Lakers Draft Cleanup and Free Agency

[chekmatex4]

After Lakers traded for AD, the protections make it difficult for Lakers to trade future first round picks. I hope Lakers can clean this up so that they have flexibility to include first round picks in the future.

Lakers are projected to have the 23rd pick in the 2021 draft as the 2021 pick goes to Pelicans if it falls within 1-7 (not happening) and the Pelicans end up with the Lakers 2022 first round pick.

If Pelicans feel that the Lakers 2021 draft pick will be better than the 2022 pick, I would try to get them to take the 2021 pick so Lakers are able to trade 2022 pick (along with 2027 pick) in a future trade. Lakers may even be able to get additional compensation from Pelicans (e.g. a second round pick).

Alternatively, Memphis is another team that may want the Lakers 2021 pick in place of the Jazz pick they have in 2022. The trade would be Lakers 2021 1st round pick for the worst 2nd round pick Memphis has available (likely Portland's) and Jazz 2022 1st round pick.

[chekmatex4]

With Lakers salary cap increasing, they will have to target players willing to accept minimum deals - especially if they intend to resign Schroder, THT, and Caruso.

Point Guards - Avery Bradley, Teague, Rivers, Cook, Lin

Wings - Ariza, Harkless, Hezonja, Bazemore, Wes Matthews, Bullock, Bonga, Sampson, James Johnson,

Bigs - Dwight, McGee, Vonleh, Robin Lopez, Nerlens Noel, Ed Davis, Richaun Holmes, WCS, Whiteside, Damian Jones

[Mike@LG]

Harkless if we're lucky.
Holmes is getting a 12-15mil deal.
Damian Jones worth it.
Dwight probably wants MLE.
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https://lakersdraft.substack.com/

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[nbaDrafter]

Dwight won't get the MLE -- back to back years in taking minimums and at his age, he's set the price for himself and I don't think teams would go over it at this point. Despite Embiid's injury, he barely played. If we really want Dwight back, I'm sure we could have him.

Harkless is a straight up bad shooter - do we really need another one of those? He kind of fits the type, but our team lacks shooting and he'd just exacerbate those. I do think he's sunk himself into minimum value even with the excess money this year.

[Mike@LG]

^A guy that can defend multiple positions, even if he's a subpar shooter, is a rotation player for LAL.
_________________
Resident Car Nut.

https://lakersdraft.substack.com/

I am not an economic advisor nor do I advise economic strategies or plans.