Man, if you thought the Lakers were just gonna tinker with their roster this summer, you were way off. They pulled off an absolute full-blown overhaul, leaving almost nothing from last season’s squad. Seriously, it’s wild! LeBron James is gone, which is still a shocker to hear, and Austin Reaves is the ONLY free agent they decided to bring back.
Luka Dončić Is Officially Running an Entirely New Show
Can you believe it? Out of everyone, Austin Reaves was the single free agent they decided to keep. Just Reaves! Every other free agent got shown the door as they went all-in on remaking the entire squad to build around Luka Dončić. This isn’t just a tweak, it’s a full-blown demolition and rebuild around their superstar. The team leveraged pretty much every asset they had, trading draft picks to bring in center Walker Kessler. And then they went big with their cap space, locking down a host of long-term signings to fill out the roster. The result is a team that barely resembles what we saw last season. It’s truly a new era in purple and gold, with Dončić at the absolute center of it all.
So, Who’s Even Wearing Purple and Gold Right Now?
After all those moves, the Lakers have piled up a ton of talent, but also a ton of players. Right now, they’re sitting on 16 guaranteed contracts, which is one more than they can carry once the regular season tips off. Beyond Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves, and Walker Kessler, the guaranteed deals include Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Jarred Vanderbilt, Collin Sexton, Jaden Hardy, Jake LaRavia, Dalton Knecht, Cameron Carr, Kevon Looney, Matisse Thybulle, Ziaire Williams, Bronny James, and Adou Thiero. Yeah, Bronny’s in the mix! They also stacked up three two-way contracts with Arthur Kaluma, Chris Mañon, and AK Okereke, plus some Exhibit-10 deals to build out their G League team, though Anton Watson was already waived. Chase Ross and Meechie Johnson are still on Exhibit-10 deals, at least for now.
One Player Has To Go Before Opening Night
With 16 guaranteed contracts and only 15 spots for the regular season, the Lakers are staring down a tough decision. Someone’s gotta go! Will it be a trade, where they try to flip a player for future assets or perhaps another piece that fits even better? Or do they just cut bait and waive a player, taking the cap hit? That’s the biggest question looming over this new-look squad as they head into preseason. Every single one of those guys on a guaranteed deal knows they’re fighting for their spot, and the drama is only just beginning as they work to finalize this completely reshaped roster.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Silver Screen and Roll.
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