Legacy | Los Angeles Lakers NBA2K24 MyEra

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Twelve games into the 2022-23 NBA Season, the Lakers sat at the very bottom of the league's standings. Despite relatively good health from Anthony Davis and LeBron James, as well as Russell Westbrook's willingness to buy into new head coach Darvin Ham's plan to bring him off the bench, L.A. got off to a dismal 2-10 start.

With the Lakers' season seemingly headed for disaster, speculation ran rampant. Would the team consider trading Davis? Would James, whose new contract extension made him ineligible to be dealt during the season, ask to be moved in the summer? Would the Lakers' first-round pick which the Pelicans controlled in a swap, be used to get Victor Wembanyama to New Orleans?

The Lakers didn't panic though. They were able to tread water long enough to remain in the playoff hunt at the trade deadline, at which point they exhibited their belief in the Davis/James foundation by making a series of trades to complement that core despite being several games below .500. Westbrook's $47+ expiring contract, a lightly protected 2027 first-round pick, and a handful of second rounders helped the team land D'Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Rui Hachimura and Mo Bamba.

The impact was immediate. Despite missing James for most of March due to a foot injury, the Lakers went 18-8 down the stretch, won their first and only play-in game, then knocked off the No. 2 Grizzlies and defending-champion Warriors to make the Western Conference Finals. They didn't win a game against the eventual champion Nuggets in that series, but they played Denver as tough as any playoff opponent did, losing those four contests by a total of just 24 points.

With LeBron turning 39 years old in December, there's still a sense of urgency in Los Angeles to make the most of a title window that could close in a year or two, but the Lakers will at least enter the 2023 offseason having alleviated some of that pressure that led to that Davis-and James-related trade speculation last fall.

The Lakers' Offseason Plan
When the Lakers acquired Westbrook in 2021, the thinking was that a third star could help ease the burden on Davis and James, take on a greater role if one of those players missed time due to injury, and perhaps even become AD's co-star if LeBron decided to call it a career within the next few seasons.

Westbrook wasn't the right fit, but the logic was sound enough. Two years later, after seeing how poorly the Westbrook experiment went and how well the team played with complementary pieces surrounding their two remaining stars, the Lakers will have a big decision to make: Do they try to run it back and stick with the two-star model that worked so well in recent months, or will they look to construct another Big Three, knowing that LeBron's days in Los Angeles and in the NBA-could be numbered?

Going the cap-room route to create space to sign a star free agent probably isn't a route the team will take. If the Lakers were to guarantee Vanderbilt's modest salary for 2023-24, issue a qualifying offer to restricted free agent Austin Reaves, and divest themselves of the rest of their non-guaranteed contracts (including declining options and renouncing free agent cap holds), they could create nearly $28M in cap room. And they could even push that number a little higher by trading their No. 17 overall pick and/or Max Christie.

But that still wouldn't be enough to offer anything close to a maximum-salary contract to a free agent like Kyrie Irving, and it would mean sacrificing some depth-notably, Hachimura couldn't be re-signed and the mid-level exception couldn't be used in that scenario. It makes more sense for the Lakers to operate over the cap, retaining the cap holds of Hachimura (another RFA) and Russell, while perhaps also negotiating with other unrestricted free agents like Dennis Schroder.

That doesn't necessarily mean the Lakers simply have to bring back the same group. Trading for an impact player who is already under contract isn't out of the question.
If L.A. believes it has a chance to acquire that sort of player, the club could guarantee Bamba's $10.3M salary for next season and pick up Beasley's $16.5M team option and use those expiring contracts for matchup purposes. This year's No. 17 pick and the Lakers' 2029 first rounder could also be dealt.

There are roadblocks in play there though. Star guards like Bradley Beal and Damian Lillard have massive contracts that would require more than just the combined salaries of Beasley and Bamba to match - a sign-and-trade of none of the Lakers' own free agent would probably be necessary, which would complicate matters.

A sign-and-trade for a free agent like Irving or Fred VanVleet wouldn't be impossible, but it would be challenging, both for salary-matching reasons and because a sign-and-trade acquisition would hard-cap the Lakers at the first tax apron. If they hope to bring back Reaves and Hachimura on market-value deals and sign-and-trade for a top point guard, the Lakers would need Irving or VanVleet to accept a team-friendly offer to make it work. Even then, there's no guarantee Dallas or Toronto would play ball.

The simplest-and seemingly most likely path for the team this offseason would be to play it relatively safe: Negotiate new long-term contracts with Reaves and Hachimura or match any offer sheets they sign, even if it's a back-loaded Arenas Provision offer for Reaves; re-sign Russell to a shorter-term deal; use the mid-level exception to re-sign Schroder (who will only have Non-Bird rights) and/or add another player; and keep an eye out for the supplemental pieces in free agency who could be willing to sign a minimum-salary contracts to play in L.A. for a contender (Chris Paul, maybe?).

The No. 17 pick is also an asset that shouldn't be overlooked. This Lakers' front office has a solid history of identifying young talent, having drafted well and found some undrafted gems like Reaves and Alex Caruso. If that pick is retained, it could be used to acquire a young, affordable player who might be able to play regular minutes as a rookie. As a trade chip, it could be packaged with a player on an expiring contract like Bamba or Beasley to bring in a useful veteran on a multiyear deal.

If the Lakers don't find a trade, they like by June 29 involving Beasley or Bamba, I'd probably let Bamba go, but I'd seriously consider picking up Beasley's option. While Beasley's price tag is a little higher than you'd hope, his outside shooting is a valuable skill that would be hard to replace on the cheap, whereas the Lakers could probably find a productive enough part-time center for the veteran's minimum, like they did during the 2022 offseason when they signed Thomas Bryant.

It's not an easy decision though, especially when factoring in how new contracts for Reaves, Hachimura and Russell could affect the Lakers' team salary. Even without Bamba's salary on the books, there may not be enough room to bring Beasley back and use more than the taxpayer portion of the mid-level exception. Turning down Beasley's option and trying to re-sign him at a more cap-friendly rate may be prudent, since they'd hold his Bird rights.

As the Lakers showed this past year, a team doesn't necessarily have to be fully formed out of the gates, given that the in-season trade market offers real opportunities for roster transformations. Rob Pelinka and the front office will certainly explore every avenue to significantly upgrade the rotation this summer to maximize the final season of LeBron's 30s (for what it's worth, I don't buy that he's a real threat to retire this summer, but a 2024 exit is conceivable).

Spoiler

I am currently at the beginning of January 2024 in this franchise.
I will continue to post and update, but if you want to follow along closely you can at dynastysports.net. Thank you.

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Lakers Sign Guard Gabe Vincent

July 6, 2023

The Los Angeles Lakers signed guard Gabe Vincent, it was announced by Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Rob Pelinka.

Vincent joins the Lakers after spending the last four seasons (2019-23) with the Miami Heat. Last season, Vincent appeared in 68 games (34 starts) while averaging 9.4 points, 2.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 25.9 minutes. During the playoffs, he appeared in 22 games (all starts) averaging 12.7 points, 1.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 30.5 minutes, shooting 37.8 percent from 3-point range while helping the Miami Heat reach the NBA Finals.

In his four seasons in Miami, Vincent appeared in 195 regular season games (68 starts), averaging 7.7 points, 1.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 21.0 minutes. In 44 career playoff games (30 starts), he has averaged 9.7 points, 1.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 25.2 minutes. Vincent was named the NBA G League Most Improved Player following the 2019-20 season.

Vincent played his college ball at UC Santa Barbara (2014-18) and competed at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as a member of the Nigerian National Team

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Lakers Sign Forward Taurean Prince

July 6, 2023

The Los Angeles Lakers signed forward Taurean Prince, it was announced by Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Rob Pelinka.

Prince joins the Lakers after playing the last two seasons (2021-23) for Minnesota. Last year, Prince appeared in 54 games (four starts) and averaged 9.1 points (.467 FG%, .381 3P%), 2.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 22.1 minutes. Over seven NBA seasons playing for Minnesota, Cleveland (2020-21), Brooklyn (2019-21) and Atlanta (2016-19), Prince has played in 424 games (222 starts) and averaged 10.4 points (.421 FG%, .372 3P%), 3.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 23.9 minutes. Prince has also appeared in the NBA Playoffs for Minnesota (2021-23) and Atlanta (2016-17), averaging 8.5 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 16 games (seven starts).

Prince was selected No. 12 overall in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft by the Utah Jazz after a four-year collegiate career (2012-16) at Baylor University. Prince earned All-Big 12 First Team honors following his senior season after averaging 15.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.3 steals in 30.6 minutes.

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Lakers Sign Forward Cam Reddish

July 6, 2023

The Los Angeles Lakers signed forward Cam Reddish, it was announced by Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Rob Pelinka.

Reddish has appeared in 173 career games (82 starts) throughout his first four NBA seasons with Portland (2022-23), New York (2021-23) and Atlanta (2019-22), averaging 10.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.0 steals in 24.9 minutes. Reddish has played in four career postseason games with Atlanta, averaging 12.8 points (.528 FG%, .643 3FG%, .800 FT%), 3.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.5 steals in 23.0 minutes in the 2021 NBA Playoffs.

Last season Reddish appeared in 40 games (20 starts) between the Knick and Trail Blazers, where he averaged 9.7 points (.446 FG%, .853 FT%), 2.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.0 steals in 24.8 minutes. Reddish has recorded 20 games with 20 or more points throughout his career, including two performances with 30+ points, and is coming off a season in which he shot a career-high 44.6 percent from the field.

Reddish was originally selected by the Atlanta Hawks with the 10th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft following one season (2018-19) at Duke University. In his one season at Duke, he appeared in 36 games (35 starts), averaging 13.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.6 steals in 29.7 minutes.

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Lakers Sign Center Jaxson Hayes

July 6, 2023

The Los Angeles Lakers signed center Jaxson Hayes, it was announced by Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Rob Pelinka.

Hayes joins the Lakers after spending his first four seasons (2019-23) with the New Orleans Pelicans. Hayes appeared in 47 games (two starts) last season for the Pelicans, averaging 5.0 points (.551 FG%) and 2.8 rebounds in 13.0 minutes.

Through 241 career NBA games (47 starts), Hayes has averaged 7.5 points (.622 FG%) and 4.0 rebounds in 16.8 minutes. He has recorded seven games with at least 20 points in his career and has shot over 60.0 percent from the field in three of his four NBA seasons. Hayes has also appeared in six career postseason games (all starts) in the 2021-22 season, averaging 5.8 points (.560 FG%) and 2.5 rebounds in 13.8 minutes.

Hayes was originally drafted by the Atlanta Hawks with the eighth overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft out of the University of Texas. In one season with the Longhorns (2018-19), where he was named Big 12 Freshman of the Year and an All-Big 12 Second Team honoree, he averaged 10.0 points (.728 FG%), 5.0 rebounds and 2.2 blocks in 23.3 minutes. Hayes ranked fourth in the league in blocked shots (71), helping him earn a spot on the Big 12 All-Defensive Team.

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Lakers Re-Sign Guard Austin Reaves

July 6, 2023

The Los Angeles Lakers have re-signed guard Austin Reaves, it was announced by Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Rob Pelinka.

During the 2022-23 season, Reaves appeared in 64 games (22 starts) for the Lakers, averaging 13.0 points (.529 FG%, .398 3P%), 3.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 28.8 minutes. Reaves joined Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard as the only players in the league to shoot at least 50.0 percent from the field, 39.0 percent from 3-point range and 85.0 percent from the free-throw line (min. 200 FTM). Reaves scored in double figures in 42 games, including 10 games with 20+ points and one 30-point performance. In his second season with the Lakers, Reaves improved his career averages in scoring and assists, as well as his shooting percentages from the field, 3-point range and the charity stripe. In 16 playoff games (all starts) last season, Reaves averaged 16.9 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.6 assists while shooting 46.4 percent from the field, 44.3 percent from long distance and 89.5 percent from the free-throw line.

In two seasons with Los Angeles, Reaves has played in 125 career games (41 starts), averaging 10.2 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 26.1 minutes while shooting 50.1 percent from the field, 36.3 percent from 3-point range and 85.6 percent from the free-throw line.

Originally signed to a two-way contract by the Lakers after going undrafted out of the University of Oklahoma (2019-21), he was then signed to a standard NBA contract prior to the 2021-22 NBA season.

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Lakers Re-Sign Forward Rui Hachimura

July 6, 2023

The Los Angeles Lakers have re-signed forward Rui Hachimura, it was announced by Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Rob Pelinka.

After joining Los Angeles via trade on January 23, 2023 from the Washington Wizards, Hachimura appeared in 33 games (nine starts) where he averaged 9.6 points (.485 FG%) and 4.7 rebounds in 22.4 minutes to end the 2022-23 regular season. Overall, Hachimura appeared in 63 games (nine starts) between the Lakers and Wizards while averaging 11.2 points and 4.5 rebounds in 23.3 minutes. During the 2023 NBA Playoffs with the purple and gold, Hachimura averaged 12.2 points and 3.6 rebounds in 16 games (one start), shooting 55.7 percent from the field and 48.7 percent from 3-point range, good for the sixth-best mark in the playoffs. Hachimura was the only player in the 2023 NBA Playoffs to shoot at least 55.0 percent from the field (min. 10 FGA), 48.0 percent from 3-point range and 88.0 percent from the free-throw line.

In four NBA seasons, Hachimura has appeared in 210 career games (127 starts) for the Lakers (2022-23) and Wizards (2019-23), averaging 12.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 26.9 minutes. In 21 career playoff games (six starts) for the Lakers (2022-23) and Wizards (2020-21), posting averaging 12.8 points and 4.5 rebounds in 26.7 minutes, while shooting 57.3 percent from the field and 51.9 percent from beyond the arc.

Hachimura was selected with the ninth overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft by the Washington Wizards, after a three-year collegiate career (2016-19) at Gonzaga University.

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Lakers Re-Sign Guard D'Angelo Russell

July 6, 2023

The Los Angeles Lakers have re-signed guard D’Angelo Russell, it was announced by Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Rob Pelinka.

Russell, joined the Lakers via trade from Minnesota on Feb. 9, appeared in 17 games (all starts), posting averages of 17.4 points (.484 FG%, .414 3P%), 2.9 rebounds and 6.1 assists in 30.9 minutes. Overall, Russell saw action in 71 games (all starts) between the Lakers and Timberwolves last season, averaging 17.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 1.0 steals in 32.5 minutes while shooting a career-high 39.6 percent from 3-point range. During the 2023 NBA Playoffs, Russell played 16 games (15 starts) with Los Angeles and averaged 13.3 points, 2.9 rebounds and 4.6 assists in 29.6 minutes.

During his eight NBA seasons with the Lakers (2022-23, 2015-17), Timberwolves (2019-23), Warriors (2019-20) and Nets (2017-19), Russell has appeared in 495 career games (431 starts), averaging 17.7 points (.362 3P%), 3.5 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.1 steals in 29.9 minutes.

Russell was also selected as an All-Star back in 2019 as a member of the Brooklyn Nets and was originally drafted by the Lakers with the second overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft after one year at Ohio State University.