Los Angeles Lakers
When are the Los Angeles Lakers NOT under pressure to compete for a championship? The 2023-24 season is no different. Lakers GM Rob Pelinka had a successful offseason. He managed to re-sign Austin Reaves, D’Angelo Russell, and Rui Hachimura – all of who were key to the Lakers’ second-half resurgence.
Pelinka also signed Gabe Vincent, Taurean Prince, Jaxson Hayes, and Cam Reddish to team-friendly deals. He did all of this without going into the luxury tax. That’s good news because Anthony Davis can exercise the early opt-out clause in his contract and become a free agent after this season. He won’t be cheap to re-sign, even at 30 years old.
LeBron James could also become a free agent after this season, assuming he does not opt in to his player option for 2024-25. James has maintained that he wants to play with his son, Bronny, and be the first father-son tandem in NBA history. Bronny is eligible to enter the 2024 NBA Draft, should he choose to.
The Lakers went 18-9 after last season’s trade deadline and made it all the way to the Western Conference finals. Expectations are high once again in Tinseltown. This could be the best chance for the Lakers to compete for a championship with the futures of LeBron and A.D. up in the air.