After a Summer of Uncertainty, Lakers Look to Bounce Back
The Los Angeles Lakers had media day this Monday and if there was one thing certain, everyone has questions about the team going into this season. The summer was filled with trade rumors centered around former MVP Russell Westbrook, who had a less-than-stellar 2021 season. The beginning of free agency saw rumors galore between the Brooklyn Nets and the Lakers centered around a trade for Kyrie Irving and Westbrook. This came on the heels of Kevin Durant requesting a trade from the Nets that lasted all summer. Durant and the Nets mended their relationship and obviously this meant Irving was no longer on the trade block.
This changed the Lakers approach with trades for Westbrook and whether or not to use their 2027 and 2029 first round picks to shake up their roster. Teams like the Utah Jazz, New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers have all been linked to Lakers trade rumors, but no deal has gotten done heading into training camp.
Lebron James fully committed to the Lakers by signing an extension in August that keeps him tied to the Lakers for at least three more seasons. This move now pushes the Lakers to commit to a win-now mentality, James is in his 20th NBA season and isn't getting any younger. Lakers General Manager, Rob Pelinka, said the organization will do whatever it takes to make the roster better, including trading first round picks, since James solidified his commitment to the organization.
One thing is for sure, the Lakers are lacking in the wing department. The average height on the roster is 6'4 compared to an average height of 6'7 of the 2020 championship roster. The Lakers currently have 7 guards on their roster, while James, Troy Brown Jr., Juan Toscano-Anderson, and Wenyan Gabriel are the only wings on the roster. This will be a challenge when teams like the Clippers, Warriors
and Grizzlies come up on the schedule. Lakers head coach, Darvin Ham, will have his work cut out for him with creating a solid gameplan to make up for the lack of height on the roster.
There's a feeling that this roster won't look the same by season's end, but for now they will have to make it work if they want a shot at competing in a star-studded Western Conference. Only time will tell for LA.