Los Angeles Lakers: 5 offseason roster moves they must make

1. Retain Anthony Davis

The gamble taken by the Los Angeles Lakers to give up so many of their assets at the start of the season paid off. Anthony Davis combined brilliantly with James and was a massive part of bringing the 2019-20 championship to the Lakers.

The former New Orleans Pelicans star will opt out of his contract with the likely intention of renegotiating a new contract with the Lakers. This is extremely good news for the franchise.

Davis had a nice season, averaging 26.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 2.3 blocks, and 1.5 steals in 34.4 minutes per game. His presence on the court meant that opposition teams could not focus their defense on James, meaning that his playmaking was on full display.

When he does opt out and then sign a long-term deal, he will keep the Lakers relevant for the term of his contract. He always struggled to get players to join him with the small-market Pelicans.

Now that he is with a big market team, the longer the Lakers keep Davis, the longer they will be able to entice bigger name free agents. That is how important the signing of Davis is for the franchise.