How Lakers Can Solve Their Biggest Questions as Playoffs Approach
The Los Angeles Lakers have made impressive, significant strides since overhauling much of their roster at the NBA trade deadline.
However, it's still not enough. Not to get this group where it ultimately wants to go, at least.
With the playoffs creeping closer by the day, the Purple and Gold have a few things to sort out ahead of the postseason if they hope to reach contender status. Checking the following three boxes would go a long way toward solving some of this squad's biggest question marks.
Getting Healthy
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While most teams would gladly take a clean bill of health at this time of year, it's critical for the Lakers to clean up their injury issues. If they can't get LeBron James (foot) and D'Angelo Russell (ankle) right, then this ship is going nowhere.
James hasn't suited up since suffering a right foot tendon injury on Feb. 26. At the time, the team relayed that he wouldn't be re-evaluated for three weeks.
Now, it's important to note that a re-evaluation isn't the same as a return, meaning he could need more than these three weeks. And even if he's healthy enough to hit the hardwood, who knows how much time the 38-year-old might need to get his legs back under him? He should have time to figure this out ahead of the playoffs, but any setback in his recovery could throw everything off course.
As for Russell, he's only appeared in four games since rejoining the Lakers at the deadline, and one of those was cut short by the ankle ailment that has sidelined him since. He could be back this week, so there aren't major long-term concerns, but given all of the congestion in the Western Conference standings, L.A. needs his scoring and playmaking punch sooner than later.
Upping Anthony Davis' Aggressiveness
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There are nights in which it seems Anthony Davis still belongs in the best-player-on-the-planet discussion. On Tuesday night, for instance, he torched the Memphis Grizzlies for 30 points and 22 rebounds. And in the two games prior to that, he tallied a combined 77 points.
However, there are other nights in which he'd be unrecognizable if not for his signature unibrow. He'll always put up numbers, because he's absurdly talented, but he doesn't always dominate the way he can.
If L.A. is going to capture the crown, it needs Davis in his most dominant form.
There are two elements to this challenge. The first is ensuring Davis plays full-throttle and seeks out scoring opportunities every night. The second is maintaining that aggressiveness when the Lakers are full-strength. He sometimes defers to James, but the Lakers are best when those two share control of this club.
Finding Rui Hachimura's Comfort Zone
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The Lakers first notable deal of this trade season was their late-January trade for Rui Hachimura.
The cost wasn't particularly prohibitive—Kendrick Nunn and three second-round picks—but L.A. only had so many assets to throw around. The fact it used its first dart throw on Hachimura felt significant.
While he's given them no reason to regret the trade, he might be a touch behind the team's expectations for him. Statistically speaking, he's behind both the volume and efficiency baselines he had established over his three-plus seasons with the Washington Wizards.
He has hinted at being able to give more, though. Tuesday night was perhaps the loudest hint he's dropped. He scored 17 points (his second-most with the Lakers) on 7-of-11 shooting and registered a plus-22 in only 28 minutes. He may not need numbers quite that high every night, but good things will happen if L.A. figures out how to make him a reliable source of scoring and defensive energy.
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