Lakers News: Pundit Praises LA For Summer Free Agency Signings

They took care of everything & more!

It feels like ever since jersey swaps became a popular commodity on social media, fans of the Los Angeles Lakers got busy on photoshop whenever a player became available via free agency or trade. It has been a running joke amongst the NBA community that the Lakers get linked to every star and seeing the success they've had throughout the years when it comes to landing big-name free agents, we can certainly see why.

However, for the first time in a while, LA's front office decided to focus on taking care of their returners first and then looked at the market this summer to determine who could help them reach the promised land. The Kyrie Irving ship had seemingly sailed and with LeBron James reportedly stepping back from any free agency conversations this time around, GM Rob Pelinka stayed true on his word to run it back with the same core and make small additions all around.

And with Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and D'Angelo Russell all getting some well-deserved paydays, LA remains on the younger side while keeping the guys that built a great culture last season. Gabe Vincent was a surprise to many but he's already proven to be a warrior down the stretch of the playoffs. And when it comes to their overall haul, experts at The Ringer love what they were able to do.

"The Lakers accomplished two key tasks this summer in their attempt to build on last season’s surprise run to the Western Conference finals. First, they improved their depth around LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Gabe Vincent is a natural fit next to LeBron as a smart, non-ball-dominant shooter on a reasonable contract... But the coup de grâce of the Lakers’ offseason was their new contract with Austin Reaves, whose four-year, $54 million deal will look like one of the league’s most team-friendly bargains as the salary cap rises and Reaves matures into his prime. In past summers, the Lakers chased stars, even if the fit was questionable. (Hello, Russell Westbrook.) This time around, they took a measured, sensible approach and ended up reinforcing a roster that relies on the formula that won them the 2020 title: defense + shooting + Davis + LeBron."

(Via Zach Kram)

It's going to be a very exciting year for the City of Angels!