Lakers News: LA Shredded for Lackluster Free Agency Run So Far

The team has not signed a single non-incumbent free agent.

Nov 8, 2023; Houston, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) picks Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet (5) as Los Angeles Lakers guard Max Christie (10) dribbles against Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks (9) in the second quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports / Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports

As of this writing, the Los Angeles Lakers have signed exactly two free agents this summer — and it was a pair of incumbents.

Los Angeles re-signed restricted free agent shooting guard Max Christie to a four-year, $32 million deal, despite Christie not ultimately making the Purple and Gold's playoff rotation. L.A. team president Rob Pelinka then inked 20-time All-NBA combo forward LeBron James to a two-season, $101.4 million agreement, something of a no-brainer given the four-time MVP's value to the Crypto.com Arena bottom line.

The Lakers, who in addition to James are headlined by nine-time All-Star center/power forward Anthony Davis, have whiffed on former five-time All-Star Golden State Warriors wing Klay Thompson, who instead joined the Dallas Mavericks as a free agent, and six-time former Chicago Bulls small forward DeMar DeRozan, who inked a new long-term deal with the Sacramento Kings.

During a new episode of The Ringer's "The Bill Simmons Podcast," Simmons and Van Lathan speculated as to why Los Angeles has failed to add a new free agent to this point (part of the reason, of course, is that the club's 15-man standard roster is full, and Pelinka has yet to trade anybody).

"I'm concerned that we are on the precipice of something — the Lakers' ineptitude persisting in a way," Lathan said. "The LeBron-A.D. era was more of a blip. It's like a momentary interruption in the Lakers' struggles as a franchise and not an indication that they're trending in the right way [and] that they know what they're doing, because everything now feels disastrous to me as a Lakers fan ...I'm watching something that I didn't expect to happen, I'm watching guys not want to be Lakers. Since when was that a thing?" Lathan wondered."

James put the blame on the club's crazy turnover, which has seen the Lakers offload every single player from its 2019-20 championship club not named LeBron James or Anthony Davis.

"Well I think, when you've had this many different teammates for the best two guys on the team over the last four to five years, and every time it doesn't work out everyone else gets blamed, at some point don't you notice that if you're playing for other teams? Like, 'Oh if this doesn't work out I'm the fall guy.' All the guys they signed last year are now available in trades — D'Angelo Russell, Gabe Vincent, Rui, you can have any of them."

More Lakers: Los Angeles Rookie Snubbed from NBA 2K25 All-Summer League Teams