Los Angeles Lakers: 5 reasons to worry after trading for Anthony Davis
By Ben Bundy
Lack of depth
There’s no question that the Lakers have one of the best duos in the NBA now. James and Davis should be a force to be reckoned with in the 2019-20 season. After all, analytically they’re two of the best players the league has ever seen. That being said, once you look down the bench from the two stars you notice a significant drop off in talent.
Kyle Kuzma is a player Los Angeles was determined to keep out of any trade package for Davis, which they did successfully. Kuzma is a great young piece to have out on the court with James and Davis, but you need more than just three players to win a championship. Obviously, the Lakers have newly acquired rookies and enough cap space to help fill out the rest of the roster, but will that be enough to win a title next season?
The initial reaction is no. Especially if the Lakers decide to try to free up enough cap space to bring in a third star to the team. While historically teams centered around a “Big 3” have done well in the league, a team is only going to go as far as its bench can carry them. James is getting to the age where playing 40-plus minutes a night will start to take a significant toll, and Davis has yet to play in a full NBA season.
If the Lakers want to win a championship in the next couple of seasons then they have a lot of holes to fill on the team thanks to the trade.