ESPN’s Bobby Marks Expects Lakers To Be ‘Extremely Aggressive’ This Offseason

ESPN’s Bobby Marks expects the Los Angeles Lakers to be “extremely aggressive” this offseason. 

The Lakers need a center alongside LeBron James and Luka Doncic. 

James has a player option to return to the Lakers next season. He’s expected to pick it up. 

Meanwhile, Doncic and Austin Reaves are eligible for contract extensions this offseason. 

“I expect them to be extremely aggressive this offseason,” Marks said. Especially with LeBron likely going into, he’s got one year left on his contract. I think there are three things here. You’ve got to take advantage of the $60 million in expiring contracts when you’re looking at certainly players like Gabe Vincent and Rui Hachimura.

“The second thing is they showed their hand at the trade deadline when they made that Mark Williams trade that wind up failing him on his physical. They are going to go out and get a center this offseason. We’ll see how that goes. You’ve got one first-round pick to do that.

“And then the third thing is keep an eye on August 2nd, that is when Luka is eligible to sign that extension. So you’re trying to build for the now, but I think you also have to have an eye for the future, when eventually LeBron does retire here.”

The Lakers were the third seed in the West this year. They lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the playoffs in five games. 

Los Angeles head coach JJ Redick played the same five players the entire second half of Game 4. The Lakers need more depth and a big man around James, Doncic and Reaves. 

Rob Pelinka told local reporters during his end-of-the-season press conference that he will attempt to acquire a center this offseason. It will be fascinating to see if he can. 

“We know this offseason, one of our primary goals is going to be to add size in our frontcourt at the center position,” Pelinka said. “This roster needs more size and needs a center. That’s a very clear and obvious by-product of trading potentially the best big in the league to Dallas to get a point guard. Of course, that’s going to open up a huge hole.

“The trade deadline and the moments up to it don’t allow you the requisite time to explore every single unturned stone to add a big to our roster. We just didn’t have the time after the Luka trade. But now we do.”