LAS VEGAS – Although the Lakers were unanimously considered one of the winners of the season, Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Rob Pelinka said Sunday that the organization is still looking to add another major piece to its roster.
The Lakers re-signed Austin Reeves, Roy Hachimura, and D’Angelo Russell. Gabe Vincent, Torian Prince, Jackson Hayes and Cam Reddish signed; He drafted Jalen Hood-Schevino (No. 17) and Maxwell Lewis (No. 40) out of the season, improving the set that lost to the champion Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals.
The team’s only remaining hole is in the center, where they have only two traditional options in Anthony Davis and Hayes. Pelinka explained that the organization is looking to add another senior spot in the roster No. 14 ahead of training camp in late September.
“We’re actively participating in the market to add another significant value,” Pelinka told a group of reporters during halftime of the Lakers’ 93-75 summertime win over the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday.
The Lakers are considering using two senior lineups next season, which will form the basis of their championship during the 2019-20 season. The hope is that the 7-foot-tall Hayes can complement Davis the way Dwight Howard and Javel McGee did that season.
“I think the addition of Jackson Hayes was a major factor in that,” said Pelinka. “Jaxson, I think, is probably a little more like Dwight Howard in that stretch for us: big body, rim guard, active cylinder. … But we’re looking to add an extra center as well.”
Centers Christian Wood and Bismac Biombo are considering a 14th-place finish on the list, according to team sources not authorized to speak publicly on the matter. Those sources said the Lakers had interest in Dario Saric before he signed with the Golden State Warriors earlier this week. Pelinka explained that Los Angeles is hoping to find a different player than Hayes from a skill-set perspective.
“I think bringing dimensional skills to this position is going to be important,” said Pelinka. “So we don’t want to sign someone who replicates the skills that Jaxson Hayes has. So if we can diversify the senior position and get a different look, that will be fine.”
Biyombo is a solid rim guard that blocks shots, bounces fairly well and puts up solid screens. He’s a relatively limited offensive threat, especially outside the paint. Wood, who played with Davis in New Orleans during the 2018-2019 season, is a skilled scorer and shooter. Despite his impressive numbers per game (16.6 points with a 62.2 real shooting percentage and 7.3 rebounds with Dallas last season), he’s a below-average defender and has been changing teams at a somewhat alarming rate for a player of his talent (seven teams). in seven seasons).
The Lakers are expected to use the veterans’ minimum for any major amount they sign, though they can technically increase that number since they don’t use Vincent’s full average level exception for non-taxpayers. Vincent’s 2023-24 salary is expected to start at approximately $10.5 million, which is roughly $1.9 million less than the $12.4 million for the entire non-taxpayer. According to Pelinka, Los Angeles is flexible in the free agency and, ultimately, acquisition market.
“With the new CBA, you will finally be able to use the mid-level tool even in trades,” Pelinka said. “Not quite yet. But we intended to hold and use some space. It could come in handy. For example, in the acquisition market.”
Additionally, Pelinka addressed Hayes’ arrest in 2021 for the first time. Hayes was sentenced in June 2022 to three years of probation, 450 hours of community service and a year of weekly domestic violence classes after he pleaded no contest to two misdemeanor counts. after a local accident With his girlfriend in Woodland Hills, California, in July 2021.
“I think the most important thing is that we take these matters very seriously and do a full vetting process,” Pelinka said. Jaxson was very sincere (with) his apologies about dealing with that and moved beyond that to where he spent a year or two in the NBA playing after that. It was something we felt he owned, took responsibility for, and would be a better person on the side. the other of it.”
As for what matters most to next season’s team, Pelinka declined to talk about the status of LeBron James, who hinted at retirement after the Nuggets swept the Lakers in the Conference Finals. Behind the scenes, the team continued to act as if James would play next season, with players and coaches referring to him when discussing next year’s squad.
“We’ve said before, we want to let LeBron talk about his plans and his future for himself,” Pelinka said. “It’s been great interacting with him in the off-season…. It was also great to see him celebrate the roster, once we complete it. A series of Instagram posts and different things celebrating his teammates. And that’s just captain LeBron. He knows how to motivate the group and bring them together.” And we’re just excited to be behind it.”
Pelinka gave promising health updates on James (torn tendon in his right foot) and Davis (bone spur and stress reaction in his right foot). James and Davis played in every playoff game despite their constant ailments. mosques ESPN said He had an MRI on his foot and surgery this summer.
“We are very satisfied with the furlough and treatment that both AD and LeBron are receiving,” Pelinka said. “All the reports have been good about these two injuries, in terms of the guys being able to get past them.”
James missed 13 consecutive games from late February through late March due to a foot injury. The 38-year-old returned earlier than expected and has never looked like his injury-prone ego (maybe outside of his stellar performance in Game 4 against Denver). Obviously, he was physically limited in qualifying.
Meanwhile, Davis missed 20 consecutive games from mid-December through late January due to his foot injury. Since the 2019-20 season, Davis has missed at least 26 games in each of the subsequent three seasons. The Lakers have an important decision about his future in just a few weeks: Davis is eligible for a three-year, $167.6 million extension starting Aug. 4.
Pelinka cited the league’s collective bargaining agreement as the reason he could not speak about the team’s intentions with Davis but praised his superstar. Davis and James both have two years left on their deals with the Lakers, including having a player option in 2024-25.
“I wish the CBA would allow us to talk about negotiations … but there are very strict rules about that,” Pelinka said. “…But I can think of no more than Anthony Davis as a Laker and as a player. He helped deliver a championship to our franchise. He was an incredible captain and leader. We saw him last year, willing to play through a solid foot injury to get our team to the Western Conference Finals.” So, I would love for you to be part of our team.”
Besides retaining their core, one of the Lakers’ goals is to add more 3-point shooting with their new pieces. Los Angeles ranked 28th in 3 points per 100 possessions, 27th in 3 points per 100 possessions and 25th in 3 points per 100 possessions percentage last season. (Those percentages jumped to 15th, 15th, and 11th, respectively, among the 16 playoff teams.) Perimeter shooting has long been a weakness of the James Davis era.
Vincent and Prince, in particular, are upgrading their predecessors (Dennis Schroeder and Troy Brown Jr., respectively). Vincent is a career-high 33.9 percent from 3-point shots but shot 37.8 percent in the Finals with Miami. Prince is a professional 37.2 percent 3-point shooter who shot 38.1 percent last season. Hayes may flash some three-point ability, but he does not display a groundbreaker; Reddish has been a low-volume and below-average three-point shooter over his first four seasons.
“It was a really big deal,” Pelinka said of the Lakers adding shooting. “I think, you know, we’re hoping to have good launch years with Gabe Vincent, Taurian Prince, and also Cam Reddish. I think those are the guys like LeBron and D’Angelo and our playmakers as well, and I think they’ll create an open appearance for those players in the corner. I think That with the right spacing and the cuteness that AD requires, these guys will get an open look.”
Given the Lakers’ need to shoot and space around James and Davis, Reddish’s signing was a bit of a surprise. Reddish bounced with three teams over his first four seasons and is a career high 32.2 percent from 3 points. It has not yet been proven to be a caliber wing, let alone a wing on a competitor.
But the Lakers are confident that assistant coach Chris Gent, who was on good terms with Reddish when he coached him in Atlanta as part of Lloyd Pierce and Nate McMillan’s staff, can help unleash the potential that made Reddish the No. 10 pick in 2019.
“I think Cam has all the tools,” Pelinka said. “We have an assistant coach on Darvin’s staff, Chris Gent, who had Cam when he was with the Atlanta Hawks. He was a member of their staff and had a really good run with him having some really meaningful and impactful games in the playoffs where Cam made a difference. I believe in Darvin. And his staff to be able to take a guy like that and bring him back to play confident basketball, effective basketball.
“He was this guy who was in the (top 10) draft just a few years ago. So it’s in there, and I’m excited for him to show it.”
Pelinka is betting Reddish will agree with his vision of a bigger roster that can better compete with the Nuggets. Los Angeles has an opportunity in the coming days or weeks to boost those possibilities even further.
“We’d love to be in the NBA Finals next year,” Pelinka said. “And so the goal was to keep that list, the central part of it, intact and add to it. We felt like we were able to achieve that goal.”
(Top photo of Rob Pelinka serving Lakers draft pick Jalen Hood-Chevino, right, and Maxwell Lewis in June: Ringo Chiu/SOPA Images via Associated Press)