As the Lakers continue to underwhelm, the criticism of the team has rightfully shifted from the youth to the veterans for L.A.’s struggles. In addition to being bad fits the moment they signed, the Lakers’ veterans are also part of a disappointing trend by the front office: Prioritizing one-year deals in free agency. This has been a key error in team-building that the franchise has suffered from going back at least five years, even before this current Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka management regime.
It’s understandable that the Lakers would want to maintain cap flexibility when constructing a roster.