The Los Angeles Lakers have been searching high and low this offseason for ways to upgrade their roster. They are in desperate need of an infusion of talent after going 33-49 during the 2021-22 season and not only missing the playoffs but not qualifying for the NBA Play-In Tournament.
After signing an extension with the team, LeBron James will be in the purple and gold through at least 2024, when he has a player option for the 2024-25 season. That gives the Lakers a two-year window to try and bring another championship to the franchise.
While there is a lot of work to be done before they can be considered contenders again, a team with James and Anthony Davis can never be fully counted out. That duo is certainly good enough to carry a contending team, but they need to remain healthy. Finding better-fitting pieces around them will also help.
Los Angeles did as well as they could filling out the roster thus far this offseason, bringing in younger players with two-way upside. Compared to their strategy last offseason, when they signed numerous older veterans, this is a sizable upgrade.
Alas, they may not be done dipping into free agency. According to Marc Stein on his Substack, the Lakers could bring back another familiar face in point guard Dennis Schroder.
“Re-signing free agent guard Dennis Schröder is a “legit consideration” for the Lakers, league sources say, depending on how the rest of their roster develops.”
Schroder infamously declined a four-year deal from the Lakers during the 2020-21 season that was reportedly worth over $80 million. His agent thought that he could clear that number easily in free agency with the number of teams searching for a point guard.
They overestimated his market, as Schroder didn’t come close to signing a deal worth $100 million. Instead, he signed a one-year deal with the Boston Celtics for part of the mid-level exception worth $5.9 million. He was traded to the Houston Rockets ahead of the deadline, where he played 15 games to finish out the season.
While Schroder’s first go-round with the Lakers wasn’t great, as his numbers declined from his Sixth Man of the Year runner-up campaign with the Oklahoma City Thunder, he would likely be an upgrade from the current version of Russell Westbrook. Dennis Schroder at least has a few seasons of respectable 3-point shooting and is a much better defender.
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