Big Changes Lakers Must Make If They Miss NBA Playoffs

The Los Angeles Lakers are playing some of their best basketball of the 2022-23 NBA season.

That they're trending up without LeBron James (foot) is all the more impressive, and it makes you think this club might just pull off a playoff run—and maybe make some noise upon arrival.

And yet, the numbers are what they are. The Lakers enter Wednesday night as the 10th seed in the Western Conference. While they are just two games back of the No. 5 seed, they're also only three up on No. 13. Their most likely landing spot remains the play-in tournament, meaning they'll have to work overtime just to crack the playoff field.

But what if that doesn't happen? What if this presumably championship-chasing team gets left out of the postseason? Well, it could make for a wild summer in Hollywood, as the Lakers would at least need to mull over the following three changes.

Trade the 2029 First-Round Pick

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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 15: Rob Pelinka (L) and Darvin Ham attend a basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Philadelphia 76ers at Crypto.com Arena on January 15, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images)

As busy as the Lakers were at the trade deadline, they didn't empty their entire asset collection.

While they traded away their 2027 first-round pick, they held on to their 2029 first-round selection. Given that LeBron James is 38, Anthony Davis is 30 and no one else on this roster resides in the elite tier, that pick could prove valuable down the line.

That's why L.A. needs to let it go this summer.

Would it be risky? Absolutely. Could it muddle what already isn't a promising long-term outlook? No question. But if the Lakers aren't committed to the present, then why have James on the roster at all?

He has shown he still ranks favorably among the planet's best players, and he still seems like someone no one wants to see come playoff time. He just needs a proper supporting cast around him. If the Lakers miss the playoffs, they will have failed to provide that support and should use this sought-after draft pick to try to put the right group in place.

Test Free-Agent Market Before Re-Signing Incumbents

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LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 12: D'Angelo Russell #1 of the Los Angeles Lakers goes to the basket during the game on March 12, 2023 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2023 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images)

When the Lakers overhauled their roster at the deadline, they had more in mind than just the upcoming stretch run.

"I think a deep dive into this, you can almost look at it as 'pre-agency,'" Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka told reporters. "We very intentionally planned these moves to provide optionality in July. ... It really is an exciting time, I think, for Laker Nation."

Lakers fans should be excited for now—they are 9-5 since the deadline—but that will fizzle out quickly if they fall short of the playoffs. And if this club proves it can't compete at a high level, then L.A. has to think outside of its locker room when it comes to free agency.

That's not to say the team has to move on from players like D'Angelo Russell (unrestricted), Rui Hachimura (restricted) and Malik Beasley (team option), but it should at least explore alternatives before automatically locking into this core.

Don't Rule out an Anthony Davis Deal

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LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 10: OG Anunoby #3 of the Toronto Raptors and Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the game between the Toronto Raptors and the Los Angeles Lakers on March 10, 2023 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2023 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images)

When Davis is healthy and aggressive, he remains one of the five or 10 most impactful players in this league.

The problem is—as you might have inferred—that his availability and assertiveness are far from certainties.

This will be the fourth time in five seasons that he hasn't played 60 games. He last cleared the 70-game mark in 2017-18. And even when he plays, he holds himself back a bit. His 17.3 shots are his second-fewest since his rookie season. His 29.0 usage percentage is his second-lowest since 2014-15, per Basketball-Reference.

Since James has encountered his own injury issues—which are unlikely to decrease with age—the Lakers might want more stability out of their second star. If they don't trust Davis to provide it, they owe it to themselves to see how rich his trade market is. If a desperate team would pay a fortune for him, this front office would at least need to give it some thought.