Grading the Lakers’ Free Agency Moves
After being embarrassingly swept by the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals, the Los Angeles Lakers are looking to rebuild and bounce back for the next season. The team’s main issues were the lack of bench consistency and lack of shooting.
Now that free agency has started, Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka has had the chance to help fix these issues. So, let’s take a look at and grade how well the Lakers’ free agency moves have been.
D’Angelo Russell
After his subpar playoff performance, D’Angelo Russell was still somehow able to acquire a hefty contract from the Lakers. The deal is for two years and will give Russell $37 million. This move may seem good in theory, but I just don’t like the idea of having an inconsistent ball-dominant scorer on a team that has LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Grade: C+
Jaxson Hayes
Another major issue for the Lakers squad was their lack of center play. While Anthony Davis might be a tall, shot-blocking monster, he doesn't consider himself a center and more so plays as a power forward. Adding Hayes in a two-year contract helps fill the Lakers’ holes when it comes to size, while also adding a youth factor that the team desperately needs.
Grade: B+
Cam Reddish
The 23-year-old small forward, Cam Reddish, has already joined his fifth team in the NBA. He signed a two-year, $4 million dollar contract, which seems like a steal for someone of his potential. While many might be glamouring the thought of Reddish on the Lakers, I believe he will be nothing more than a roster filler.
Grade: B-
Rui Hachimura
If there was one player that the Lakers needed to resign, it would be Rui Hachimura. He showed how great of a rotation piece he could be in the playoffs and was the team’s best scorer on some nights. While a three-year, $51 million deal might seem like a lot, it’s well worth the price for a player of Rui’s caliber.
Grade: A-
Gabe Vincent
One of the more surprising additions by Rob Pelinka was that of Gabe Vincent. After being an extreme contributor to the Heat’s finals run, it’s a surprise that the Heat would let him go to another team. While Vincent had an amazing playoff run, the contract that he received (three years, $33 million) is somewhat of an overpay for someone who most likely won’t even start.
Grade: B
Austin Reaves
The Lakers’ best signing of the free agency has by far been Austin Reaves. After a prolific regular season and playoffs, Reaves showed that he could be a very good scoring option on a contending team. Despite this, the Lakers somehow managed to resign him on a 4-year, $56 million contract. This is a steal for a player of Reaves’ caliber, considering that other similar players like Jordan Poole and Tyler Herro are being paid much more.
Grade: A+
This is what I thought of the Lakers’ free-agency moves thus far. Let me know in the comments your ideas on these takes and what changes you would’ve made. To see more articles just like this, please make sure to check my account linked below.
