The Los Angeles Lakers will spend a lot of money this summer. The plan is to get as much help as possible for LeBron. Last year was a debacle of roster construction that everyone is trying to forget.
You cannot argue with eight straight NBA Finals appearances and 13 straight playoff berths in 16 seasons. The key to success is surrounding James with shooters and defenders. LeBron’s camp agrees with this notion according to The Athletic:
“You don’t need names, you need games,” a source close to James told The Athletic. The Lakers could build a team of complementary pieces better suited for James, like Boston’s Marcus Morris or Milwaukee’s Nikola Mirotic, and fare better than they did this season. But it would run counter to Johnson’s stated philosophy. After all, on a World Series broadcast last fall, Johnson declared, “I’m going to get another superstar next summer!”
Morris and Mirotic fit the perimeter versatility that was desired last season for the Lakers. The two are set to hit the unrestricted free agent market. Both players aren’t the 2nd superstar he needs, but the Lakers aren’t in a position to court that caliber of player as it stands today. LeBron is calculated and says everything with purpose. It’s hard to believe that this isn’t a coincidence.
It also likely helps Morris’ case more than ever, considering the departure of Magic Johnson, that he’s also represented by Rich Paul and Klutch Sports.
But more than anything, it appears that the James camp has zeroed in on the type of players they need to compete. While everyone has always had their LeGM jokes flying since he went back to Cleveland, it appears that time away from the playoffs may actually give LeBron time to do what most already assume he does in structuring the team around him.
