At the end of this season, the Los Angeles Lakers will have some decisions to make about their roster, as a number of their players could potentially hit free agency and will have the opportunity to go elsewhere.
There are obviously some players that the Lakers should let go due to their performances this season, but there are others that they absolutely need to retain if they are to be a competitive team going forward. The Lakers have built up a solid young core after their moves at the trade deadline, and extending some of their young free agents makes a lot of sense. Doing that will help the team have some continuity and sustainability, which are key when trying to win at a high level.
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In this article, we will discuss three players that the Los Angeles Lakers should keep this coming offseason. These players fit the team’s long-term vision and have skill sets that will help the team compete for a championship with LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
3. Malik Beasley 
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Malik Beasley is a fantastic high-volume 3PT shooter who also has some shot-creation ability off the dribble. He profiles as a fantastic scoring sixth man in his optimal role, but could also play well as a starter due to his high-level 3PT shooting ability, which allows him to have an impact without really having the ball all the time. He has notably started seven of his nine games for the Lakers this season. No matter his role going forward, the Los Angeles Lakers need to find a way to retain him past the end of the season.
The shooting guard has a $16,524,106 team option for next year, and it is quite likely that the team will end up picking it up. Keeping Malik Beasley, even if it is only for one more season, is preferable to losing him for nothing by declining his team option. Since he will also be on an expiring contract, Beasley could potentially end up being an appealing trade chip at the deadline as well. However, the Los Angeles Lakers should also consider signing the guard to a longer deal, as he is only 26 and will be entering his prime soon.
As of right now, Malik Beasley is putting up 13.3 PPG, 3.6 RPG, and 1.7 APG, while shooting 35.8% from 3PT range. It will be interesting to see how he looks for the rest of the season, and it is possible that the Los Angeles Lakers will lean on his scoring more frequently while LeBron James is out with a foot injury.
2. Austin Reaves
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Austin Reaves is an extremely versatile role player, capable of providing an impact in many areas on the court. He can handle the ball, pass, and shoot while also not overstepping and interfering with what the Los Angeles Lakers stars do on the court. A player that can thrive despite not having a high usage rate is extremely useful for any contender.
When this season concludes, Austin Reaves will hit restricted free agency. Another team could potentially try to sign him to a deal when that happens, but the Los Angeles Lakers would have the opportunity to match any deal and ensure that Reaves stays with the franchise. As long as the deal is within reason and not an insane overpay, it makes sense for the Los Angeles Lakers to keep Reaves on the roster, as he is a quality depth option for the team.
This has been an overall good year for Austin Reaves, and the guard has averaged 10.9 PPG, 2.9 RPG, and 2.5 APG for the Los Angeles Lakers this season while shooting a solid 50.6% from the field and 39.1% from 3PT range. He will likely be looking for a longer contract that gives him a lot of guaranteed money, as this will be his first bigger payday.
1. D’Angelo Russell 
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Retaining D’Angelo Russell should be the No. 1 priority for the Los Angeles Lakers this offseason. His skill set and ability to be efficient as a No. 3 option will make him a good long-term fit with the Los Angeles Lakers. Having a guard that can toggle between playing off-ball while also being solid on-ball is key when playing with ball-dominant players like LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
At the end of this season, D’Angelo Russell will be an unrestricted free agent, which means that he will have the opportunity to potentially leave the Los Angeles Lakers and sign a deal with another franchise. The Los Angeles Lakers must ensure that this does not happen, and some reports have already indicated that Russell is part of the team’s long-term plans. D’Angelo Russell could end up being an elite player for years to come, and keeping him for the long run could mean that he will also be part of the next era of Lakers basketball.
This season, D’Angelo Russell has averaged 17.6 PPG, 3.1 RPG, and 6.1 APG, while shooting 46.4% from the field and 38.9% from 3PT range. He is currently on the last year of his four-year $117,325,500 deal and is making $31,377,750 this season. He is a very good offensive player, and we’ll see what sort of money he will command this year as a free agent.
Source: fadeawayworld
