Los Angeles Lakers: 5 max players to target in free agency

1. Kawhi Leonard

The biggest name on this list is by far Kawhi Leonard. He is coming off of his best season yet, and one of the best playoffs runs in NBA history. In fact, there is arguably no hotter name in basketball right now than Leonard, which makes him an obvious target for Los Angeles this free agency.

If the Lakers managed to land Leonard, they would be putting together a “Big 3” of arguably three of the top seven players in the league. This would make for the most talented starting five in the NBA. However, they may not be all it takes to win a championship. James, Davis, and Leonard might be an example of too many superstars on the court together.

The Lakers are without a doubt willing to take that risk though, and Leonard would definitely make the team the unquestionable title favorites going into next season. Leonard averaged 26.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists last season with the Toronto Raptors, and only got better during the playoffs. Adding him to the team would make Los Angeles incredibly dangerous in the postseason.

Leonard is one of the best two-way players the NBA has ever seen, and pairing him with two other elite two-way players would make the Lakers dangerous on both ends of the court. Leonard will be courted by any team that can afford him, but Los Angeles is his home town, and the Lakers may give him the best chance to win back-to-back championships.