Los Angeles Lakers: 3 players that the Lakers shouldn't have brought back for the 2019-20 season

The Los Angeles Lakers entered the 2019 off-season with the primary goal of pulling off a trade for Anthony Davis. The path to acquiring Davis initially appeared complicated, although the Lakers wrapped up a blockbuster trade well ahead of free agency, and the organisation quickly turned their efforts to luring Kawhi Leonard.

While Leonard considered the Lakers, he eventually signed with their city rivals, leaving the Lakers scrambling to fill out a depleted roster. With almost $30 million in cap space available, the Lakers bought in an array of players, although some of these deals already look bad.

So, as the 19-20 season quickly approaches, here are three players that the Lakers shouldn’t have bought back for the upcoming campaign.

#3 JaVale McGee

JaVale McGee is returning to the Lakers on a much higher salary

After joining the Los Angeles Lakers from the Golden State Warriors last summer, JaVale McGee enjoyed a terrific start to the 18-19 season. The veteran big struck up a notable partnership with LeBron James, while also averaging some of the best numbers of his career. However, McGee’s form dipped after the All-Star break and Luke Walton eventually decided to take him out of his starting lineup.

Nevertheless, during the Lakers' off-season splurge, McGee signed a new two-year deal worth $8.2 million. While this was by no means one of the worst deals handed out during a chaotic start to free agency, it made little sense for the Lakers to bring the veteran back for anything more than another minimum deal.

With Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins both joining this summer, the Lakers already have two of the NBA’s elite big men, and McGee could struggle to find much of a role in Frank Vogel’s rotation.

#2 Kyle Kuzma

Kyle Kuzma's second season failed to reach the heights of his impressive rookie campaign

In order to sign Anthony Davis, the Lakers were always going to have to give up a huge haul of assets, and LA eventually sent Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart, Brandon Ingram and a handful of picks to New Orleans to secure the second superstar that LeBron demanded. The Lakers did manage to hold onto one of their prized young players in Kyle Kuzma, although the 24-year-old arguably has the smallest upside of the quartet of talent.

After being selected as a middling pick back in 2017, Kuzma emerged as one of the season's breakout rookies, impressing with his offensive skill set. However, during his second season, the Flint native stagnated and continued to be a liability on the defensive end. Granted, Kuzma could still emerge as a genuine third star alongside James and Davis this season, although the Lakers would have been in a much stronger position if they had managed to hold onto Ingram or Ball.

#1 Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope's role with the Lakers remains questionable as the new campaign approaches

For much of the 18-19 season, Luke Walton was reluctant to play Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. The guard averaged less than 25 minutes per game and contributed just 11.4 points per contest. Both figures were Caldwell-Pope's lowest since his rookie year, and as a free agent, the guard appeared set to leave Los Angeles after two seasons.

However, after missing out on the signing of Kawhi Leonard, the Lakers presented the 26-year-old with a huge two-year, $16 million deal. This puts the former Pistons man among the highest earners in Los Angeles, although he could once again struggle for a consistent role this season.

Frank Vogel may prove to be a bigger fan of Caldwell-Pope than his predecessor was, but with so much depth on the roster, it appears that the shooting guard will once again struggle to find a major role.