Realistic 2016 Free-Agency Targets for the LA Lakers

As the NBA Finals progress, fans of the Los Angeles Lakers are left to ponder their own path back to basketball greatness.

Summer free agency is one of the major tools for betterment, and L.A. will have a war chest overflowing with spoils to spend.

“The Lakers project to have about $55 million to spend on free agents,” the Los Angeles Times’ Mike Bresnahan writes. “That number will increase if veteran Brandon Bass declines a $3.1 million player option, as expected.”

Just because the money’s there, however, doesn’t mean prognosticators should abandon realism and assume that the league’s biggest stars will hop on board. It also doesn’t mean there will be a lack of trying when it comes to the Kevin Durant sweepstakes. According to ESPN’s Marc Stein, the Lakers are expected to be in the hunt:

But Durant could sign a two-year deal with a player’s option in the second year to stay with his beloved Oklahoma City Thunder, allowing him to tap into even greater riches during the summer of 2017, when the league’s cap jumps once again (and his partner in basketball excellence, Russell Westbrook, is also a free agent).

Regardless, in what pipe dream does a guy yearning for his first ring jump into bed with a team that finished dead last in the West? Hence the question of what defines reality versus fantasy, and how the Lakers sell other meaningful targets on their rebuild.

The X-factor is clearly the team’s recently hired head coach, Luke Walton, so new that he’s still in the hunt for more bling as the lead assistant for the Golden State Warriors. Players around the league know Walton’s rep—a charismatic dude not long removed from his own hard-court days, a guy who ran up an impressive 39-4 record when standing in for an ailing Steve Kerr.

Walton represents the future, and for now at least, his star is on the rise. He’ll talk a progressive, fast-flowing brand of basketball, and he’ll be the one in the room who has the most direct appeal to prospective signees—certainly more than front-office honchos Jim Buss and Mitch Kupchak.

You can also toss in all the available cash that comes with this summer’s supply and demand economics.

Taking Care of Jordan

Before delving into a wish list, there’s a pressing homegrown situation that requires attention: Combo guard Jordan Clarkson is about to become a restricted free agent.

The Lakers would like to keep their second-round draft steal from 2014, and the feeling is mutual.

“So, I want to be here in L.A.,” Clarkson said in an interview with Bleacher Report’s Michael Pina. “This is the place where I want to call home, so I’m just in the gym and working. That’s all I can control—myself getting better.”

Per the L.A. Times’ Eric Pincus, Clarkson could potentially cost about $57.8 million for a four-year deal, paid on a staggered scale that would start around $13 million. That would still leave enough to sign two other max-type players or a combination of lesser contracts.

Landing the Man in the Middle

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Los Angeles is a young team and is about to get even younger with the No. 2 and No. 32 picks in the upcoming draft. It would behoove the front office greatly to sign a quality veteran center like Al Horford—an unrestricted free agent coming off nine seasons in Atlanta. Horford’s a smooth, versatile four-time All-Star.

The bad news is that he’ll want to join a title contender. Does this make him an unrealistic target? Maybe not, if Walton can sell him on a new way in L.A.

Another name that comes up often is the Miami Heat’s Hassan Whiteside. But Pat Riley will likely go to the mat to keep his league-leading shot swatter.

There’s also defensive stoppers like the Golden State Warriors’ Festus Ezeli and the Toronto Raptors’ 23-year-old backup, Bismack Biyombo. The latter is coming off a one-year, $2.81 million contract and still has plenty of room to develop. The Raptors certainly want Biyombo back, but would they match an offer in the neighborhood of $15 million?

Solving the Wing Problem

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

The Lakers are in desperate need of a small forward. At present, in-house options are limited to Nick Young, who was little more than recipient of Byron Scott’s ire over the past two seasons, and second-round rookie Anthony Brown, who showed real promise—during frequent assignments to the D-League.

An obvious long-term solution could be Brandon Ingram if the Lakers nab him as their No. 2 draft pick. But the skinny 18-year-old can’t be expected to be an instant savior. Remember, the legendary Kobe Bryant wasn’t even a starter until his third season.

The Warriors' Harrison Barnes is the most discussed candidate, but there should be questions about the wisdom of throwing huge money at a guy who can disappear into the woodwork as often as he flashes his brilliance.

Conversely, L.A. will replenish its coffers next year when the cap spikes again. And Barnes is a legitimate starter for a championship team that is already comfortable with Walton.

	MIN	3P%	REB	AST	PTS
Batum	35.0	.348	6.1	5.8	14.9
Barnes	30.9	.383	4.9	1.8	11.7
Bazemore	27.8	.357	4.7	2.3	11.6

Unrestricted free agent Nicolas Batum is another plausible solution, coming off a career year with the Charlotte Hornets in which he averaged 14.9 points, 6.1 boards and 5.8 dimes per game. He is the kind of modern wing NBA teams crave now—long, fluid, can knock down the long ball and also defends well.

And don’t forget Kent Bazemore—a realistic acquisition even for those who feel the Lakers unfairly wronged him two years ago. In fact, L.A. was in negotiations to re-sign the swingman after landing him during a minor midseason trade and witnessing an unexpected 23-game breakout, according to ESPN.com's Marc Stein. Unfortunately, the Hawks swooped in faster.

Bazemore’s now on the loose again and up for grabs after his $4 million, two-year deal.

Miscellaneous Business

David Zalubowski/Associated Press/Associated Press/Associated Press

While it’s not a position of urgent need, the front office will likely ink a nominal backcourt deal this summer to augment the D’Angelo Russell-Clarkson-Lou Williams triptych.

One highly affordable move would be to re-sign last year’s signing, Marcelo Huertas. The veteran Euro baller was the team’s leading assist man despite averaging just 16.4 minutes in 53 games.

Or, how about Seth Curry—younger brother of Steph? According to The Vertical’s Shams Charania, Curry will opt out of his $1 million player option with the Sacramento Kings to become a restricted free agent. The 6’1” sharpshooter went undrafted from Duke in 2013 and shot 45 percent from beyond the arc during 44 games this season. He also collected 15 assists against the Phoenix Suns in April.

This is a mighty big list of names for a reality-check blueprint. But it’s a lot shorter than what the Lakers front office will actually have on its whiteboard. Teams thirst for the tent pole star at the top and broaden the search as it devolves to rank-and-file.

Any combination of the aforementioned hoopsters would be decent. But if L.A. can re-ink Clarkson and bring in Biyombo, Barnes and the “other Curry,” the future would look brighter indeed.

Salary info courtesy of Spotrac and stats courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com.