The Los Angeles Lakers missed out on some big names in free-agency, as the franchise struggles to find the next superstar to carry the torch after Kobe Bryant leaves. They have been unable to reel in the top players, as the appeal of their franchise just does not carry the same weight anymore. They have had several difficult seasons, although several promising draft picks do give them hope for the future.

The Lakers drafted a guard with the second overall pick, and there was hope that they would be able to lure one of the top big men in free-agency. LaMarcus Aldridge, Kevin Love, Greg Monroe, and DeAndre Jordan were some of the top names out there, but the Lakers failed to land any of them. There were some restricted free-agents who the Lakers had an outside chance at, but the best ones like Jimmy Butler ended up signing with their original teams, leaving the Lakers empty-handed.

While the team was unable to make a splash with the top prospects, they were able to sign some decent players who should be able to contribute. Brandon Bass was a solid addition, and even though the Lakers have a lot of youth to develop at power forward, he should still be able to carve out meaningful minutes. He is a true professional who competes at both ends, and could give their bench a boost as well as being a mentor for the younger players. The team also added Lou Williams, who was the Sixth Man of the Year last season and provides instant offense off of the bench. It remains to be seen what they do with Nick Young, as there is only one ball and those two love to put up shots in bunches, but they could potentially form a very intriguing duo with the second unit.

The good news is that the Lakers are not committed for an absurd amount of money to a free-agent who might not fit, and will have a ton of cap space next season when Roy Hibbert and Bryant come off of the books. They added small pieces that may help the team compete for the last playoff spot in the Western Conference, although it will be difficult as the conference itself is still loaded. The team does have a young roster to look forward to, and by trading for Hibbert they potentially have a big man who could improve their defense for a season. Still, the organization cannot be satisfied that they were unable to lure any of the best talents to Los Angeles via free agency.

Grade For 2015 Free Agency: D