Ahead of the NBA Draft, teams are permitted to negotiate with their own free agents and potentially come to terms on agreements ahead of the main free agency period. Some have already done so such as the Atlanta Hawks doling out a contract extension to CJ McCollum and the Washington Wizards re-signing Trae Young to a long-term deal. For the Los Angeles Lakers, more than half their roster can enter free agency this offseason.
While the Lakers would probably want most of their potential free agents back for next season, a few of them will probably draw significant interest on the open market this offseason. Players like Rui Hachimura and Luke Kennard saw their value increase after strong playoff showings.
First off, it goes without saying that Austin Reaves and LeBron James need to be prioritized as far as free agency goes. So those two will not appear on this list. Also, players such as Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart, will be included amid their player options.
So with the free agency period rapidly approaching, here’s a quick breakdown of the Lakers’ own free agents and whom they should prioritize re-signing.
1) Marcus Smart – Player option
Marcus Smart ended up being one of the best bargain free agent signings of last offseason after agreeing to a contract buyout from the Wizards. He brought a much-needed brand of toughness and physicality, especially on the defensive end, that the Lakers had lacked. And he reportedly is looking at opting-out of his deal in hopes of signing a new contract, as per Dave McMenamin of ESPN.
The Lakers need Smart back, to put it simply. There just is no replicating the impact he had on the team. And that goes beyond his on-court production and extends to his leadership role in the locker room. Many of the younger players acknowledged seeking him out for tutelage last year. While he may not have shot the ball particularly efficiently, you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who thought he was a hinderance in any way.
Whatever contract Smart is seeking, albeit reasonable, the Lakers need to pony up.
2) Rui Hachimura – Unrestricted free agent
If there was an award for being a star in your role, Rui Hachimura would be a prime contender. A double-digit scorer for his entire career thus far, the former lottery pick has sacrificed potential shot attempts since joining the Lakers. What has he done in response? Only become one of the absolute best catch-and-shoot players in the league.
Hachimura has thrived playing off-ball alongside the Lakers’ main shot creators, shooting playoff career-highs of 54.9 percent from the field and 56.9 percent from 3-point range. But it’s been reported, also by McMenamin, that he could be potentially be the odd man out as far as the Lakers’ own free agents go.
But at the end of the day, he knows his role, he plays it to perfection and he has the trust of head coach JJ Redick. The Lakers need to find a way to get it done.
3) Jaxson Hayes – Unrestricted free agent
While it’s no secret the Lakers are in the market for a starting caliber center, they’re going to need a backup as well. And they already have one of the best in the league in that role in Jaxson Hayes. Hayes was kind of an afterthought when he left the New Orleans Pelicans and joined the Lakers, but since then he’s become a very impactful reserve big man.
He likely won’t command that big of a salary and he already has familiarity with the team. His pick-and-roll chemistry with Luka Doncic is unparalleled on the roster. His short-roll decision-making has improved tremendously as well. His added muscle helped him make more of an impact on the glass. And he has size you can’t teach.
Rather than scour the market for a replacement, the Lakers bring their big man back into the fold.
4) Other free agents
Among the Lakers’ other unrestricted free agents this offseason are Luke Kennard and Maxi Kleber. Deandre Ayton has a player option and Nick Smith Jr. has a team option. Two-way contract players Drew Timme and Chris Mañon are restricted free agents.
And quite frankly, the players listed 1-3 should be the main priorities. Yes, Kennard was a bit of a revelation towards the end of the season and into the first few games of the Houston Rockets series. But he came back down to earth to close out the opening round, and was neutralized against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
If Kennard could be had back at a relatively inexpensive price, then by all means, make it happen. But if opposing teams throw money his way and it could impact the other free agents, the Lakers might have to let him walk. He is someone who can be replaced if need be.
With Ayton, if he opts out of his contract, it might also be time to part ways even after only one season. There is no questioning his talent and skill-set. But he was just a little too inconsistent to be the Lakers’ starting center again. Kleber is of low priority and if the team even wants him back, should be taken care of once the bulk of the roster is already done.
Smith’s team option isn’t much and he did fill in well when asked for the most part. But he’ll probably be competing with Bronny James for minutes as a reserve guard and letting him go could open an end-of-the-bench spot. As for the two-way players, Mañon and Timme showed enough to come back next season, but it really depends on if they’re okay with another two-way potentially, or seeing what interest there is from other teams.
