The LA Lakers have been aiming to make moves this summer and Carmelo Anthony has been a main target, but if he signs with the Knicks or Bulls, Isaiah Thomas, Luol Deng, Lance Stephenson and Greg Monroe are viable free agent options for Kobe Bryant, while a Steve Nash trade with the Rockets for Jeremy Lin also could be in the mix if they pick up Kevin Love or Chris Bosh deals
The Lakers have been gunning for top free agents, but according to ESPN.com, Plan B may be coming to fruition after the A plan of LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony did not work out. Dave McMenamin writes that the team may be looking at other players not that those players are likely gone and they are hoping to get some names like Isaiah Thomas or Luol Deng while also potentially getting Kevin Love in 2015 or Kevin Durant in 2016. The team has the cap space to make those moves, but now time is the biggest factor.
Love has been mentioned in trade talks with a number of teams and that is where the Klay Thompson for Steve Nash rumors came, which would have been in a deal with the Wolves. That is likely off, but the Lakers are still in play in the future for Love, as he went to school in La and is a big fan of the city and the franchise. Kobe has a couple years left and he wants to try and win at least one more title and adding players is the best way for the team to get better. The team drafted Julius Randle and they think he can be a great star and they also have cleared out a ton of cap space and know that they can make moves in the future.
McMenamin writes that plan b has some major options, including signing back Pau Gasol and the team also can try looking at restricted free agents like Thomas and Greg Monroe. The team can also look at giving a short term deal to Lance Stephenson after he rejected the latest offer from the Pacers and that would leave the team in position to make those bigger signings later on. The Lakers have options here and they want to bring back Gasol and the team has the chance to make some major moves to get back into contention next season.
Last season the Lakers went just 27-55 and now they are coming in looking to turn things around quickly. The team had a lottery draft pick and now they look like they have the chance to build with Julius Randle and while Kobe Bryant is getting older, he should still have a couple more years at a high level if he can stay healthy. The team needs a new head coach and Byron Scott could be an option and the team needs to play better defense, as they ranked 29th in points allowed and now they are coming in looking to shore that up. Bryant needs to stay healthy and if the team can get something out of Steve Nash, they will be much better next season.
