The Los Angeles Lakers, who currently have 14 of their 15 standard roster spots filled , forward Jarred Vanderbilt , Gabe Vincent , and starting power forward Rui Hachimura . Vanderbilt and Vincent are the team's only plus defenders on the wing, so losing either of them would hopefully only happen in order for the team to upgrade with healthier help in terms of perimeter defense.
The Lakers need to make further moves to catch up with the Western Conference's bigger, younger elite teams. The Dallas Mavericks, revamped Oklahoma City Thunder, Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets are all clearly better. The L.A. Clippers, with Paul George now headed to the Philadelphia 76ers and an exorbitant $70 million owed to an aging James Harden over the next two seasons, have probably taken a step back and are below the Lakers in the conference's hierarchy. The New Orleans Pelicans have improved this offseason and have pathways to getting even better, while the Memphis Grizzlies are expecting to be healthy. The Sacramento Kings remain a major threat.
Behind the Lakers and Clippers, clubs like the Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs and Golden State Warriors will remain at least competitive as frisky play-in contenders. Los Angeles cannot just run the same club back again in 2024-25. The team needs to upgrade at the point, defensively along the wing, and probably in the frontcourt behind All-NBA center Anthony Davis. It may be tough for the Lakers to get off any of the four aforementioned mid-tier contracts, aside from Hachimura's.