Lakers Rumors: Latest Buzz on Anthony Davis, Dwight Howard, More
The Los Angeles Lakers had very little time to celebrate the 17th championship in franchise history before facing the prospect of significant roster changes.
Los Angeles has a plethora of internal free agents. Veteran center Dwight Howard and Markieff Morris are headed for unrestricted free agency, as is Rajon Rondo. They will be joined by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Avery Bradley after the latter two declined their respective player options.
Of course, the biggest fish of them all is Anthony Davis, who declined his $28.7 million player option.
The Lakers will do everything in their power to re-sign Davis. The rest are unknown, though the decision to waive Quinn Cook was undoubtedly done to create that much more cap space.
Here are the latest rumors regarding Davis' future in L.A., as well as some early indications as to the other internal free agents Rob Pelinka would like to retain this offseason.
'Consensus' Says AD Re-Signs with Lakers
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Davis' opt-out was merely a formality.
The 27-year-old is already one of the best bigs of his generation. Davis is a legitimate three-level scorer who also possesses a high basketball IQ and routinely establishes himself as one of the best defensive players in basketball. He has earned his payday.
Obviously, Los Angeles would be foolish to let Davis walk, and "The Brow" would probably be foolish to abandon his partnership with LeBron James after the two displayed dynamic chemistry en route to the title.
Indeed, rival executives are hardly paying Davis' free agency any mind. Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times reported the "consensus" is Davis will return to the Lakers, barring something very unexpected.
The question now becomes: what kind of deal will AD seek?
It is certainly a possibility Davis could sign a one-and-one deal. This would allow him to possibly re-enter the market ahead of the 2021-22 season, the same year James could also become unrestricted if he declines his own player option.
Alternatively, Davis might decide he is comfortable as the future face of the Lakers for the foreseeable future, which might make something in the neighborhood of a four-year deal more likely.
Regardless, it is all but certain Davis will be wearing a Lakers uniform next season.
Los Angeles Expressing Interest in Re-Signing Dwight Howard
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The Lakers' gamble on Dwight Howard paid off in a major way.
Howard's first stint with the Lakers did not go as planned. Los Angeles acquired the three-time Defensive Player of the Year in the summer of 2012 to form a star trio alongside Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash. But it was a poor fit, and Howard departed for Houston the next summer.
The eight-time All-Star bounced around after a two-year stint with the Rockets, and Howard's history of locker-room issues was well-chronicled by David Aldridge prior to his decision to sign with the Washington Wizards in 2018. Howard then just played nine games with the Wizards.
Despite his checkered past, however, the Lakers placed their faith in Howard. Now, they are hoping to keep him around. Turner reported L.A. has interest in re-signing the 34-year-old after an impressive bounce-back year.
It was an impressive season, if not flashy. Howard gave the Lakers vital frontcourt depth, averaging 7.5 point and 7.3 rebounds to go along with 1.1 blocks during the regular season.
Although he saw a sharp decrease in playing time when L.A. went small against the Rockets in the conference semifinals, Howard loomed large in his matchup with Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic in the following series. He also played key minutes early in the NBA Finals.
Howard said he would like to re-sign with the Lakers during a recent interview with Etan Thomas of Basketball News. But he also wants a more substantive contract.
The ball is now in Pelinka's court.
Markieff Morris a Candidate to Return to Purple and Gold
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Whereas Howard gave the Lakers more rim protection and toughness inside, Markieff Morris supplied perimeter shooting and positional versatility.
The Lakers acquired Morris from the Detroit Pistons ahead of the trade deadline, and the 31-year-old initially struggled to get accustomed to his new surroundings. Morris had averaged over 11 points for the Detroit Pistons, but L.A. was acquiring him mostly as a depth piece on the wing.
However, Morris would come to embrace and thrive in his role. The former Kansas star shot 42 percent from beyond the arc on 3.3 attempts per game during the playoffs. Morris was also not afraid to mix things up and go against taller matchups when the Lakers ran smaller rotations.
Turner reported L.A. also has interest in re-signing Morris, which only makes sense considering it has already traded Danny Green and still stands to possibly lose Caldwell-Pope or Bradley, if not both.
Morris would give the Lakers much-needed floor-spacing and has a proven track record as a scorer on playoff teams with the Washington Wizards earlier in his career. Maybe he can provide L.A. with a third option if he sees a significant minutes increase.
All stats obtained via Basketball Reference, unless otherwise noted.
