The Los Angeles Lakers made many moves in free agency, and now it’s time to grade them.
The Los Angeles Lakers are a team that has been busy this offseason, clearly prioritizing the retention of their current free agents, but also adding some new faces to the squad. They are largely considered to be one of the winners of free agency.
Of course, every move made by the Los Angeles Lakers isn’t necessarily going to work out for them. That is just the nature of the business. Some free agency signings are simply better than others. In this article, we will try to grade all of the moves that the team has made in free agency.
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The most recent move that the Los Angeles Lakers made is signing big man Christian Wood to a two-year, $5.7 million deal. Based on production, this is a steal for the team Wood averaged 16.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game last season for the Dallas Mavericks, while shooting 37.6% from 3PT range. He is a good fit in the frontcourt with Anthony Davis due to his 3PT shooting ability and gives the Lakers an advantage in size and rebounding.
Of course, the concern with Christian Wood is about whether he’s willing to buy into a role on the Los Angeles Lakers, one that may at times mean that he has a low usage rate. The reason that teams were hesitant to sign Christian Wood was due to concerns about his professionalism, and he has bounced around the league for a reason.
It is clear that Christian Wood is a low-risk, high-reward signing for the Los Angeles Lakers. The team can simply cut him if they don’t feel like he’s benefitting the franchise, and if he does stick around, then it is clear that the team has a solid role player on the veteran minimum.
Final Grade: B+ (Could Become An A)
Signing Gabe Vincent On A Three-Year Deal
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Gabe Vincent will be one of the new players on the Los Angeles Lakers next season, and he was notably a big part of the Miami Heat’s run to the NBA Finals in 2023. He signed a three-year, $33.0 million deal with the Lakers this summer, giving them a solid defender and 3PT shooter at the point guard position.
In the playoffs, Gabe Vincent had a stellar run, averaging 12.7 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game, while shooting 37.8% from 3PT range on 6.1 attempts per game. However, his regular season statistics are less impressive, as he put up 9.4 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 2.5 assists while only shooting 33.4% from beyond the arc. The success of this deal will hinge on whether the Lakers will get the version of Vincent from the playoffs, or from the 2022-23 regular season.
Still, at his worst, Gabe Vincent can be a solid backup point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers. He is also on a tradeable contract, as he will make $10,500,000 next season. Vincent is a decent role player and was clearly an acquisition for depth.
Final Grade: B
Retaining D’Angelo Russell On A Two-Year Deal
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D’Angelo Russell is clearly a gifted offensive player, but his woeful defense and inconsistency were exposed in the playoffs during the series against the Denver Nuggets. Russell was an unrestricted free agent this summer, and the Lakers ended up bringing him back on a two-year, $36.0 million deal with a player option. This deal obviously gives Russell some financial security if he doesn’t play well, and if he does, he could be in line for a huge payday after he declines his player option.
Last season, D’Angelo Russell averaged 17.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 6.2 assists during his time with the Los Angeles Lakers and the Minnesota Timberwolves. In theory, he is the perfect fit as a point guard with LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Still, if his defense doesn’t improve, he has limited utility as a player, especially deep into the playoffs.
The Los Angeles Lakers could decide to use D’Angelo Russell as a trade chip ahead of the trade deadline, and that would be the smartest use of his contract. The key was obviously avoiding the prospect of losing D’Angelo Russell in free agency for nothing, which the Lakers clearly managed to do.
Final Grade: B-
Re-Signing Rui Hachimura To A Three-Year Deal
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Rui Hachimura is a 6’8 forward with a 7’2 wingspan, and in theory, he is the perfect wing defender for the Los Angeles Lakers based on his athleticism and size. Hachimura is likely to start at the PF or the SF position for the franchise, as the team needs him to take on the challenge on defense and take some pressure off of LeBron James.
Rui Hachimura had a stellar showing in the playoffs, averaging 12.2 points and 3.6 rebounds per game while shooting a blistering 48.7% from 3PT range. He was a key reason the team won the series against the Memphis Grizzlies, and it is clear that Hachimura managed to find his fit with the team in the playoffs. The Lakers subsequently signed Rui Hachimura to a three-year, $51 million deal.
Though the annual number on the deal might be high, it is comparable to other solid young role players such as P. J. Washington and Luguentz Dort. The Lakers clearly believe that Rui Hachimura can be a key piece for them, and we’ll see what ends up happening in the future.
Final Grade: A-
Keeping Austin Reaves On A Four-Year Max Contract
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There is no doubt that Austin Reaves was a breakout player for the Los Angeles Lakers in the playoffs, averaging 16.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game while shooting 44.3% from 3PT range. He flashed a little bit of his all-around offensive game, and it is clear that Reaves is capable of ballhandling, 3PT shooting, and playmaking. He is clearly a valuable player, and the Los Angeles Lakers rewarded him with a four-year, $56 million max contract this summer.
Retaining Austin Reaves was clearly a no-brainer for the Los Angeles Lakers, as he is widely considered to be the 3rd best player on the team. They also managed to keep him at a relatively low cost, as the other teams that wanted to sign Reaves in free agency with cap space ended up getting other players.
Really, there is not much to say about the Los Angeles Lakers keeping Austin Reaves aside from it being an excellent deal. If he takes a leap, his contract will be one of the most valuable ones in the league, and we’ll see just how good Reaves can be this season.
Final Grade: A
Giving Anthony Davis A Three-Year Extension
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This summer, the biggest move for the Los Angeles Lakers was signing Anthony Davis to a three-year, $186 million extension. Davis will make around $62 million annually with this deal, and it is clear that the Lakers were motivated to keep the big man. It is easy to see why the Lakers decided to do so: players like Anthony Davis who can dominate on both ends of the floor are rare.
This past season, Anthony Davis showed that he is an All-NBA-level player, averaging 25.9 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks per game. Many believe that he has the talent to be an MVP-level player, and the only thing preventing him from doing that is his durability.
Ultimately, the Los Angeles Lakers have always been a franchise that was oriented on acquiring superstars and keeping them. This move shows their trust in their approach, and if one has followed the Lakers since the Buss family acquired them, they would know that this move is the exact sort of move they would have always made.
