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The Los Angeles Lakers are the NBA superteam that wasn’t.
A popular preseason pick to win the Western Conference, if not an NBA championship, they never came close to resembling a full-fledged contender once the 2021-22 campaign tipped. Their high mark had them three games above .500 back in mid-December. The 31-42 record they have following Wednesday night means it’s impossible for them to finish with a winning mark.
That’s unacceptable. Actually, it’s disastrous considering this was LeBron James’ age-37 season—and he’s been spectacular in it. He’s still capable of leading a championship charge. He just needs a roster around him that’s good enough to join him on the journey.
Here’s how the Lakers can assemble one this summer.
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David Liam Kyle/Getty Images
Last summer’s Russell Westbrook trade wasn’t a failed experiment in execution as much as it was a gross miscalculation in concept.
His game never fit in Hollywood. He was too ball-dominant, too erratic as a shooter and not nearly effective enough as a defender to survive—never mind thrive—as James’ co-star. Bringing Westbrook to L.A. accomplished nothing other than depleting what was already a limited asset collection.
There’s no need to take this any further, and everyone seems to accept that.
The Lakers and Westbrook have “mutual interest” in a summer split, per B/R’s Jake Fischer, and ideally they can get this done without sacrificing more than one future first-round pick in order to acquire someone who can contribute next season.
A straight salary dump doesn’t bring assistance to James soon enough. Somehow, the front office needs to turn Westbrook and a pick into a player (or players) who better fit with the four-time MVP.
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Lynne Sladky/Associated Press
If the campaign closed today, James would have the second scoring title of his career and match the second-highest scoring average he has ever posted.
That’s a tremendous accomplishment for him—and an even bigger indictment of this roster.
L.A. is supposed to be easing its aging star through a soft landing, but it doesn’t have the firepower to do it. Anthony Davis can’t stay on the floor, Westbook doesn’t score efficiently and no one else worries opposing defenses.
The front office has to do better. More support scoring is needed. More shooting is too. For James to be this good on offense while the Lakers are this mediocre (23rd in efficiency, per NBA.com) is a problem.
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Jae C. Hong/Associated Press
The Lakers’ lost season didn’t happen by accident.
This wasn’t the plan, obviously, but the collective failure to launch speaks to the many flaws within this franchise. The problems are serious enough that almost everything should be considered when attempting to solve them.
Other than trading James—dealing away a generational great is never a good idea—everything else is worth exploring. Yes, that includes trading Davis if the return is rich enough.
It’s hard to see the puzzle pieces lining up for a Davis deal this summer given his litany of injury issues this season, but the exploration of it shows how deep L.A.’s issues run. From major changes at the top to reshuffling the back end of the bench, anything that isn’t trading James is worth examining.
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