"That will be determined exclusively by the postseason" - Nick Wright asserts that the LA Lakers are yet to see the dividends from the offseason bet they placed on Russell Westbrook
The LA Lakers and their poor start to the season have seen a lot of questions being flung in the direction of their superstars LeBron James, Russell Westbrook and Anthony Davis. With three MVP caliber players on their roster, the expectations were for the Lakers to reach the Western Conference Finals at the very least. That right now looks far off.
On Fox Sports' morning show First Things First, Nick Wright talked about how the LA Lakers front office gambled by trying to assemble these three superstars on the same team. Nick Wright said:
"The first bet was that Russell Westbrook will be able to transition into a third option on a great team, something he's never been before. Is that bet a winner or loser? That will be determined exclusively by the postseason on how he plays."
Wright also talked about the over reliance on LeBron James despite having Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook and whether King James is still one of the best players in the NBA. Wright continued:
"The second bet was that LeBron James in year 19 can still be a top five player. I think that bet right now is coming in as a yes."
Finally, Nick Wright wrapped up his soliloquy by discussing how Anthony Davis is the key to the LA Lakers and their success. Wright said:
"The third bet, and this is the most concerning one -- is, that Anthony Davis is going to be as good as, on the level of, the other two elite bigs in this league -- Embiid and Jokić. And the answer to that is an overwhelming no and he has not been that since the bubble."
"The Lakers made 3 big bets this offseason:
1. Russ can transition into a 3rd option: ❓
2. LeBron in Yr 19 can still be a top 5 player: ✅
3. AD can be as good as Embiid & Jokić: ❌
They all need to be yeses to make the Finals. Right now they're long-shot bets." —@getnickwright https://t.co/AI7AQlhevq
Can the LA Lakers figure it out before its too late?
The LA Lakers, with championship aspirations, have been caught really struggling this season. Team chemistry continues to be an issue for the Lakers and that doesn't seem like it is going to be resolved as long Anthony Davis is spending time on the sidelines. A bunch of the players on the roster have also entered health and safety protocols, which also doesn't help in establishing team chemistry.
With AD set to be re-evaluated in four weeks' time, the onus now falls on LeBron James and Russell Westbrook to carry the work load for the LA-based franchise. Coach Frank Vogel has experimented with lineups, including playing LeBron as the big man on the court and surrounding him with shooters like Carmelo Anthony and Wayne Ellington. Whether this is the blueprint for the long run is yet to be seen.
According to @cleantheglass, the Lakers' most used lineup this year (114 possessions) has been the 5-man of: Westbrook/Bradley/THT/Anthony/Davis.
For context, among all lineups that have played at least 100 poss this year, the Lakers' MOST used group ranks 84th. Feels notable.
The LA Lakers are currently seventh in the Western Conference with a 16-16 record, having won five of their last 10 games. Defense is another issue for the LA Lakers as they are currently ranked 9th in the league for defensive rating, which isn't a good look on Vogel as he is someone who made his name by being able to build good defensive teams.
With the turn of the year fast approaching, the LA Lakers will need to get their house in order and put together a string of positive results. If not, they will in all likelihood find themselves in the play-in tournament and in serious trouble.