That’s interesting to note. I don’t watch many Lakers games….
But this team is constructed poorly. Westbrook and Davis surrounding LeBron isn’t a solution. The spacing is off - hell, collapse on Westbrook completely.
I understand the idea of acquiring talent and then figuring out how to play it/ trade for pieces that fit better later, but it seems like they are going to roll into the season with the same core. Or maybe they can’t find a trade partner.
Westbrook and LeBron are a terrible fit. Westbrook is almost useless when LeBron had the ball.
I called that last year. Was a terrible job of roster building.
But AD playing poorly is on him. He has to shoot it better as he did in the bubble.
Was called a top 5 player in the league and likely was for that short bubble stay.
But he hasn't been a top 50 player since. --injuries and performance both derailing him.
Lakers added a bunch of centers and Russ for some reason last year. Was just a wild roster building exercise that leads me to think letting Agents run things is not great longer term.
Lakers challenge is Russ is the worst contract in the league. Teams want 2 firsts just to take him.
But even if you do that you have LeBron on the slow decline and AD who has put together a few elite stretches but has largely underwhelmed.
As LeBron ages the pieces you can put around him matter more and the Lakers have less options to get them.
And of course there is the always deep West to contend with.
Best course for Lakers would prolly be to trade LeBron and get the princely (no longer kingly, HA) return.
AD brings less to the late and Russ is a negative asset. Nothing else really moves the needle for anyone.
Too good and old to full on tank but not good enough to really contend.