The Los Angeles Lakers have been searching for different ways to improve their roster all summer, around stars Luka Doncic and LeBron James. With Los Angeles all-in on going after a title, the front office has been determined to add to the team to bolster their chances this coming season. Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka has done a decent job this offseason in upgrading the team, but there is still work to be done. Los Angeles could still use some extra length along the wing and potentially another guard to help the backcourt.
Due to the limited amount of cap space that the Lakers have to use, the team could either look to sign a player using a minimum deal or make a trade. Los Angeles believes that they can contend with the other elite teams in the Western Conference, but the roster may need a tweak or two. But how the Lakers add to this team remains fluid, and the organization has been keeping options open throughout the summer. With James likely retiring soon, the Lakers owe it to him to continue building this team to be the best possible version that it can be. .Ben Simmons Joins the Los Angeles Lakers
If the Lakers want to add on the free agent market, there are still a few quality players left for them to consider. One of them is veteran guard Ben Simmons, who has been looking for a new team all offseason.
Simmons is coming off a season where he split time between the Brooklyn Nets and the Los Angeles Clippers. The former All-Star could serve the Lakers well and would fit into a nice bench role for the team. Before leaving the Nets for the Clippers, Simmons was playing fairly well on the floor. The former star put up 6.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, 6.9 assists, and 0.8 steals per game for the Nets.
After going to Los Angeles, Simmons put up just 2.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 0.7 steals per game. The veteran never looked fully comfortable with the Clippers, and his time on the court took a hit. With the Lakers, he could give this team a boost in the backcourt, helping to facilitate the offense when Doncic goes to the bench. When Simmons first entered the NBA, he was dubbed the next version of James, so he could learn from James before the legend retires.
Simmons may not be the All-Star player that he was a few years ago, but he can still be impactful on the floor, especially on defense. Due to his size, Simmons has the ability to wreak havoc against opponents, and this could help set up Los Angeles for better offensive possessions. The veteran doesn’t space the floor, so he could be a liability for Los Angeles on offense, but this could be a prize that the Lakers are willing to pay. Simmons would be a low-risk signing for this team, but his impact could be electric as they try to go after a title.
