Los Angeles Lakers: Predicting the next four years with LeBron James
By Jason Reed
Year 2 (2019-2020)
- Final record 64-18, lose in NBA Finals
- New additions: Klay Thompson, Ky Bowman (NBA Draft), Thabo Sefolosha (Veteran minimum)
- Key losses: Rajon Rondo, Lance Stephenson, JaVale McGee, Michael Beasley
This year is going to be the year that the Los Angeles Lakers make the leap to the NBA Titles to try and give James his fourth ring.
The summer will be a hectic one for the Lakers. Starting in the draft, the Lakers will pick up a player like Ky Bowman late in the first round. The exact pick is hard to predict this far out but Bowman is a talented guard that will be 22 in his rookie season. Bowman will be a nice scoring piece to add to the bench to replace Rajon Rondo.
The team should also agree on a one-year contract with Nikola Vucevic. Since the Lakers would acquire his Bird Rights in the trade, the team could sign him and go over the salary cap, which is huge as the team will also be signing Klay Thompson.
Thompson is one of the few stars connected to the Lakers and we do think he makes the leap to Los Angeles for a new challenge with LeBron James — especially if Kevin Durant leaves the Warriors.
The Lakers will bring in a veteran like Thabo Sefolosha on a veteran minimum to provide depth and will have a starting five consisting of Lonzo Ball, Thompson, Brandon Ingram, LeBron and Vucevic. Kyle Kuzma, Josh Hart, Moritz Wagner, Sefolosha, Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk and Bowman will be the primary players off the bench.
As good as that team is, the first year together will lead to the Lakers falling just short in the NBA Finals. In a positive twist, this will cause the team to go out and make an even bigger splash the following summer.