrac.com.