Los Angeles Lakers
Looking back at the deep playoff run that the Los Angeles Lakers had, I can’t help but wonder if it was all fool’s gold and how it could end up setting the team up for failure in 2023-24. Believing in the run, the Lakers just made minor adjustments to the roster this summer. They essentially operated as a contender who was happy with the core of their team. The biggest moves Los Angeles made included re-signing Austin Reaves, D’Angelo Russell, and Rui Hachimura.
The more I think of it, the more I think it was a flawed approach to the summer. Especially when you consider how much better the Denver Nuggets than the Lakers were and how much the Phoenix Suns improved with the addition of Bradley Beal.
The Lakers are clearly not a top 2 team at the moment in the Western Conference and I’m not even sure they’re a top 4 team. And without any big moves made this offseason, it sure seems like this season could end up being a huge failure for a team that may believe they’re a contender when they’re actually not.
LeBron James is going to be 39 this season and Anthony Davis has struggled to remain healthy during his last two seasons in Los Angeles. Unless Reaves is going to make a huge jump in his progression, the Lakers could be a house of cards.