4 Former Lakers Los Angeles Needs To Bring Back This Offseason

The Los Angeles Lakers are entering a pivotal offseason. Who they will hire as their new head coach and how they will bolster their roster will determine how the final few seasons of LeBron James's career will go.

The Lakers don't have extensive cap space but they have an ability to create more via trades. They also have three first-round picks that they can move to bring in more help around James and Anthony Davis.

Fortunately for them, there are plenty of familiar faces on the free agent market or the trade block. These former Lakers would be excellent additions to this roster and general manager Rob Pelinka should seriously consider acquiring them. Let's take a look.

1. Malik Monk

The 26-year-old shooting guard is an unrestricted free agent this summer and he is exactly what the Lakers need.

Monk spent the first four seasons of his career with the Charlotte Hornets before signing a one-year deal with the Lakers in the summer of 2021. In Los Angeles, Monk was able to revive his career and establish himself as a solid scorer from all three levels of the floor. He was so good with the Lakers that season that he played himself out of a contract, ending up in Sacramento on a two-year deal.

In Sacramento, Monk continued his development. He averaged a career-high in points and assists per game in the 2023-24 season, finishing with 15.4 points and 5.1 assists per game. He is one of the best sixth men in the league, with an ability to start when needed.

The Lakers need more shot creators from the perimeter. Monk can run the pick-and-roll, get to the rim, and be an off-ball threat with his shooting ability. If the Lakers can afford to bring him in, Monk should be high on their free agency shortlist.