Los Angeles Lakers: Grading first 4 signings of 2021 NBA Free Agency
By Dalton Sell
Looking to jump right back into contention next season, the Los Angeles Lakers are certainly having themselves an eventful offseason.
They started things off with a bang by trading for 2016-17 league MVP Russell Westbrook in a package centered around Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-pope, and Montrezl Harrell last week. Although they had to sever ties with several key contributors, the addition of Westbrook has given the Lakers a third star alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis, forming a trio that one might already consider the current title favorites for next season.
However, another key factor would be filling out the remainder of the roster as the trade for Westbrook left the Lakers with some work to do.
The Los Angeles Lakers made four signings on the first day of 2021 NBA Free Agency, and here are grades for each individual move.
Following the first action-packed night of 2021 NBA Free Agency, it seems safe to say that the Lakers understood the task at hand as they went out and signed four players, all of whom came on veteran’s minimum contracts. Ironically, they have also all suited up for the purple and gold before, making this quite the reunion.
Before these players make their return to Los Angeles, let us hand out grades for each deal that the Lakers made on the first day of free agency.
Grades for Kent Bazemore’s free-agent deal with the Los Angeles Lakers
Kent Bazemore played for the Lakers for just 23 games during the 2013-14 season, but he is hoping to see much more success this time around.
This one is particularly interesting as The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported that the swingman turned down more money and an extra year on a contract with the Golden State Warriors to sign with LA. Charania cites Bazemore’s belief that he will have a more prominent role and a greater opportunity to win a championship with the Lakers, making him feel better about sacrificing the better offer for a veteran’s minimum.
On the surface, this seems like a feasible move. Sure, Bazemore is far from the flashiest name, but he is a solid rotation piece. Bazemore had a solid year with the Warriors last season by averaging 7.3 points per game while having a career year with his shooting efficiency. The swingman would shoot career-highs in both field goal percentage (44.9) and 3-point percentage (40.8), showing a much-improved stroke offensively. The Lakers will surely not rely on his scoring, but Bazemore should be ready for the occasional 3-point try.
Where Bazemore will truly shine for the Lakers will be on the defensive end, where he is capable of defending multiple positions. The six-foot-four swingman is as versatile as they come and will give the Lakers a much-needed defender out on the perimeter after they parted ways with KCP in the trade for Westbrook. Overall, this is a solid signing made all the better that it is a team-friendly deal.