The Lakers' 2020-2021 Line-Up: Gains and Losses

The Los Angeles Lakers are coming off winning the 2020 National Basketball Association (NBA) title last month and yet, most observers are saying that the way the Lakers have reloaded themselves during the 2020 offseason, they now appear to be better than they were last season.

To start off, the defending champions have acquired the services of Dennis Schroder via a trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder that sent Danny Green packing. Schroder averaged 18 points with the Thunder last season but his being a reliable defender makes him a good addition to the Lakers. From the free agency, the Lakers successfully gained Montrezl Harrell- the reigning Sixth Man of the Year who played for the other Los Angeles team last year. He averaged 18 points and seven rebounds per game during the 2019-2020 campaign. Wesley Matthews, son of former Laker, Wesley Matthews Sr. Matthews Sr. won two championships with the Lakers. Matthews Jr. was coming off a one-season stint with the Milwaukee Buicks and averaged seven points and shot 36% from the three-point line. Kentavious Cardwell-Pope and Markieff Morris are also retained.  

But the Lakers' acquisition in the 2020 offseason thus far is Marc Gasol. The Lakers actually selected Gasol during the 2007 NBA Draft but a trade involving his brother, Pau, sent him to the Memphis Grizzlies. Pau Gasol went on to build an unbreakable bond with the late Kobe Bryant that produced three straight trips to the NBA Finals and back-to-back championships in 2009 and 2010. Marc Gasol is already a Defensive Player of the Year awardee and an NBA champion with the Toronto Raptors in 2019. Last season, the 35-year old Gasol averaged seven points and six rebounds. 

While the Lakers gained reinforcements to help LeBron James and presumably Anthony Davis go for a back-to-back, it didn't come without losses. First off, Avery Bradley is headed for the Miami Heat- the same team the Lakers beat for this year's title. While Bradley opted not to join the Lakers inside the Orlando bubble, his contributions prior to the restart are one of the reasons why the Lakers got the top seed in the Western Conference. He is one of the best two-way wing players in the league He posted eight points per game. Rajon Rondo is also another big loss for the Lakers as Rondo is now bound to mentor Trae Yong in Atlanta. Rondo's emergence as "Playoff Rondo" in the 2020 playoffs was one of the reasons why the Lakers were successful in their championship run. In 16 playoff games, Rondo averaged eight points, six assists, and four rebounds while shooting 40% from the three-point line. Dwight Howard decided to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers while JaVale McGee was sent packing for Cleveland. The Lakers also waived Quin Cook. 

All in all, the Lakers lost six players from last season's team but gained four players including two players who can produce instant offense off the bench. The 2020-2021 season isn't opening until next month and we still need to wait until mid-season to see how the gains and losses that the team sustained in the offseason will affect the team. Mind you, Anthony Davis hasn't made a decision whether to re-sign with the Lakers or not. Yet. 

Photo is from Los Angeles Times