How LA can still improve the new-look Lakers roster in free agency after LeBrons final decision
LeBron James no longer has the Los Angeles Lakers, and a significant chunk of the NBA, in a holding pattern.James is now officially with the Philadelphia 76ers after leaving the Lakers in free agency. His other potential suitors — the Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers and Minnesota Timberwolves — are no longer in the dark about his next destination. And the free agents and teams contingently connected to those franchises are free to continue their offseason work now that one of the biggest dominoes of the offseason in James is accounted for. Among those teams include the Lakers, who swiftly underwent their offseason reconstruction around superstar Luka Dončić after James made it clear on June 29 he wasn’t going to return to the franchise for his unprecedented 24th NBA season.Eight players that ended last season with the Lakers won’t return for 2026-27, including James, Marcus Smart, Rui Hachimura, Deandre Ayton and Luke Kennard — the starting lineup from the first four games of their first-round playoffs series victory over the Houston Rockets in the spring. The Lakers’ free-agency newcomers: Walker Kessler (four years, $130 million), Quentin Grimes (four years, $60 million), Sandro Mamukelashvili (four years, $52 million), Collin Sexton (two years, $19 million), Kevon Looney (one year, $3.9 million), Ziaire Williams (one year, $2.8 million) and Matisse Thybulle (one year, $3.3 million). This doesn’t include Cameron Carr (the No.24 pick in June’s NBA draft) or Jaden Hardy (who the Lakers acquired from the Wizards in the trade that sent Ayton to Washington). Or Austin Reaves, who re-signed with the Lakers on a four-year, $180 million deal.And the Lakers still aren’t done making moves.By league rules, they can’t be done, having to trim their roster from 16 players to 15 by the time the regular season starts in October. But they’re also actively looking to add to their roster to put a bow on their offseason before tr...