The Los Angeles Lakers, as they’re currently constructed, feel untenable. Rumors have long swirled about the team making a major trade to boost their talent and shooting, sacrificing their last two assets — their 2027 and 2029 first-round picks — to do so. The start of their season will likely only accelerate the calls to make a big change.
With the caveat that it’s only been two games — against the defending champions Golden State Warriors and the championship-favorite LA Clippers, nonetheless — the Lakers look like a team stuck in the mud. At 0-2, Lakers have an offensive rating of 94. 9, a number that would have been last in the NBA by 9 points last year (again, it’s only been two games).
They’re 19-for-85 from three-point range (22. 5%). LeBron James has already had to answer questions about the team’s roster construction and lack of shooting.
“We’re not a team that’s constructed of great shooting,” James said after the opening night loss to the Warriors. “And that’s just what the truth of the matter is. It’s not like we’re sitting here with a lot of lasers on our team.
” James said the Lakers could still win without being a top three-point-shooting team, comparing them to a football team that doesn’t throw down the field. But Thursday’s game only added to their woes. The Lakers shot 9-of-45 from three, missing numerous good looks that could have easily propelled them to a win over the Clippers in game they lost by just six points.
After the game, James tried to put an end to the questions about the team’s roster. “I’m definitely not going to sit here and harp on what we can’t do every single game,” James said. “That’s not a leader.
What I know we can do? We can defend our ass off. We did that tonight, which gave us an opportunity to win and we just couldn’t make it happen. But I’m OK with that.
” In turn, Lakers rookie head coach Darvin Ham has already had to downplay James’ analysis of the roster, saying he has no problem with James’ comments. The Lakers once again re-made their roster this off-season, jettisoning many of the veterans from last year’s squad for younger, more athletic, defensive-minded players. Of course, with James, Anthony Davis, and Russell Westbrook on their books, the Lakers were financially limited in what they could.
As a result, they added several decent role players, but none who figure to put them over the top. And in a league where shooters can command big salaries, the Lakers’ free agent additions are average to below-average shooters. That is particularly troublesome for a team built around James, Davis, and Westbrook — three paint-bound players, one of whom (Westbrook) is a historically poor three-point shooter.
Westbrook was involved in trade rumors all summer, and an uneasy start to this season has only strengthened the belief that he won’t last the year in Los Angeles. Westbrook had a solid first game (19 points, 7-of-13 shooting, 11 rebounds, 3 assists), but overshadowed it by blaming his hamstring strain on Ham bringing him off the bench for a preseason game. Westbrook followed up his strong first game by missing all 11 of his field goal attempts on Thursday (though he did have five steals).
One oft-discussed trade rumor involved the Lakers trading Westbrook and their 2027 and 2029 first-round picks (the only two picks they can trade) to the Indiana Pacers for Myles Turner and Buddy Hield. The Athletic reported that the Lakers and Pacers had discussed the deal, but nothing came to fruition. It’s a theoretical trade that will likely remain a talking point, as it makes sense for both sides: The Pacers are looking to rebuild, while Hield and Turner would give the Lakers some much-needed scoring punch, shooting, and rim protection.
Lakers GM Rob Pelinka told reporters at training camp that those two draft picks were on the table. “One thing that needs to be made clear is, there was a lot of speculation, will the Lakers trade their picks? Will they not trade their picks?” Pelinka said. “Let me be abundantly clear: We have one of the great players in LeBron James to ever play the game on our team.
He committed to us with a long-term contract, a three-year contract. So of course, we will do everything we can, picks included, to make deals that give us a chance to help LeBron get to the end. He committed to our organization.
That’s gotta be a bilateral commitment, and it’s there. ” The Lakers’ upcoming schedule doesn’t get any easier: Six of their next nine games come against presumed playoff teams in the Denver Nuggets (twice), Minnesota Timberwolves, New Orleans Pelicans, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Clippers. Even games against the Portland Trail Blazers and Sacramento Kings don’t look as easy, given the off-season improvements each of those teams made.
It’s possible the Lakers could fall several games under-. 500, putting themselves in a hole that would be difficult to climb out of. It’s rare for a team to enter the season with such a widespread expectation that they’ll make a big trade at some point.
A shaky start may have only fortified the belief that a trade is needed. .
From: insider
URL: https://www.insider.com/lakers-trading-westbrook-future-picks-feels-inevitable-2022-10
