"The Lakers gotta find some shooting, point blank” – 8x NBA all-star asserts Lakers are in dire need of long-range shooters, implies depending on mid-range and inside plays wouldn't win them a title
In their loss against the Golden State Warriors on opening night, the LA Lakers looked like they haven't changed much since last season. They lost 123-109, and the lack of shooting from the team frustrated many fans.
Eight-time All-Star and NBA analyst Vince Carter recently gave his thoughts on the team.
On "The VC Show," he said:
"The Lakers gotta find some shooting. Point blank. If I'm coaching against the Lakers right now, guess what I'm doing? I'm packing the paint."
"The Lakers gotta find some shooting. Point blank… If I'm coaching against the Lakers right now, guess what I'm doing? I'm packing the paint."
Vince Carter on the Lakers' roster
(via @TheVCShow)
https://t.co/OmrpnTwzxg
In recent seasons, the team has lacked perimeter shooting. That was evident last night as the team shot a combined 10-of-40 from deep. Although the team features superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis, many have doubted their supporting cast.
The LA Lakers continue to struggle
The team acquired veterans Dennis Schroder and Patrick Beverley in the offseason. While both add good defense, they do not solve the one key problem area in the team — 3-point shooting.
That leaves LeBron James, who has never been considered to be a lethal shooter from the perimeter himself, and Kendrick Nunn as the only options from outside.
It was bad loss against the Warriors on opening night and if the Lakers aren't careful, things can go out of control quickly. To make things even more difficult, the organization is going to struggle when it comes to trade assets.
The organization has limited future draft capital, which means they will have to mortgage their future to try to win now. One of the top assets on the roster in terms of trade value is veteran Russell Westbrook.
LeBron James on Lakers’ poor shooting in loss to Warriors: “We’re getting great looks, but it could also be teams giving us great looks. To be completely honest, we’re not a team constructed of great shooting… It’s not like we’re sitting here with a lot of lasers on our team.” https://t.co/VfqWnKcQ3D
After a poor last season, Westbrook's trade value has taken a hit. If the team wants to improve their roster, they will most likely have to package Westbrook with some draft picks. That could be challenging, given that Westbrook is set to make north of $47 million for the upcoming season.
Last night, Westbrook had 19 points, 11 rebounds and three assists on seven-of-12 shooting from the field.