Los Angeles Lakers Emerge As Big Winners Through Day 1 Of Free Agency

If you were thinking the Los Angeles Lakers were going into this offseason with the mere intention of re-signing a few of their core players, you were wrong.

For those that assumed the Lakers had reached their peak this past season with a Western Conference Finals appearance, you might have to re-think that notion. Through the first day of free agency, the Lakers have re-signed a few of their key players from last season along with adding a few pieces who could be vital in Los Angeles’ potential postseason run next year.

Over the course of the first few hours of free agency, the Lakers made a solid signing in adding 3-and-D wing veteran Taurean Prince. Prince’s play is a bit reminiscent of the Lakers’ 3-and-D wings during their championship run in 2020 with the likes of Danny Green and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Prince is a career 37.2% shooter from beyond the arc and he made 38.1% of his 3-pointers last season.

Those numbers are actually better than Green’s 36.7% from beyond the arc during his 2019-20 campaign with the Lakers and roughly the same as Caldwell-Pope’s 38.5% three-point shooting percentage during that same season.

He figures to be the primary backup to LeBron James and will play on the floor as a pick-and-pop player when James lines up at power forward.

The big signing was none other than former Miami Heat guard Gabe Vincent, who is jumping to Los Angeles for three years and $33 million. The combo guard emerged as the Heat’s third-best player — behind All-Stars Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo — during their surprising NBA Finals run, averaging 12.2 points per game on 55.7% shooting from the field and 48.7% from beyond the arc during the playoffs.

He’ll add valuable playoff pedigree and a reliable hand during the postseason in case D’Angelo Russell falters again down the stretch.

Speaking of Russell, the Lakers are bringing back the former All-Star guard on a two-year, $37 million deal. Russell was a major upgrade over Russell Westbrook following his midseason trade from the Minnesota Timberwolves, playing a big role in why Los Angeles posted the best record in the Western Conference (16-7) after the All-Star break.

Prior to his disappearance in the Western Conference Finals, Russell averaged 17.4 points per game on 48.4% from the field and 41.4% from beyond the arc in 17 games with the Lakers.

Outside of bringing back Russell, the Lakers are also re-signing Rui Hachimura. Los Angeles is bringing back Hachimura on a three-year, $51 million deal. The power forward proved his value during the playoffs, averaging 12.2 points per game on 55.7% from the field and 48.7% from beyond the arc. He — along with Austin Reaves — were the Lakers’ biggest priorities entering the offseason.

The Lakers also added former No. 10 overall pick Cam Reddish. While he has yet to live up to his potential or find footing on one franchise — he’s playing for his fourth team in four years — the 6-foot-7 swingman averaged 11.0 points per game during his 20-game stint with the Portland Trail Blazers last season. In other words, he could be a spark-plug off of the bench much in the way Malik Monk and Lonnie Walker IV contributed in recent seasons.

While the Lakers lost valuable reserves in Dennis Schroder and Troy Brown Jr., they’ve replaced them with younger and more proven upgrades.

The one major move Los Angeles still needs to make is re-signing Reaves, which is financially possible even after the free agent signings. Outside of Reaves, the Lakers still need to add a backup big man. After using the non-taxpayer mid level exception on Vincent and biannual exception on Prince, the Lakers will have one or two veteran’s minimum contracts to offer to any other potential free agent additions.

Assuming they bring back Reaves and sign a viable backup big man behind Anthony Davis, the Lakers will enter the 2023-24 season with an upgrade roster.

Along with the Denver Nuggets and the Phoenix Suns, the Lakers will enter next season as one of the three favorites in the Western Conference.