Los Angeles Lakers: Biggest storylines to watch after free agent frenzy
By Jason Reed
The Los Angeles Lakers gave LA its biggest news of the century to start free agency and it is only the beginning for what will be a crazy summer.
The Los Angeles Lakers had the biggest signing in team history by inking LeBron James to a four-year, $154 million contract on the first day of free agency. This is the team’s biggest signing since bringing in Shaquille O’Neal 22 years ago. We all know what happened after the Lakers made that signing.
Los Angeles also made a slew of other moves that were likely given the green light by LeBron James. Some of the signings were questionable, especially for the price the team paid, but the Lakers made sure to maintain long-term flexibility.
The Lakers signed Rajon Rondo, JaVale McGee and Lance Stephenson to one-year deals while re-signing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to a one-year, $12 million deal. With this essentially burning all the cap space, some are confused why the Lakers would make these signings when the team could have won a title in year one with one more large piece.
Well, the Golden State Warriors signed DeMarcus Cousins and the Lakers really had no other options. Chris Paul was a bad fit, Paul George re-signed with the Thunder and Julius Randle signed a two-year, $18 million deal with the New Orleans Pelicans that would have taken a $9 million cap hit on next offseason.
LA may not be able to dethrone the Warriors in year one but the team is obviously setting up for a long-term plan. Shaq did not start the three-peat until four years into his Lakers’ tenure. It may take LeBron just two.
With that being said, with so many unanswered questions still on the table, here are the biggest storylines to watch this summer after the initial free agent frenzy.