5 things to note about the LA Lakers' salary cap as they enter the 2021 NBA free agency

LA Lakers stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis
LA Lakers stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis

In a blockbuster trade on the night of the 2021 NBA Draft, the LA Lakers changed the landscape of their offseason. By bringing in a third star in Russell Westbrook, the franchise hampered their already-minimal salary cap space and will now have a limited number of ways to add more talent to their roster.

When free agency opens at 6PM ET on the 2nd of August, the LA Lakers will only have five players under contract for the 2021-22 season. These include their new 'Big 3' LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook, as well as center Marc Gasol and Alfonzo McKinnie. Nevertheless, it can be expected that the 2020 champions will be heavily involved in rumors with several veterans being linked to the organization.

In this article, we will run down the salary cap implications that will affect the LA Lakers in the upcoming free agency and what fans can expect to happen at the franchise.

#1 LA Lakers can still bring back Alex Caruso and Talen-Horton Tucker

The LA Lakers can bring Alex Caruso back this summer
The LA Lakers can bring Alex Caruso back this summer

When free agency begins, the LA Lakers may not have it all their own way, although they can go over the cap to bring back both Alex Caruso and Talen Horton-Tucker. The duo are set to become unrestricted free agents, with their full Bird rights, both players are expected to have multiple suitors.

It will only cost the organization more money to bring them back as the Lakers' cap space won't be affected. However, if they were to let them walk, they would be effectively losing a player whose value they could not replace with the trading tools they have available to them (which we will come onto later).

Caruso has been criminally underpaid for the past two seasons and can expect a big payday this summer. Teams around the league are expected to offer him the full mid-level exception of around $10m a year and it is difficult to know if the Lakers would be willing to pay that much to retain him.

Horton-Tucker, meanwhile, is expected to receive more attention and a higher salary, but the Lakers can match any offer sheet that comes in.

Although the LA Lakers expect to pick up some veterans in free agency, it would be poor management if they were to let both Caruso and Horton-Tucker leave. They have both played and developed well in LA and for a team whose roster sheet could look drastically different, having two players that know the team's system could go a long way.


#2 LA Lakers have $5.9m tax MLE and veteran minimum exception

Carmelo Anthony has been strongly linked with the LA Lakers
Carmelo Anthony has been strongly linked with the LA Lakers

Although their routes to extending the roster are limited, the LA Lakers do have their taxpayer midlevel exception and can bring players in on a veteran minimum contract without affecting their salary cap.

If recent rumors are anything to go by, there should be no worries that the Lakers will be able to fill their roster with experienced veterans hoping to chase a ring. Carmelo Anthony has been the most heavily linked player, with such a deal making a lot of sense for both sides. Anthony has proven in his last two seasons with Portland that he is still a reliable, knockdown scorer either off the bench or as a starter.

Elsewhere, former Lakers players Wayne Ellington and Dwight Howard have been linked with a move back to the franchise, while veteran wings Trevor Ariza and Andre Iguodala could also be available. With the expectancy being that the LA Lakers will compete for the championship next season, the ball really is in their court as to which veterans they call up when the window opens on Monday.


#3 Can add salary in a trade for a player under contract

The LA Lakers were close to trading for Buddy Hield
The LA Lakers were close to trading for Buddy Hield

The LA Lakers can, alternatively, move their players in a trade, but only for players under contract and not for free agents involved in a sign-and-trade. Such an example that has come up recently involves the future of point guard Dennis Schroder.

While the Lakers need to move the German, the market for guards, particularly those that will cost as much as he is expected to, is limited. In the unlikely event that they are able to find a landing spot for Schroder, the Lakers could receive players in return, as long as they are already under contract as another sign-and-traded player would put them over the hard cap.

They could also re-sign Schroder and trade him once the season has started, but that makes no sense for the 27-year-old to be at the organization's mercy.


#4 LA Lakers cannot exceed the $143m salary threshold

With the salaries of LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Russell Westbrook and Marc Gasol, the LA Lakers are committed to $123.5m, well above the NBA's salary cap of $112.4m.

This also means the Lakers cannot operate under the hard cap, as they did last season. Since the NBA has set it at $143m, the Lakers simply wouldn't have the room to fill out a 15-man roster on minimums. This has ruled out any hopes of bringing in Kyle Lowry or DeMar DeRozan, while it has also limited their ability to use the full midlevel exception.


#5 Rule out a sign-and-trade as it relates to adding to the roster

Dennis Schroder is expected to leave the LA Lakers
Dennis Schroder is expected to leave the LA Lakers

With the arrival of Russell Westbrook, it is certain that Dennis Schroder will be leaving the franchise. This has also ruled out the LA Lakers' ability to complete sign-and-trade for Schroder, as he will be able to demand a contract higher than that which would put the Lakers over the luxury tax apron ($143m).

Any team using a sign-and-trade is hard capped. Since the Lakers already have salaries close to $130m, it doesn't make sense for the German to sign a deal that is worth less than what he can receive elsewhere from a team with cap space.

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Edited by Parimal