Los Angeles Lakers: 5 free agents L.A. could regret not signing

While the Los Angeles Lakers await Kawhi Leonard’s decision, they missed out on some potential game-changing free agents.

The 2019 NBA free agency frenzy began in earnest for the Los Angeles Lakers and the rest of the NBA on Sunday, with players and teams finally able to officially agree to contracts, and reporters racing to break the news of each deal on social media.

After being linked to seemingly every big-name free agent for months, the Lakers reportedly went all-in on their pursuit of reigning NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard over the rest of the star-studded class.

Thanks to Kevin Durant‘s ruptured Achilles tendon and Leonard’s mainstream breakout championship performance, Leonard vaulted Durant at the last minute to become the league’s most coveted free agent. Against Durant’s banged up Golden State Warriors in the Finals, Leonard averaged 28.5 points, 9.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 2.0 steals per game while leading the Toronto Raptors to the franchise’s first NBA championship.

Leonard, of course, is conducting his free agency process differently than expected. That’s because he’s just a different kind of guy. While KD and most of the top available names agreed to terms with their respective teams early on Day 1 of free agency, Leonard is taking his time to make a decision.

While the Lakers wait for Leonard to choose between them, the Raptors or the Los Angeles Clippers, there are a handful of free agents they missed out on that they could regret if Leonard ultimately takes his two-time champion, two-time Finals MVP and two-time Defensive Player of the Year talents elsewhere.