'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The LA Lakers have begun their offseason moves already, and the first of many was firing coach Darvin Ham after two seasons. The writing was on the wall for the former Milwaukee Bucks assistant coach, as he endured a challenging season.
He became the second coach in five seasons after the franchise fired Frank Vogel (who was earlier let go by the Phoenix Suns after a year's stint) after his three years in LA. After a first-round exit to the Denver Nuggets, the Purple and Gold will look to ring in big changes in the summer.
Their plans won't necessarily change. While much of it depends on LeBron James' return, they will also factor in that their superstar will turn 40, and their moves will center around Anthony Davis and the future.
For now, though, their objective will be to put the right names alongside their star duo, while also finding a coach who could help them win another championship in the James-Davis era.
With their summer starting early, LA will be the cynosure of all eyes as the 2023-24 season inches to an end. Here, we take a look at the five Lakers storylines to watch out for during the 2024 offseason.
Five storylines to keep an eye out for during the Lakers 2024 offseason
#1 Will LeBron James return? More specifically, will he return to the Lakers?
The million-dollar question: Will LeBron James play another season in the NBA? The four-time NBA champion has made no comments about his future, but he has been hinting at retirement.
According to his agent and Klutch Sports head honcho, Rich Paul, the 20x NBA All-Star is expected to be in an NBA uniform next season. The catch, though, was that Paul kept it close to the vest, as he didn't reveal whether James would extend his tenure with LA.
From a contract standpoint, the forward has a $51.4 million player option for the 2024-25 season, which he could turn down to become a free agent. At this point, the Lakers, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin, are willing to be flexible with the veteran's contract. Then comes the narrative of James wanting to play alongside his son Bronny James, who plans to enter the NBA Draft but has also entered the transfer portal.
A lot is up in the air when it comes to decision-making, but there's every chance that James could call time on his career as a Laker. While he has been looked at as a potential target by the Dallas Mavericks and the Golden State Warriors — trades that would change the entire landscape of the Western Conference, there's every reason to believe that he will return, and return in a Lakers jersey.
#2 Who will be the Lakers next coach?
The Charlotte Hornets were linked with former NBA sharpshooter JJ Redick. Now, that role has been offered to Charles Lee.
So, that leaves the former Philadelphia 76ers star as one of the candidates for the job. There are reasons why the 39-year-old would be a good choice for LA, but there's no doubt that the front office has also shortlisted a few more options.
On paper, the likes of Mike Budenholzer (former Bucks HC) and Tyronn Lue (LA Clippers) are also names who will most certainly be on their radar. Lue and James have shared a relationship since their Cleveland Cavaliers days, and that makes him another prime candidate.
It depends on whether the Lakers will embrace defense and continue with the trend of hiring a defense-first coach as they did with Vogel and Ham.
#3 Will the Lakers re-sign D'Angelo Russell for another season?
The Lakers made it pretty clear D'Angelo Russell was on the trade market ahead of the deadline.
The guard who returned to the Purple and Gold last season as a midseason trade upgrade for Russell Westbrook has blown hot and cold with LA but has shown that he can be a force alongside James and Davis, if not a bonafide superstar.
Russell averaged 18.0 points and 6.3 assists per game in the regular season. Even if his numbers nosedived to 14.2 points and 4.2 assists in the playoffs, he has always been a threat to space the floor and drill knockdown shots. This season, he shot a healthy 41.5% from beyond the arc in the regular season.
However, the Lakers need more than Russell the shooter or playmaker. They need a name that's capable of spearheading the side in cases where James and/or Davis are both sidelined.
That didn't work with Westbrook, and Russell has not shown ample promise on that front either. While there have been reports of the Lakers looking to make major moves for an All-Star guard, there's every chance that the thinktank could take a punt by holding on to Russell.
#4 Who will be the next player to form a 'Big 3' alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis?
The 'Big 3' concept hasn't always been a sureshot answer to winning championships.
This season's playoffs all but confirmed it, as the Phoenix Suns with their trio of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal didn't make it past the first round. Neither did the LA Clippers with their quartet of Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, James Harden and Westbrook.
The Lakers operated smartly by taking the route of adding versatile options around James and Davis last season. What didn't work was the health of these players that saw them in and out of the lineup.
However, historically, LA has been one of the teams associated with bagging superstar names, and GM Rob Pelinka will have to see whether he can retool the roster and add a big name to the fold.
There are already known faces in Donovan Mitchell (Cleveland Cavaliers), Zach LaVine (Chicago Bulls), Kyrie Irving (Dallas Mavericks), Trae Young (Atlanta Hawks) and Lauri Markkanen (Utah Jazz) who have been linked. Acquiring any of these names not just includes breaking the bank but also the availability of these players.
All the aforementioned names and matchwinners and guaranteed buckets, but will it be enough to bring home another Larry O'Brien trophy?
#5 Draft capital and asset management
The Lakers could trade their first-round picks in 2029 or 2030 drafts. Moreover, they also own their 2026 and 2028 FRPS, but they cannot ship them until those respective draft nights.
LA will also be able to trade their 2024 draft pick on draft night should the New Orleans Pelicans opt to take the 2025 first-round pick, as reports suggest. Therefore, on the 2024 NBA Draft night, the franchise could deal with as many as three first-round picks (2024, 2029, 2031).
They also hold the following second-round picks: 2024 and 2025 Clippers pick. Add their own 2025, 2027 and 2030 picks, they have enough draft capital to sweeten deals and pull off blockbuster trades.
