Lakers Rumors: Latest Buzz Surrounding LA's 2021 Rebuilding Plans
As four teams remain in this year's NBA playoffs, the rest of the league is looking ahead to the offseason. That includes the Los Angeles Lakers, who have plenty of work to do following their first-round postseason exit.
Only five players have guaranteed contracts for the 2021-22 season, so the Lakers will be trying to figure out how they want to assemble their roster. They will continue to build around LeBron James and Anthony Davis, but the supporting cast could dictate the team's success.
Still, Los Angeles is capable of bouncing back after its disappointing conclusion to the 2020-21 campaign. After all, this is a team that won the title the previous season while in the NBA bubble.
Here's some of the latest buzz surrounding the Lakers as the offseason gets closer.
When Will Vogel Receive Contract Extension?
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Frank Vogel has only been the Lakers' coach for two seasons, but he's already had plenty of success. Los Angeles owns a 94-49 record over that span, and its NBA title last season was the franchise's first since the 2009-10 campaign.
In April, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Lakers planned to negotiate a contract extension with Vogel ahead of the final season of his three-year deal. However, nothing has emerged on that front of late. And according to Kyle Goon of the Orange County Register, there are some who thought that wouldn't have been the case.
"While ESPN reported shortly after the season ended that the Lakers planned to engage Vogel on extension discussions, and most expect Vogel will return with a new deal before next season, it has surprised some within the organization that the coach hasn't received that deal already," Goon recently wrote.
Perhaps negotiations have been taking place and just haven't been reported on. Or maybe something will be announced soon. Still, it's hard to imagine that the Lakers won't want to work out a new deal with Vogel, who has fared well to begin his tenure with the organization.
Could Dinwiddie Be Heading to Los Angeles?
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After five seasons, Spencer Dinwiddie's time with the Brooklyn Nets may be nearing an end. What if that leads to the 28-year-old becoming the Lakers' new starting point guard?
As it turns out, that could be a possibility. Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News recently reported that Dinwiddie wants to come to Los Angeles, where he was born and spent the 2020-21 season rehabbing after suffering a left ACL tear. Dinwiddie has declined his player option for next season, per Winfield, so there's every chance he signs with either the Lakers or Clippers.
"Home is the preferred destination," a source told Winfield. "But he wants to secure his financial future too."
Winfield noted that if Dinwiddie came to either Los Angeles team, it would have to be via a sign-and-trade. The Lakers don't have a ton of financial flexibility, but if they could make it work, Dinwiddie could be a great choice to fill their vacancy at point guard with Dennis Schroder now an unrestricted free agent.
Dinwiddie was limited to three games in 2020-21, but he had a career year the previous season, averaging 20.6 points and 6.8 assists in 64 games in 2019-20.
Is Kuzma's Time with the Lakers Over?
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There have been some trade rumors featuring Kyle Kuzma in recent years, but the 25-year-old has remained on the Lakers, who signed him to a three-year, $40 million extension ahead of the 2020-21 season. However, that doesn't guarantee he won't be dealt at some point.
In fact, ESPN's Marc Spears seems to think Kuzma may not be with the Lakers for the long term, as he recently said on The Jump that Kuzma "already looks like he's on his way out." (h/t TalkBasket.net)
Maybe that means Kuzma will be traded this summer. He's young and has been a solid player over his first four NBA seasons, so there could be interest in him from plenty of teams.
This past season, Kuzma averaged 12.9 points and 6.1 rebounds in 68 games. And if Spears is right, they may be the final numbers of Kuzma's Lakers career.
