Los Angeles Lakers are looking to maintain balance in the roster this offseason. Moreover, they suffered a lot due to a lack of balance in the last season. They lost ten from their first twelve outings at the start of the 2022-23 season. But the Lakers turned things around after the front office brought changes. Moreover, the team changed their initial plans to play with three superstars.
Hence, they traded Russell Westbrook to the Utah Jazz, mainly due to his lack of contribution to the team. But the Lakers got some quality players in return, like D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Mo Bamba, and so on. All of them contributed to the team to the best of their abilities except Mo Bamba, who could not play many games due to an injury. Moreover, the Lakers have gotten rid of Bamba and Beasley. Hence, they are looking for options like Bruce Brown of the Denver Nuggets or Brook Lopez of the Milwaukee Bucks.
Will Brook Lopez Be A Better Option Than Bruce Brown?
Reportedly, the Lakers have cut Mo Bamba and Malik Beasley and hence, opened up a $12.4 million option of the non-taxpayer midlevel exception. As a result, it won’t be difficult for them to retain the top three priorities in the offseason – Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, and D’Angelo Russell. The Lakers apparently want to keep the core together as much as possible. On top of that, the Lakers are planning to sign Bruce Brown from the current champions. According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, if the Brown deal does not work out, then the other option for the Lakers is Brook Lopez, the big man from the Milwaukee Bucks.
Lopez will not be a new entry to the Lakers, as he played for the 17-time champions back in the 2017-18 season. The Bucks center also had a great season in 2022-23, as he had an average of 15.9 ppg, 6.7 rpg, and 2.5 blocks. Moreover, he shot 37.4% of three-pointers. Brook Lopez is an ideal fit for the Lakers as he can support Anthony Davis well in the center. Moreover, he is an expert in protecting the rim and stretching the floor. However, there will be many other teams planning to acquire Brook Lopez in free agency. Hence, the Lakers might not get him within the midlevel exception offer.
Lakers Must Keep In Check With The Balance And Injuries In The Roster
The Los Angeles Lakers suffered deeply due to many injury issues last season. Hence, it is another thing the squad must keep in check. Not only did the two stars, LeBron James and Anthony Davis, suffer serious injuries, but the new players who came in did too. D’Angelo Russell was also out for several games due to an ankle injury. However, the Lakers felt more pressure when Anthony Davis sustained a stress injury and missed twenty games on the trot.
Just when Davis returned in February, James suffered a tendon injury and missed 13 games for a month. He still needs to fix his tendon injury in the offseason, later undergoing surgery sometime soon, perhaps. Moreover, in the offseason, many players are heading toward free agency. Clearly, when the LA side has multiple issues to work on, they need to sign players who can provide stability. And are not too expensive either due to their short cap space.