The Los Angeles Lakers may be needing to find a new starting point guard in the 2021 offseason. Dennis Schroder may be currently committed to helping them win another NBA championship title but as of now, he hasn’t given them any assurance that he intends to stay in Los Angeles beyond the 2020-21 NBA season.
Schroder is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. Though he hasn’t closed his doors on the possibility of returning to the Lakers, he’s planning to entertain offers from other NBA teams in the 2021 free agency.
Mike Conley Could Replace Dennis Schroder As Lakers’ Starting PG
If they fail to re-sign Schroder, the Lakers are expected to immediately start their search for their new starting point guard in the 2021 offseason. One of the most interesting targets for the Purple and Gold this summer is veteran floor general Mike Conley of the Utah Jazz. In a recent article, Greg Patuto of NBA Analysis Network included the Lakers on the list of teams that could try to pry Conley away from the Jazz in the 2021 free agency.
Jazz Could Have Second Thoughts About Re-Signing Mike Conley
Compared to his first year in Utah, Conley is currently establishing a better performance on both ends of the floor this season. If he finishes the season strong, he would be in a position to demand a lucrative contract this summer. The Jazz definitely recognized Conley’s contribution to their recent success but with the money committed to franchise cornerstones Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell, Patuto thinks that Utah may think twice about giving him a huge payday in the 2021 free agency.
Mike Conley’s On-Court Impact On Lakers
Once the Jazz let him go, the Lakers could grab the opportunity to get Conley’s service this summer. Conley may already be on the downside of his career, but he still has plenty of gas left in his tank. When he’s 100 percent healthy, he’s capable of filling the huge hole that Schroder would be leaving in the Lakers’ backcourt.
He would give the Lakers a more experienced point guard, a very reliable scoring option, a plus defender, a great playmaker, and an efficient three-point shooter. This season, the 33-year-old veteran is averaging 16.4 points, 5.7 assists, and 1.3 steals while shooting 44.9 percent from the field and 41.5 percent from beyond the arc, per ESPN.
Why Signing With The Lakers Make Sense For Mike Conley
Leaving the Jazz for the Lakers in the 2021 free agency would make a lot of sense for Conley if they fail to achieve their main goal in the 2020-21 NBA season. Mitchell and Gobert may be one of the most promising tandems in the league, but they are still not considered on the same level as the Lakers’ duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Compared to staying in Utah, joining forces with James and Davis in Los Angeles would give Conley a realistic chance of winning multiple NBA championship titles before he permanently ends his career.
