Earlier this offseason, Rob Pelinka had said, “Our goal is to build a team that can compete for a Championship”. Despite his words, the Lakers haven’t really changed much since last season. Players like Max Christie, Jaxson Hayes, and Cam Reddish retain their place in the roster alongside LeBron James, amid the ‘salary dumping’ rumors. Not to forget, D’Lo is sticking with his $18.7 million player option.

So, in the offseason, they didn’t make many moves, but rumors were circulating about the LA side’s interest in several players during free agency. Both Klay Thompson and Gary Trent Jr. reportedly caught their attention. Reports claim that the Splash Brother received a contract offer of $80 million for 4 years from Jeanie Buss’ front office. Instead, he joined the Dallas Mavericks for three years on a $50 million deal. Meanwhile, Trent Jr. joined the Milwaukee Bucks on a 1-year deal. Such has been the case with the Lakers.

NBA reporter Anthony Irwin reported, “Gary Trent Jr. signed in Milwaukee in large part because they promised a starting gig. The Lakers did not want to promise a starting gig to Klay Thompson and didn’t offer it to GTJ.” Gary’s last season in Toronto averaged a smidgen over 13.5 points along with 2.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists. However, his skill lies in shooting from deep.

He recorded a 43.1% record with his catch-and-shoot attempts! Trent Jr. would’ve been a valuable asset to the Lakers, particularly for that perspective, the main reason behind why they were eyeing Klay.

By coming off the bench, he could have a significant impact by scoring well with passes from LeBron James and Austin Reaves. Klay was a top target for the Lakers and in an interview with NBC Sports, Austin Reaves was asked about their unsuccessful chase, and said, “It would have been dope, I’m love Klay.” But Klay had other ideas.

When asked about why he chose the Mavs, Thompson specified, “Dallas was so attractive because of the young players they have, the style of play, the world-class treatment these players get from the organization, and a beautiful city that loves their hoops.” So now, for any Lakers fan, there’s only one question in their mind.

What’s next for the Lakers? How is JJ Redick going to support a 39-year-old LeBron James?

Despite their efforts, the Lakers have been unable to secure several important free agents. Currently, the Lakers are in a tight spot as they’ve run out of choices. “One of the things last year with this team, they played a lot of random,” JJ Redick told Mark Jones and Doris Burke. “If you look at the efficiency numbers when they played random versus when they played out of sets, the sets had a much higher efficiency.”

“We have LeBron and AD on our team. Those guys are obviously going to be offensive hubs. But we are going to play with more movement, more cutting and we have to certainly get buy-in from all the players to play that way.”

Keeping this in mind, there are rumors of the Los Angeles Lakers attempting to acquire Jerami Grant. According to Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report, the Portland Trail Blazers are seeking a minimum of two first-round draft picks in exchange. It seems like the Lakers are hesitant to go through with the deal and give up those picks.

Notably, Jerami had a solid season with the Trail Blazers, putting up 21.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.8 assists. He has proven he can score, but he, importantly, won’t be the go-to guy. He would thrive in LA as the third name behind LeBron James and Anthony Davis. However, his scoring prowess might be key in the Lakers’ quest for a Championship.

Despite their unsuccessful attempts with Thompson, Harden, and Valančiūnas, there is no guarantee that the Lakers will sign Jeremi Grant. However, according to Jovan Buha, sources tell him, “The Lakers are expected to remain patient in their quest to improve their roster.”

Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow what brand maker Leonard Armato had to say about the deadly duo, Shaq and Kobe, check out this exclusive video by EssentiallySports.