5 weaknesses LA Lakers need to address this offseason
The LA Lakers continue to dominate the news in the offseason as practically every free agent is linked to the team and almost every player on the market is a target. They cannot afford to have another mediocre season. LeBron James is still playing at the peak of his powers, averaging MVP-caliber numbers even at age 37, and they're paying over $30 million in luxury taxes.
Their other two stars – Russell Westbrook and Anthony Davis – have been unreliable.
Westbrook is the team's highest-paid player, but he was a liability on both ends of the floor last season so the Lakers are trying to move him. Davis, on the other hand, puts up great numbers when he plays but injuries have kept him off the court. He has been unreliable since winning his first ring in 2020, and the Lakers are running out of options.
More than just missing the playoffs last season, they couldn't even secure a play-in tournament berth. In the aftermath, the brass fired coach Frank Vogel and hired Darvin Ham at season's end.
Not only will the Lakers try to bounce back after a disappointing season filled with injuries, but they will also have to do so under a new coach, staff and system.
What do the LA Lakers need to fix this offseason?
The Lakers are in the market for a plethora of players as they desperately try to fix their roster. They have re-ignited interest in old targets and are offering Westbrook trade packages for anyone who will listen.
According to recent reports, there is a possibility Kyrie Irving could land in Los Angeles as the Brooklyn Nets rebuild their roster. If he does end up playing for the Purple and Gold, then he will solve a lot of the team's issues.
Kyrie Irving 'Absolutely' Wants Trade To Lakers, No Other Serious Bidders basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/267838…
However, if the Lakers are unable to acquire Irving, they will need to fix a lot of their issues. Let's take a look at five weaknesses the Lakers must improve on this summer.
#1: 3-point shooting
The Lakers were eighth-worst in the league in 3-point shooting, and their woes from beyond the arc were evident all season long.
Russell Westbrook shot 29.8% from downtown, while Anthony Davis deteriorated a step further and shot just 18.6%. It reached a point where fans and analysts begged them to stop shooting 3-pointers as those shots led to empty possessions most of the time. The team seriously needs to practice 3-point shooting while significantly reducing their attempts in games.
🤯 I don't understand it." — @getnickwright"What the hell happened to Anthony Davis? ... Great 3-pt shooters shoot above 40 percent. Anything below 30 percent is really bad. What do you think AD shot from three this year? 18 PERCENT!!! 😳😵🤯 I don't understand it." — @getnickwright https://t.co/wGfFbn6qfX
LeBron James shot 35.9% on 8.0 attempts per game last year.
D.J. Augustin (42.6 in 21 games), Malik Monk (39.1%), Avery Bradley (39.0%), Wayne Ellington (38.9%), Carmelo Anthony (37.5%) and Kent Bazemore (36.3%) all shot better. But none are expected to return in free agency.
If James is your most reliable deep shooter, you're in trouble. King James has always had great shooters around him in his career, and he desperately needs more now.
Westbrook and Davis need to alter their shot selection, and the front office needs to acquire shooters around their star players.
#2: Free-throw shooting
The solution to bad free-throw shooting is simply to practice as much as they can.
James has never been a reliable foul shooter, while Davis and Westbrook have now mysteriously dipped in that category as well. Westbrook shot 80.1% from the free-throw line in his OKC career but shot 66.7% from the line last season. Davis shot 84.6% in his first year in LA and was often given the technical free throws, but he fell to 71.3% last year.
The Lakers were second-worst in the league in free-throw shooting last year, posting a team average of 73.2%, only better than the young rebuilding Houston Rockets (71.3%). They simply cannot win playoff games if they are abysmal from the foul line. Adding great shooters would consequently improve their struggles at the charity stripe.
#3: Perimeter defense
The Lakers were horrible defensively. They embarrassingly lost games to bottom-tier teams as they couldn't keep anyone in front of them. The defensive woes sucked the lives of their fans every time. In hindsight, it was preposterous that a bunch of old players could defend young, athletic and fast opponents.
The Lakers might be alright with their inside presence if Anthony Davis manages to stay healthy. They just need decent perimeter stoppers. They were ranked in the bottom half of the league in almost every defensive category except blocks. They were second-worst in field goals allowed and were 20th in 3-pointers allowed.
Lakers defense under Vogel:
2019-20
DRtg: 3rd
Opp PPG: 4th
2020-21
DRtg: 1st
Opp PPG: 2nd
2021-22
DRtg: 22nd (franchise worst)
Opp PPG: 26th (franchise 5th worst) https://t.co/IbMmDVtdZp
Any free-agency signing needs to be done while keeping defense in mind. The Lakers cannot add older players anymore and need to find young ones who will be effective on the defensive end.
#4: Wing depth
The Lakers need to fill their bench with wings as most of their players have already departed or will do so soon. Monk, Anthony, Augustin, Bradley, Ellington and more are all leaving in free agency. They have lost most of their wing depth, and they specifically need to acquire 3-and-D players.
Several guard-forward combo players are free agents such as De'Andre Bembry, Jarrett Culver and PJ Dozier. The Lakers need to get some on the veteran's minimum deal. They acquired Lonnie Walker for the taxpayer midlevel exception, and the front office deserves credit for the signing.
#5: Russell Westbrook's usage
Labeling Westbrook as a weakness sounds harsh but is the unfortunate reality. Understandably, not everyone is a two-way player. There are several offensive masters who are subpar on defense and also many defensive savants who are below average on offense.
However, Westbrook was a liability on both ends. On the defensive end, he was purely abysmal with almost any player blowing by him. His inattentiveness and inability to close out to shooters enraged Lakers fans all season. He isn't a shot-blocker, either. It reached a point where Vogel had to bench him in certain late-game situations.
On the offensive end, he turned the ball over and shot horribly. He missed dunks and layups, while his bank shots were an eyesore. Fans demanded that he stop shooting and focus on playmaking, but his turnovers just added fuel to the fire.
So where does Westbrook excel?
The Athletic ranks Westbrook in the lowest tier of NBA players. Did they get this right? @RealSkipBayless reacts: https://t.co/LefFsF0THx
If the Lakers don't trade him, they at least need to redefine his role. He cannot be the sole playmaker with the ball in his hands, and he needs to set screens and play off-ball a little more. New coach Darvin Ham has said he would like to make it work with Westbrook and utilize his abilities in the right system.
"I love Russell Westbrook. I got a wholehearted plan. ... I think he’s going to flourish. We ain’t going to try to curtail his energy. We’re just going to diversify it, redirect it."
–– Lakers coach Darvin Ham trib.al/OJNXnbP
Addressing these weaknesses and concerns is the first step to re-entering the championship conversation for the Lakers.