Lakers 2019-2020 Outlook: Reasons For Optimism With The Draft, Free Agency And Trades?

It has been hard to sugarcoat the Los Angeles Lakers' 2018-19 season. After adding LeBron James in the biggest offseason move in several years, general manager Rob Pelinka and team president Magic Johnson sought to assemble a cast around their superstar that would put L.A. in serious playoff contention after years of rebuilding.

But the additions of veterans Rajon Rondo, Lance Stephenson, JaVale McGee, Michael Beasley and Tyson Chandler, along with the drafting of Mo Wagner, Isaac Bonga and Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, failed to produce real results. It also didn't help matters that trades before the deadline for Reggie Bullock and Mike Muscala would prove to be irrelevant, as the Lakers quickly faded out of playoff contention.

There was also the flawed presumption that the Lakers would eventually thrive in the second season under head coach Luke Walton and through the development of burgeoning talents of Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma and others. Even the assumed trade of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who entered the season with an expiring contract, failed to materialize.

So where does that leave the Lakers now?

One indication might be Sunday night's road matchup with the New Orleans Pelicans. Neither James nor the Lakers' top trade target Anthony Davis will be on the court, as both teams seem mostly content to finish the final stretch of the season without a serious commitment to winning. Ahead of tipoff, the Pelicans, who have lost nine of their last 11 games, have the ninth-worst record and the Lakers, who have won just four of their last 15 games, have the 10th-worst record.

The 2019 NBA Draft Lottery is certainly on both teams' minds. The No. 10 team has a 3% chance of landing the No. 1 overall pick, which is expected to be Zion Williamson. The No. 9 team has a 4.5% change and the No. 8 team has a 6.0% chance.

No matter where the ping-pong balls fall, the Lakers will have a decent shot at landing a quality player. However, this year's talent pool drops off after No. 3, as Williamson, Ja Morant and R.J. Barrett seem to clearly be ahead of the rest. The Lakers could still add an interesting piece anywhere within the top 14 picks such as Duke's Cam Reddish or Keldon Johnson of Kentucky, but the chances could be slim that such a player would make a serious impact as a rookie.

The draft aside, the Lakers can expect some big changes, though recent history suggests it might be an uphill battle for the front office. Pelinka and Johnson may need to be creative in making trades and signing free agents, while hoping for better fortunes than their recent pursuits of Davis, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.

With Dell Demps no longer the general manager of the Pelicans, the Lakers will likely at least consider reopening talks about Davis. Other players might also fall out of favor with their teams and could therefore find their way onto the Lakers' wish list.

Pelinka and Johnson didn't seem to mind dangling Ball, Ingram, Kuzma and others for Davis, so it wouldn't be surprising if they shop those players again this summer. D'Angelo Russell, Julius Randle, Jordan Clarkson, Larry Nance Jr. and Ivica Zubac had all shown promise with the Lakers before eventually moving on from L.A.

There is also roughly $38 million in cap space available. Free agents include Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, Jimmy Butler, DeMarcus Cousins and Kemba Walker, as well as Leonard.

Meanwhile, it might not be surprising to see a new coaching staff in place. The Lakers seemed out of sync for most of the season and after so long a stretch without making the playoffs there is growing impatience for a talented roster to be a 50-win team.

There's also the elephant in the room: James. All transactions seem to involve finding the right players to surround 34-year-old in the twilight of his career. While James is still a force, time may be running out for the Lakers to deliver one more title for one of the game's all-time greats.

In short, big changes seem to be looming for the Lakers this summer.