The Los Angeles Lakers have gone down the path of completely re-shaping their roster around Luka Doncic this offseason, and it's a plan the Golden State Warriors are looking to implement after a quiet summer based on continuity.
Rewind to last offseason and the Lakers kept their roster largely the same in the wake of the Doncic-Anthony Davis trade, with Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart and Jake LaRavia really their only additions to the rotation.
Los Angeles had an eye to this offseason and told Doncic as such, ensuring they had cap space to go out and make a series of moves even though it also cost them legendary forward LeBron James.
Warriors officially copying Lakers' Luka Doncic plan
The Lakers went out and targeted Utah Jazz big man Walker Kessler, landing the restricted free agent in a sign-and-trade by paying a hefty price. They quickly signed Quentin Grimes and Sandro Mamukelashvili to four-year contracts, and added Collin Sexton as a third ball-handler off the bench.
They've brought in Matisse Thybulle, Ziaire Williams and former Warrior champion Kevon Looney on minimum contracts, while also trading Ayton to the Wizards for Jaden Hardy and two second-round picks. Throw in first-round pick Cameron Carr and this is a vastly different Lakers team that we'll see on opening night.
In stark contrast, the Warriors have added nothing but 11th overall pick Yaxel Lendeborg, having brought back essentially the same roster outside of losing Quinten Post to the Memphis Grizzlies as a restricted free agent.
But in doing so, Golden State have set themselves up to replicate what the Lakers have done this summer. They could have even more cap space than what we just saw with Los Angeles, leaving the potential of trying to build one more contender around Stephen Curry.
Warriors need to finally maximize their flexibility
The Warriors only have four players under fully guaranteed contracts for the 2027-28 season, and that quartet -- Moses Moody, Yaxel Lendeborg, Gui Santos and Will Richard -- combine to make less than $30 million between them.
Golden State have been preaching flexibility for years, and with this level of projected cap space, on top of possessing practically all their future draft capital, the next 12 months is the time they need to fully maximize the optionality they've prioritized.
That could be achieved before next summer at the mid-season deadline, turning their expiring contracts and picks into major roster changes if rival players become available. Either way, the Warriors need to make the most of this plan and execute even better than what the Lakers just did around Doncic.
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