Now that Kobe Bryant has retired, what will the Lakers’ roster look like without him?
The quick answer: Get ready for a lot of new faces.
Of the Lakers’ 15 players, only six are under contract beyond this season. Most of them are very young: D’Angelo Russell, Julius Randle, Larry Nance Jr., Anthony Brown and veterans Nick Young and Lou Williams.
Thanks primarily to the expiring contracts of Bryant ($25 million) and Roy Hibbert ($15.6 million), the Lakers project to have about $55 million to spend on free agents. That number will increase if veteran Brandon Bass declines a $3.1-million player option, as expected.
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Kobe Bryant signs the court late into the night at the Staples Center.
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Kobe Bryant kisses his wife Vanessa long after his last game at the Staples Center.
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Kobe Bryant leaves the court for the last time as a Laker, heading to the locker room after scoring 60 points and leading the team to a 101-96 win over the Utah Jazz.
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Kobe Bryant is all smiles after his final game at Staples Center Wednesday.
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Kobe Bryant shares a laugh with former teammate Derek Fisher on the court after scoring 60 points in his last game as a Laker at Staples Center.
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Kobe Bryant greets Lamar Odom after his final game at Staples Center.
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Kobe Bryant kisses his wife Vanessa after his final game.
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Kobe Bryant walks off the court after his final game at Staples Center.
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Lakers Kobe Bryant salutes the crowd at the end of the game.
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Kobe Bryant waves to the crowd as he walks off the court for the last time at Staples Center. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers Kobe Bryant pauses for a moment as confetti streams down following his last game at the Staples Center. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant salutes the crowd at the end of his final game at Staples Center.
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Kobe Bryant feels the love of the fans at Staples Center following his final game.
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Lakers Kobe Bryant and A.C. Green after his final game at Staples Center.
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Kobe Bryant thanks the crowd after his final game at Staples Center.
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Kobe Bryant waves goodbye to the crowd after his final game at the Staples Center.
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Balloons and confetti fall after Kobe Bryant’s last game
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A security guard stnds alone on the court after Kobe Bryant’s last game at the Staples Center Wednesday.
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Los Angeles City Hall is decorated with Lakers’ purple and gold lights for Kobe Bryant’s last game.
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Kobe Bryant is mobbed as he scores 60-points in his final NBA game at the Staples Center.
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Kobe Bryant gets a slap from comedian George Lopez after making a three-pointer in his final game.
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Kobe Bryant watches as the ball hits the bottom of the net during his last game as a Los Angeles Laker against the Utah Jazz.
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Kobe Bryant stretches out as he makes a basket during his final game as a Laker on April 12 at Staples Center.
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Kobe Bryant drives late in the final minutes of the game at Staples Center.
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Kanye West and Jay Z greet each other before Kobe Bryant’s final game.
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Kobe Bryant drives the ball in the third quarter of his final game at the Staples Center Wednesday.
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Kobe Bryant tries to steal the ball in his last game as a Laker at the Staples Center Wednesday, April 12.
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Kobe Bryant shakes hands with Shaquille O’Neal at his final game at Staples Center on April 13.
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The Weeknd and girlfriend Bella Hadid arrive for Kobe Bryant’s final game at Staples Center.
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Kobe Bryant is stripped of the ball by Jazz guard Rodney Hood during first half action at Staples Center.
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Kobe Bryant drives to the basket during the first half of his final NBA game.
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Lamar Odom attends Kobe Bryant’s final game at Staples Center.
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Lakers star Kobe Bryant, center, heads to the locker room after scoring 22 points in the first half of his final game on Wednesday, April 13, 2016, at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
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Kobe Bryant takes a shot in the first quarter of his final game at the Staples Center Wednesday.
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Kobe Bryant blocks a shot by Trevor Booker in his final game at Staples Center on Wednesday.
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Front row fans, including Jack Nicholson cheer Kobe Bryant after he hits a shot during first half action against the Jazz at Staples Center.
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LOS ANGELES-CA-APRIL 13, 2016: Kobe thanks the crowd before his final game at Staples Center.
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Kobe Bryant is welcomed onto the court for his farewell game at Staples Center on April 13.
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Kobe Bryant acknowledges the Staples Center crowd during a pregame ceremony.
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Kobe Bryant with Magic Johnson before Kobe plays his last game as a Los Angeles Laker against the Utah Jazz.
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Surrounded by cameras Kobe Bryant and Magic Johnson embrace before Bryant’s final game at the Staples Center Wednesday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant waits for introductions before his final game at the Staples Center Wednesday, April 13. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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T-shirts await fans who attend Kobe Bryant’s final game at Staples Center.
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A young girl, sporting Kobe Bryant’s original No. 8 Lakers jersey, bounces a ball on the court before the future Hall-of-Famer’s final game.
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The Lakers store at Staples Center was all about Kobe Bryant and his merchandise on the day of his final NBA game.
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Fans gather outside Staples Center before Kobe Bryant’s final game in a Laker uniform.
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Rock star “Flea” rehearses the national anthem before Kobe Bryant’s last game on April 13, 2016, as players warm-up. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Fans gathered outside Staples Center ahead of Kobe Bryant’s final game with the Lakers.
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Lakers fans gather outside Staples Center before the final game of Kobe Bryant’s career.
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Chick Hearn Court is packed as fans descend on Staples Cener to witness Kobe Bryant play his last game as a Los Angeles Laker against the Utah Jazz.
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Lakers fans get a Kobe chant going outside Staples Center in Los Angeles before Laker great Kobe Bryant’s final game on Wednesday.
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Members of a group of Kobe Bryant fans who flew in from China, including Iris Hong of Beijing, right, get excited outside Staples Center for the player’s last game Wednesday.
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Fans sign a giant card for Kobe Bryant outside Staples Center before his final game Wednesday.
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Kobe Bryant fans swarm to Staples Center in Los Angeles to show their love for the Laker great at his last game Wednesday.
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Kobe Bryant footwear is on display as the Laker Girls arrive for Wednesday night’s game, the basketball star’s last.
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Fans sign a giant card for Kobe Bryant outside Staples Center in Los Angeles before his final game Wednesday.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles TImes) Young still has two more years and $11.1 million on his contract but probably will either be traded or waived before next season, according to a person familiar with the situation. Young, 30, experienced another poor season on the court and was part of the secret-video saga with Russell two weeks ago.
Hibbert is not expected to return, along with Metta World Peace, Ryan Kelly and Robert Sacre.
Jordan Clarkson, on the other hand, becomes a restricted free agent after making $845,000 this season. He will get a pay raise, possibly up to four years and $58.8 million if he signs an offer sheet with another team. The Lakers like his ability and can match if he signs it.
On a smaller scale, the Lakers have decisions to make about reserves Marcelo Huertas and Tarik Black, each of whom earned about $1 million this season.
Williams has two more years and $14 million on his contract. He was a decent source of scoring, if a little erratic at times.
“When you have the type of season that we have, obviously changes are going to be made,” Lakers Coach Byron Scott said. “This roster will probably be totally different going into next year.”
The Lakers will have the free-agent money to spend, but who will take it?
Big men of note include Atlanta’s Al Horford and Miami’s Hassan Whiteside. Charlotte small forward Nicolas Batum and Toronto shooting guard DeMar DeRozan also will be coveted by many teams.
The Lakers aren’t the only ones with money to spend. Many teams get a boost in purchasing power with the salary cap jumping from to $70 million $90 million next season because of the NBA’s new nine-year, $24-billion TV deal.
The Lakers have struck out on the last seven big-name free agents they’ve tried to sign, including two of their own: Dwight Howard, Carmelo Anthony, Pau Gasol, LeBron James, LaMarcus Aldridge, Greg Monroe and DeAndre Jordan.
In addition to free agency, the Lakers have a 55.8% chance at keeping their top three-protected draft pick at the May 17 lottery. They also have their second-round pick, 32nd overall.
Follow Mike Bresnahan on Twitter: @Mike_Bresnahan
