The Los Angeles Lakers can’t run it back next season under any circumstances

Under no circumstances can the Los Angeles Lakers run it back next season. 

As the reality of missing the playoffs (and the Play-In Tournament) has quickly set in for the Los Angeles Lakers, looking forward to the offseason has already begun. And, for the Lakers, they will have some big questions to answer.

Most of them will revolve around retooling this roster and whether that’s even possible.

Even though everyone seems to be saying all the right things – Anthony Davis thinks this team would’ve been a contender had it not been for injuries and Russell Westbrook says he wants to run it back next season in Los Angeles – it would be surprising if there weren’t some big changes this offseason.

In fact, an argument could be made that the last thing the Lakers should do is run it back with this same exact roster. The fact that the Lakers weren’t able to qualify for the Play-In Tournament is extremely concerning.

Sure, injuries did hurt the Lakers this season. There’s no question about that. However, there is little evidence that suggests the Lakers’ season would’ve ended drastically differently if the team was healthy for the season.

In games in which both AD and LeBron James played, the Lakers were still just 11-11. A .500 record and the Lakers still would have to win their way into the playoffs. Plus, we also can’t gloss over the fact that Russ still hasn’t looked like a great fit next to LeBron.

Even though Russ has played better as of late – over the last 10-12 games – the Lakes are still just 4-15 since the beginning of March.

It may be a little dramatic to say, but the Lakers should be more willing to trade LeBron during the offseason than to run it back with the same exact roster next season. That’s the type of mindset that this front office needs to have heading into the offseason.