Lakers' Blueprint to Regain Contender Status in 2023
The Los Angeles Lakers won't abandon the NBA championship race until they've been officially ousted.
But we don't have to cling to the same false hopes. Not when the Lakers, which are still awaiting the return of a healthy LeBron James, haven't even cracked the play-in tournament field yet.
If L.A. wants to entertain actual championship dreams, it needs to shift its focus beyond this season and hope to crash the party during the 2023-24 campaign. Even that might be a stretch, but the following three steps could make it happen.
Get Healthy...and Stay Healthy
1 of 3
Entering Wednesday night, the Lakers are 72 games into their season.
LeBron James has played in 47 of them. Anthony Davis has appeared in 46. They've only shared the court 28 times.
This throws the franchise's entire formula off. While the Lakers beefed up their supporting cast at the deadline, they're still built to go as far as their two superstars can take them. When they can't get off of the sidelines, this team can't climb anywhere near the elite ranks.
The Lakers can only hope this is bad luck and not the sign of a flawed partnership, but with James having celebrated his 38th birthday and Davis falling short of the 60-game mark for the fourth time in five years, it's fair to wonder if these two can make it to the finish line together.
If they can't, a championship isn't happening.
Deal the 2029 1st-Round Draft Pick
2 of 3
The Lakers did well to reshuffle a big chunk of their roster at the deadline and only have to give up one of the two future first-round picks they were allowed to move.
However, if L.A. wants to get serious about championship contention, then it can't leave any of its trade chips off the table.
The Lakers' 2029 first-round pick should be immensely valuable given all the uncertainty with this franchise's future. James will be gone by then, and it's probably more likely than not that Davis has left the building, too. It's possible the Purple and Gold will be cellar-dwellers that far down the line.
That makes trading the pick risky, but it also ups the reward for what it can bring. If a star shakes loose this summer, L.A.'s future first could be one of the best assets in the trade market.
The Lakers need to not only put it in play, but also maximize its return by sending it out for the right target.
Search for More Defense and Long-Distance Shooting
3 of 3
The Lakers entered the deadline with some obvious imbalances in their supporting cast. The front office did what it could to correct them by bringing in more shooting, athleticism and defense.
L.A. needs to keep pushing on all fronts.
Given this group's budget constraints, the Lakers essentially had to target specialists to fill their voids. D'Angelo Russell and Malik Beasley are knockdown shooters, but they aren't reliable stoppers. Rui Hachimura offers some shot creation, but his defense leaves plenty to be desired. Jarred Vanderbilt is an all-purpose stopper, but he's five years into his NBA career and remains without an offensive identity.
The Lakers don't need to move away from these names necessarily, but it's clear they require more well-balanced, two-way players in their rotation. Find a few more spacers who won't be exploited on the defensive end, and this group might be in business.
