“LeBron made it clear that the young core was one of the things he was so excited about”, said the Lakers’ general manager Rob Pelinka, “It’s gonna be really incredible for him to feel like he’s giving back to the game and helping shape these young guys”.
However, the LA Lakers immediately added the experienced point guard Rajon Rondo and the forward Lance Stephenson to their roster, while there are plenty of rumors about the Lakers’ further decisions in this offseason. Obviously, LeBron will need some help and maybe Rob Pelinka just want to dissociate from any massive expectations for the 2018-19 NBA season.
Just two days after LeBron has signed a four-year $153.3 deal, the bookies set -1000 odds on the Spurs’ Kawhi Leonard to join the Lakers this summer, adjusting it from +110. But, in the last few days many NBA insiders claim that the Lakers will pass on Leonard as he would be a free agent next summer, so making a tread at this moment could be a silly move. The Lakers should give a majority of their young core to get Kawhi, and that is certainly contrary to Pelinka’s statement. Perhaps, there are better options on the market to fortify the team around LeBron James, but The Claw’s future and his injury problem both still remain the mystery.
Building Melo drama is once again popular around NBA insiders, and according to BetDSI Sportsbook, the Lakers are at +275 to sign Carmelo Anthony before the season starts. The Oklahoma City Thunder decided to get rid of Melo’s hefty contract, so this could be the last chance to see James and Anthony on the same side. Last year, Carmelo had the worst season in his career, averaging 16.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.3 assists, shooting just 40.4% from the field which is also his worst record ever. On the other side, Melo shouldn’t have a problem with starting off the bench, and his experience could also be a big factor in the Lakers youth development.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski, the Houston Rockets are the closest to getting Carmelo Anthony, while the bookmakers set the wages at -140 on Melo to join James Harden and Chris Paul. The Heat is at +850 to sign Carmelo, while the Raptors are at +1200, so there are some teams who would like to spoil the Lakers’ plans.
Likewise, there are plenty debates on Lonzo Ball‘s future in the gold and purple jersey, and -300 odds are set on Lonzo to be traded from the Lakers this summer, whilst +240 odds are set on him to stay. It is still unclear who would like to get the oldest of Ball brothers, but the Lakers surely have something to offer. Lonzo averaged 10.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 7.2 assists last season, and he should only improve next year, so maybe LeBron would still like to have him around.
If the Lakers decide to stay quiet, they will have a ton of cap space next summer, so it sounds reasonable to stick with young guns such as Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma, Josh Hart, and Lonzo Ball. This should also mean that Isaiah Thomas will look for a new team, although he still remains in limbo.
LeBron is already a +300 favorite to win NBA MVP award next season, and if he stays the only superstar among the Lakers, this could be a nice wager. At some point, the Lakers should realize what they need to become the champions while adding Rajon Rondo and Lance Stephenson is a significant reinforcement. And just in case you want to know, the odds are set at +150 on LeBron and Lance to have a public disagreement at some point during a 2018-19 season.
