The Los Angeles Lakers had a rapid fall from grace from last season. They were the champions in the bubble and then this season they fell to be a play-in team. LeBron James expressed his displeasure at this format towards the end of the season as the Lakers were about to fall into the tournament seeding.
The problem for the Lakers was they were hit with injuries to the wrong players at the wrong end of the season. James missed 27 games with an injury which had a significant impact on the team, particularly as Anthony Davis missed 36 games as well.
On top of that, when these two were out, Dennis Schroder also missed 11 games which meant that the Lakers were without either of their primary playmakers which had a detrimental impact on the team’s offense down the stretch of the season. This was the main reason they fell into the play-in tournament.
The Los Angeles Lakers roster moves from last season did not work as planned.
The Lakers traded Danny Green to the OKC Thunder for Schroder but this did not have the desired impact. The Lakers missed Green’s defense and 3-point shooting, however, Schroder was meant to also replace Rajon Rondo’s playmaking which he was unable to do at the same level.
On top of that, the Lakers were unable to re-sign Dwight Howard, while also trading JaVale McGee away. They did sign Montrezl Harrell and Marc Gasol but the team was not as strong defensively with these two players gone.
With all that in mind, let’s look at the five roster moves the Los Angeles Lakers need to make.
Los Angeles Lakers offseason move No. 1: Do not re-sign Dennis Schroder
After the Lakers finished their roster moves from last season, many people thought that Dennis Schroder was going to be an upgrade for the team. He averaged 15.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.1 steals in 32.1 minutes per game.
While these numbers are nice, Schroder did not have a positive impact on this team. There were reports recently that he had been feuding with Kyle Kuzma which is never going to help team harmony. The problem is that Schroder had a similar issue with a teammate during his time with the Thunder.
Schroder has also stated that he is looking for a contract of more than $100 million which is out of the price range of the Lakers, especially if they want to stay competitive. Schroder is simply not good enough to be the third member of this Big 3 and have the team be at the top of the standings.
The Lakers need to sign a guard who is more defensive-minded. The Lakers are still a strong defensive team but their strength lies with Anthony Davis. If a team has a strong backcourt then the Lakers struggle to contain it.
Los Angeles Lakers offseason move No. 2: Explore a DeMar DeRozan homecoming
After spending most of his career with the Toronto Raptors, DeMar DeRozan was sent to the San Antonio Spurs in the Kawhi Leonard trade. This hurt the loyal DeRozan as he was under the impression he was going to be a member of the Raptors for his whole career.
Despite how well he played, DeRozan has been unable to lift the Spurs into the postseason and he will be keen to have some success while he is still able to contribute. If the Lakers were able to make enough room for him in their cap sheet then he would certainly be interested in going.
DeRozan fixes a number of issues that the Lakers have at the moment. He would be able to form a good defensive partnership with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, making the Lakers one of the best defensive teams in the entire league again.
He is also a clutch scorer meaning that the Lakers would have more options at the end of the game. Other teams would not be able to defend James or Davis as tightly due to DeRozan’s ability to knock down buckets from the mid-range under extreme pressure. He has been able to do this without the level of players around him that the Lakers have on their squad.
Los Angeles Lakers offseason move No. 3: Re-sign Alex Caruso
While Alex Caruso only averaged 6.4 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.1 steals in 21.0 minutes per game, his impact on games cannot be measured by numbers alone. He is able to come through with a play that can change the momentum of a game.
Whether it be a steal, a block, or a huge dunk, Caruso has the X-Factor which can impact a game. He can also shoot the 3-ball at a high clip of 40.1 percent which is crucial for spacing the floor for James to create on offense.
James has also said in the past that Caruso is his favorite teammate which is huge for the former G-League player. Chemistry on and off the court helps a franchise to win and if the team’s best player is enjoying playing with his bench players then this leads to a more productive team environment.
The Lakers also need to have a number of players sign on with smaller contracts, thanks to the larger deals given to James and Davis. Caruso should sign be with the Lakers on a smaller deal as he has shown that he can play with James and be effective.
Los Angeles Lakers offseason move No. 4: Trade Kyle Kuzma and his large contract
The Lakers signed Kyle Kuzma to a three-year, $39.0 million deal last summer as an extension to his rookie contract. Given how he played last season, Kuzma did not play up to his future deal and the Lakers suffered as a result.
Kuzma was only paid $3.9 million for last season but if past performance is any indicator for future performance, then the Lakers are not going to be happy for the next three seasons. Kuzma averaged 12.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.9 assists in 28.7 minutes per game.
While these numbers look reasonable, there was a point in the season that Kuzma was putting up shots that never looked like going in. He also managed to cost the Lakers a number of games with his play. This is not what you want for the team’s fourth-highest player.
Kuzma only started 32 of the 68 games that he played. Markieff Morris was preferred as a starter over Kuzma as he had better results on the defensive end. Also, if the Lakers do not have the $13 million due to Kuzma on the books then they can sign a number of other pieces to fit around James and Davis. This will hopefully take them to another deep playoff run.
Los Angeles Lakers offseason move No. 5: Re-sign Markieff Morris
Midway through the last season, Markeiff Morris signed a contract with the Los Angeles Lakers and he helped them to win the championship in the bubble. Morris then signed on with the Lakers again this season for a single season minimum salary deal worth $1.6 million.
During his time with the Lakers, Morris has averaged 6.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in 18.7 minutes per game. However, with Morris it is not raw numbers that you judge him on, it is the impact that he has on the game which is most important.
Morris is able to impact the game through his toughness and intensity. He sets a solid screen which gets his playmakers open. Morris is then a danger in both the pick and roll or the pick and pop, such is the versatility of his game.
If the Lakers are able to sign Morris for another minimum contract then they will have the ability to assemble a roster that fits their needs better than the one from this season. Morris would most probably re-sign with the Lakers due to the fact that the rest of his career has been on less talented squads.
The problem for the Lakers is that due to the amount of cap space around the NBA, Morris might be priced out of their range.