With Lebron James signing a 2-year, $97.1 million dollar extension, Anthony Davis (AD) banging his knee on a coffee table, and Russell Westbrook entering his final season with the Lakers, LA’s future is questionable.
Written by: Riya Kalra
2 September, 2022
The past 2021-22 season was an absolute disappointment for the Lakers, as they didn’t even qualify for the playoffs. So...
What really was behind their unfortunate losses last season, and what factors can pave a path to success for our favorite LA team?
Russell Westbrook had been a key player with the Thunder (not so much with the Rockets and Wizards), so something changed when he entered his career with the Lakers. For starters, Westbrook hasn’t been able to shoot around the court as easily as in the past- he’s making barely 44.4% of his field goal attempts and averages almost 4 turnovers per game, both of which used to be rare when he played for Oklahoma. Westbrook will have to clean up his game if the Lakers want to be more successful this upcoming season.
Anthony Davis is another important factor for the Lakers’ upcoming season. Given that AD is expecting to be sidelined for the beginning of the season, he will have to manage his knee yet also put in some hard training. Last season, Davis averaged 23.2 PPG, 3.1 APG, and 9.9 RPG. Keep in mind, Davis averaged these stats while only playing 40 regular season games, due to being injured on and off.
The final aspect of the big three, the King, Lebron James. In his 18 years in the NBA, James has never lost his spark, he plays with passion and devotion. Though James suffered quite a few injuries this past season, missing games, he has been able to serve as a backbone for LA. James hasn’t talked of retirement yet- but the upcoming Lakers season will determine his future.
While the players play the game, it’s really the coaches who are behind the scenes who help make the game. Last season, Lakers’ head coach Frank Vogel was let go due to the Lakers’ poor season. Vogel had three superstars on his team, and yet was unable to clinch a playoff spot. The Lakers have hired Darvin Ham, a former basketball player and coach. Ham has already stated that he won’t hesitate to bench players, demonstrating that he expects 110% from each and every player on the team.
Other factors that play a role in the Lakers’ future…
To make the playoffs, the Lakers will have to face some teams that have really improved in the past few years, such as the Boston Celtics or Phoenix Suns. Those two teams have developed a strong bond of communication both on and off the court, and the Lakers should be striving for that sort of bond within their team. Hopefully sometime this season, James, AD, and Westbrook will have a chance to play when all of them are healthy, but for now all they can do is keep conditioning.
If the Lakers make the playoffs, the journey to the finals will be challenging. LA will have to face the best of the West; meaning the 2022 Finals Champs (Warriors), the youthful Thunder, and the rising Mavericks. Playing these high-caliber teams in the regular season will prepare LA for them when facing these teams in the playoffs.
One more factor to consider in the Lakers’ future are potential injuries. Injuries are always a risk, but Anthony Davis is like a bull charging towards a red cloth, he’s strong but an injury can shut him down. The Lakers’ head coach will have to make plenty of tough calls throughout the season given the age of the roster and high probability of injuries for his team.
Overall…
The Lakers’ future is unpredictable, one injury can ruin everything, while one play-in game can give the Lakers’ a ride to the playoffs. LA’s future is all a matter of the players’ condition and the coach's execution- will Ham be ready to bench LeBron if he’s having a bad game? Questionable. In the end, Westbrook will have to improve his game dramatically, AD will have to recover from his recent coffee-table injury, and hopefully LeBron will continue to play at his highest level, but be careful of an injury. Marvin Ham should also strike a balance between bench warmers and all-stars. For example, coaches like Kerr and Udoka managed to create powerhouse teams by balancing all-stars and benchers. Ham should attempt to hit that balance. LA is eager to see their favorite Lakers’ team back in the playoffs- hoping that their season will make up for the last!
Featured…
*Major Trade Alert!
The Lakers have struck a deal to acquire Patrick Beverly from the Utah Jazz. Beverly joining the Lakers contributes to their older core. The question is- are the Lakers simply aging, or will their wisdom carry them to the playoffs? With the recent acquisition of Patrick Beverly, a defensive specialist, we will see if his volatile personality will be a positive or negative for the organization for the upcoming season
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