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Lakers Roundtable: How should the Lakers use their remaining cap space?

By Redan Lopez

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 05: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during a timeout in the first half of the game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center on April 05, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 05: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during a timeout in the first half of the game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center on April 05, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images) /
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Los Angeles Lakers
(Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

With the goal of reaching the playoffs and hopefully competing for a championship next season, the Los Angeles Lakers have many questions to answer this offseason, one of which is how to manage their remaining cap space.

The Los Angeles Lakers got off to a quick start this offseason after acquiring big man Anthony Davis from the New Orleans Pelicans. Though, they did give up quite a bit to get him. In exchange, the Lakers shipped away Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, Lonzo Ball, and three first round picks (2019, 2021 top-8 protected, 2024 unprotected).

With the Lakers and Pelicans agreeing to the above deal in principle, there has been much debate on when such a trade will take place. Will it be July 6th when the league’s transactional moratorium is lifted and the trade can be made official? Or will it take place on July 30th when a rookie’s salary becomes tradable (assuming he signs on July 1)?

Timing is everything here because it dramatically impacts how much the Lakers will have money to work with in free agency. Should the Lakers complete the trade on July 6th and Davis decline to waive his $4 million trade kicker, the Lakers will only have approximately $24 million in cap space.

However, if the Lakers are able to delay the trade until July 30th, they would have about $32.5 million in cap space. This would be enough to sign a maximum level free agent, should the Lakers wish to take that route.

The reason they would be able have much more in cap space is because they would be a team operating above the cap with the salary of their 2019 draft pick per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Regardless of whomever and how much cap space the Lakers have, one thing is for sure. They will have to use it very wisely. Lakers fans will be clamoring for the team’s front office to show some competency and maximize the cap space at their disposal.

LA Sports Hub NBA experts Hil Lopez, Jamaal Artis and Jason Reed join me in this Lakers’ roundtable to analyze how the Lakers cap space needs to be used and whom it should be used on.

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