We’ve summarized what Los Angeles Lakers fans can expect from their squad in terms of salary cap space this offseason. Below you’ll find lists of the players expected back on the roster, the team’s potential free agents and a number of insights about questions the franchise will face before the 2021 campaign.
In addition to a summary for each of the 30 teams (accessible in the link grid below), we’ve also tiered the top NBA free agents league-wide and published a general comparison of all teams’ cap space. Follow @SLAMnewswire on Twitter for constant offseason updates as we head into free agency.
Projected Roster Players
| Avery Bradley | $5,005,350 | UFA, PO |
| Devontae Cacok | Two-Way | Second-year 2W |
| Kentavious Caldwell-Pope | $8,543,746 | UFA, PO |
| Alex Caruso | $2,750,000 | Guaranteed |
| Quinn Cook | $3,000,000 | $1,000,000 Guaranteed |
| Danny Green | $15,365,853 | Guaranteed |
| Talen Horton-Tucker | $1,517,981 | Guaranteed |
| LeBron James | $39,219,565 | Guaranteed |
| Kyle Kuzma | $3,562,178 | Guaranteed |
| JaVale McGee | $4,200,000 | UFA, PO |
| Rajon Rondo | $2,692,991 | UFA, PO |
Projected Free Agents
| Kostas Antetokounmpo | $1,445,697 | Cap Hold – RFA, 2W |
| Anthony Davis | $32,742,000 | Cap Hold – UFA, PO |
| Jared Dudley | $1,620.564 | Cap Hold – UFA |
| Dwight Howard | $1,620,564 | Cap Hold – UFA |
| Markieff Morris | $2,100,000 | Cap Hold – UFA |
| Dion Waiters | $1,620,564 | Cap Hold – UFA |
Dead Money
| Luol Deng | $5,000,000 |
2020 NBA Draft Picks
| 2020 Pick #28 | $1,964,760 |
Exceptions Available
- Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception – $9,258,000
- Bi-Annual Exception – $3,623,000
Key Offseason Decisions
- How long of deal does Anthony Davis sign next? Almost assuredly Davis will opt out and become a free agent. The question then becomes how long of a max contract does he re-sign with the Lakers for? He’s not going anywhere for least a few more years, if ever.
- How do players handle their player options? Beyond Davis, Los Angeles has four players with player options for 2021. With the Lakers in the championship mix for the time being, it’s unlikely any will sacrifice their role on a title contender.
- Can LA sign Kyle Kuzma to a contract extension? Kuzma isn’t a no-brainer max candidate. Can he and the Lakers find common ground on a deal? Or will he play it out and become a restricted free agent in 2021?
- Will Quinn Cook stick for $3M? Los Angeles could flirt with the tax next season, but they are likely to be under. Do they really need to save $2M by letting Cook walk?
Projected Team Salary
$133,971,813
Anthony Davis will opt out, and then re-sign with the Lakers. That’s a certainty. Beyond that, it’s all about player options. The projection is for everyone to be back. Same with Quinn Cook, who should see his deal guaranteed. And Los Angeles will keep the rights to all of their free agents. Expect the Lakers to largely run it back with a very similar squad for 2021. (@KeithSmithNBA)
Cap Space Forecast
-$24,831,813 (14th out of 30). $18,444,019 under the Luxury Tax.
