The City of Los Angeles is set to become a war zone next season after a series of landscape-changing moves that transformed both the Lakers and Clippers into legitimate title contenders in just one summer.
The Showtime Lakers are back in the title hunt following their acquisition of All-NBA forward Anthony Davis via trade. The momentum from that deal allowed them to get a solid haul in free-agency, landing veterans like Danny Green and Avery Bradley.
The Clippers have also dramatically upgraded their roster by adding not just one, but two superstar wing players in Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. All of a sudden, Steve Ballmer’s NBA franchise poses a strong challenge to the Tinsel Town-darling Lakers for the lion’s share of the LA market.
If the off-season already featured a frantic arms race between these two LA rivals, expect them to up the ante even more weeks before training camp kicks off. Both teams have already exceeded the NBA roster limit of 15 players, but this won’t stop them from adding another high-impact player, if impossible.
The Lakers’ recent acquisition of Dwight Howard is a clear example that Los Angeles has once become a destination for players, especially those who are chasing championship rings. And as training camp draws near, more veterans will likely hop on the LA bandwagon, either with the traditional superpower Lakers or the up-and-coming Clippers.
Right now, there are still a few noteworthy free agents left unsigned, while the trade market has a veteran who can certainly pique interest from both teams.
Joakim Noah (Free-Agent)
The former Defensive Player of the Year and All-NBA center had a solid year with the Memphis Grizzlies, averaging 7.1 points and 5.7 rebounds in just under 17 minutes per game. Noah, 34, might no longer be the defensive demon as he was in the early 2010s, yet his tenure with the Grizz proved he can still be a valuable defensive role player off the bench. The Clippers can look into the possibility of adding Noah after the Lakers snubbed him in favor of Dwight Howard.
Andre Iguodala (Memphis Grizzlies)
The three-time NBA champion and former Finals MVP found himself stuck in Memphis after Golden State traded him to create cap space for D’Angelo Russell. At 35, Iggy can no longer put up 15 points per game on consistent basis. What he brings to the table though is his championship pedigree, which something both the Lakers and Clippers would love to have. Acquiring him would require both teams to surrender a first-round pick or wait until he becomes available in post-buyout market.
