While the Lakers are set to reshape their roster this offseason, there is something to be said about continuity as well.
Coming into this season, most expected it to be a sort of transition season from the LeBron James era to the Luka Dončić era. One of the primary objectives was to identify players on the team who complemented Luka and could be part of the next iteration.
Obviously, the team’s success changed expectations along the way, but the overall idea remains. The Lakers certainly got answers about who should and shouldn’t be around next year. The next step will be deciding who to keep and who to part ways with.
Two players who flourished this year, particularly at the very, very end of the season, were Rui Hachimura and Jaxson Hayes. Both are set for unrestricted free agency but it looks like the pair could be prioritized by the Lakers this summer.
On Monday, Dan Woike of The Athletic reported that are believed to be internal free agents the team prioritizes this offseason.
The belief is that Rui Hachimura and Jaxson Hayes are players the Lakers would prioritize bringing back as they try to best fit a roster around Dončić. And each piece of the puzzle the Lakers feel they need to add into their cap space takes up a slice that could go to James.
There is logic as to why the Lakers feel this way about both players.
With Rui, while there is plenty of discussion of areas his struggles, like his rebounding or defense, they don’t grow 6’8” forwards who are lights out 3-point shooters on trees. Even if he isn’t the perfect fit next to Luka, he is still a great one.
And even if things don’t work out, signing Rui to a deal and figuring out a trade later is a better option than losing him for nothing this summer.
As for Hayes, there is obviously the aspect of him being a solid rim-running center who has good chemistry with Luka. The friendship between the two, which led to Hayes actually getting a Slovenian passport, is also a factor.
That being said, he’s someone who has, more often than not the last two seasons, been unplayable in the playoffs. Even if he found a more suitable role as a backup big man, could the Lakers take a swing at another option in the backup center role?
It is that balance of continuity versus roster reshaping that the Lakers will have to grapple with as free agency opens.
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