Los Angeles Lakers: 4 impending free agents likeliest to return next season

The Los Angeles Lakers had their season end far earlier than expected after a first-round defeat to the Phoenix Suns in the NBA Playoffs.

Of course, a massive factor in their demise was the barrage of injuries this team was hit with over the year. Anthony Davis missed two months in the regular season with an Achilles injury and got hurt once again in the first round with a groin strain that ended his season prematurely. LeBron James was in a similar boat as he suffered a high ankle sprain in the regular season that sidelined him for six weeks, to which he never quite returned to form.

With their dream of repeating as NBA champions lamented and their season officially over, all eyes will pivot to free agency and how this team can prepare for next season.

The Los Angeles Lakers will have several tough decisions to make in free agency regarding the current status of their roster.

Among the many questions that need answering will be which players they intend to bring back and which ones they will let walk once free agency begins. A handful of key players are set to hit the market, and it could call for some difficult decisions from the higher-ups above.

With that being said, here are four key impending free agents that are likeliest to return to the Los Angles Lakers next season.

Free-agent Wesley Matthews wants to stay with the Los Angeles Lakers

Wanting to follow in his father’s footsteps and compete to win championships with the Lakers, veteran swingman Wesley Matthews immediately signed with LA last offseason.

Given the team-friendly contract and Matthews’ 3-and-D presence, it seemed like the perfect fit for Los Angeles, who had traded away a similar player in Danny Green. Yet, things never quite panned out for the guard as Matthews saw the fewest minutes of his career with 19.5 per game. Averaging career lows in points, field goal percentage, 3-point percentage, and several key categories, it was certainly a down year for the 34-year-old journeyman.

Yet, despite his minimized role and worst statistical season yet, Matthews made it clear he wants to stay put in LA and run it back with this team. After a disappointing year individually and from a team perspective, the guard wants to stick around and get back in the swing of things next season with a long offseason ahead.

While Matthews did not exactly impress anyone during his first season with the purple and gold, the fit could be beneficial for both sides. First off, re-signing Matthews would be a low-cost option to bolster the wing rotation as he would certainly not earn anything more than a veteran’s minimum. With the team set to be largely strapped for cash, a deal like this would be a low-risk but potentially a high-reward signing, given the team’s needs.

The shooting guard had a poor year shooting the basketball, but he still stands as a 37.9 percent shooter on 5.4 attempts from behind the arc for his career. The Lakers desperately need to shore up their shooting core this offseason, and keeping Matthews around would be a solid move in that department. He also provides them with a solid defensive presence on the perimeter, something you can never have too much of in this league.

He might not be the flashiest target, but keeping Matthews around for at least one more season seems like a feasible option for the Lakers. Expect a cheap deal in his free agency if there is any mutual interest.