"Lakers fans here's what you got to look forward to this year: LeBron James passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar" - Nick Wright asserts LA Lakers fans should be massively disappointed after missing out on Kyrie Irving
As the curtain falls on the Kyrie Irving saga, Nick Wright shed light on the plight of LA Lakers fans for the upcoming season.
The rumors surrounding Irving going to the Lakers have gained a lot of traction recently. Some suggested Irving considered accepting a mid-level exception. Lakers fans were dismayed when he exercised his player-option.
This was the first among many disappointments for the Lakers' ventures this offseason. Commenting upon how LA Lakers fans have felt this past week, Nick Wright had this to say on "First Things First":
"Pretty damn disappointed - that shows you the state right now. When you're borderline devastated that the most unreliable star of the last half decade isn't coming to your team, it's not a great sign.
"Lakers fans here's what you got to look forward to this year: LeBron James passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the All-Time points record. That's the list. That's it. Circle the dates!"
Shifting from disbelief to disappointment, Wright ended his segment with:
"Game 1's going to come around and Russell Westbrook's going to be on this damn Lakers team and they're just screwed. So, yeah. They should be disappointed."
How disappointed should Lakers fans be about missing out on Kyrie?
"Pretty damn disappointed — that shows you the state of the Lakers right now. ... Lakers fans, here's what you got to look fwd to: LeBron passing Kareem for the all-time points record. That's it." —@getnickwright https://t.co/fXqVq4WiE3
With Russell Westbrook opting in to his $47 million deal for the 2022-23 season, Lakers fans have seen all hope slip away. With Westbrook back for another season, fans have very little to look forward to.
The future for the LA Lakers after the Kyrie Irving mishap
The LA Lakers have looked like a franchise in disarray since last season. While there was some hope after making significant personnel changes, this may not be the case now.
The Lakers have failed to acquire players to help the aging LeBron James and oft-injured Anthony Davis win more games.
After missing out on Kyrie Irving, the Lakers find themselves saddled with Russell Westbrook's $47 million contract. With this massive contract eating up their salary cap, the franchise has seen their options in free agency dwindle.
ESPN Sources: Los Angeles Lakers star Russell Westbrook is planning to exercise his $47.1 million option to return to the franchise for the 2022-2023 season.
In a similar situation to last season, the Lakers will be forced to get creative with their roster construction. While some options within the mid-level exception offer some respite, their options are limited.
With virtually no time to build chemistry, the LA Lakers could be in for yet another tumultuous season.