Former NBA champion accuses Lakers management of a passive job assembling a championship team: βI'm sorry, that's malpractice, you can't do thatβ
The LA Lakers haven't made many good front-office moves the past few seasons, and now they're paying the price.
NBA analyst Richard Jefferson isn't happy with the way the organization has handled things and believes they might not be able to make a move this season. Because of the handcuffs they're in, it's tough to determine if the Lakers should make a deal.
"(The Lakers) had between April to October, and this is the team that was put together and then was given an extension (from LeBron James)," Jefferson said on ESPN. "I'm sorry. That's malpractice. You can't do that."
"I haven't spoke to him, but I feel like him signing that extension was the biggest mistake he's made in his career. And I stand by that."
@Rjeff24 on LeBron James
#NBATwitter #LakeShow https://t.co/eaEBselCad
LeBron James' worst mistake of his career?
Whenever LeBron James is on a team, the focus will be on him.
Jefferson said he believes James' August extension with the team this was a huge blunder:
"I haven't spoke to him, but I feel like him signing that extension was the biggest mistake he's made in his career. And I stand by that."
βI think he did it because he was committed to the organization: 'I know you got two (future first-round) picks (to use in a trade). Iβm going to show you my commitment to you so that you can go make some moves.β Because we knew what this team was a year ago. ... We knew what this team was a year ago, last year. And they havenβt added any tangible pieces.β
The Lakers can still show loyalty to LeBron, but that doesn't seem to be the way they'll go anytime soon.
Should the Lakers have Traded for Anthony Davis?
It's tough to say that the Lakers have made bad moves, however. They won an NBA title in 2020 because of their trade with the New Orleans Pelicans. Without Anthony Davis, the Lakers wouldn't have won during the bubble season.
Even if they still had Kyle Kuzma, Alex Caruso, Jordan Clarkson and others, they're not guaranteed a title. Wouldn't a team want a championship instead of possibly not having one?
Their fans don't necessarily agree with that take. The Lakers are similar to the New York Yankees in that any season that doesn't end with a title is a major disappointment. Their fans are so accustomed to winning every season, at least historically. (The Lakers have had losing seasons in seven of the past nine years.)
The Lakers can still turn this season around. Whenever a team has LeBron James, they're never out of it. They've struggled with a 2-8 start, but one trade could turn it all around. Los Angeles isn't just one move away, but a few smart ones that could have this team back to where it wants to be.
Let's see what general manager Rob Pelinka and owner Jeanie Buss can figure out as there's still plenty of time to make things right. They're committed to spending money, and that isn't going to change. They now need to figure out the right way to spend their money.