Decisions the Lakers Should Already Regret from This Past Offseason

The Los Angeles Lakers haven't exactly stormed out of the gate to start the 2023-24 NBA season.

They carried an uneven 3-4 record into Wednesday night, looking nothing like the contending team this front office clearly hoped it had to put together during an eventful offseason.

And while it's way too early to panic about the Purple and Gold, it's not too early for those decision-makers to question a handful of the decisions they made this summer.

Not Giving Kyrie Irving a Look

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LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 17: Kyrie Irving #2 of the Dallas Mavericks dribbles the ball during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on March 17, 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 Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Lakers could've made a splash addition this summer, but they opted for continuity and subtle upgrades instead. Given the supporting cast's inability to properly support the somehow-still-dominant LeBron James, they have to be second-guessing that decision.

Despite getting a dominant effort from James (25.3 points and 5.9 assists entering Wednesday night), this club can't consistently score or shoot a lick. L.A. sits just 24th in offensive efficiency and has the Association's second-worst three-point conversion rate (29.8 percent).

L.A. needs more scoring options outside of James and Anthony Davis, and it could've had a great one in Kyrie Irving. However, word leaked before free agency even opened that the Lakers were "disinterested in pursing" James' former championship co-star.

Given the collective shooting woes of guards Austin Reaves, D'Angelo Russell and Gabe Vincent, this backcourt isn't providing the spacing James and Davis need to thrive. Irving, a career 39 percent shooter from range, could've given them that, plus given the opposition plenty to think about with his potent off-the-dribble game.

Paying a Premium for Gabe Vincent

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SACRAMENTO, CA - OCTOBER 29: Gabe Vincent #7 of the Los Angeles Lakers handles the ball during the game against the Sacramento Kings on October 29, 2023 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, 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 Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Lakers largely confined their summer spending to in-house investments. The lone exception to that rule was the three-year, $33 million pact it provided to Vincent.

L.A. clearly hoped his strong play during the Miami Heat's run to the NBA Finals was a sign of better things to come, and if it had guessed right on that, he might have been a great fit with James. Because Vincent is a tenacious defender who doesn't dominate the ball on offense, one could've argued he was a more complementary fit than Russell.

However, Vincent has one wound up squeezing the offensive end by misfiring on 13 of his first 14 long-range looks. While he's obviously a better shooter than this, he might not be a great one—or even a good one. Yes, he looked the part in the postseason (37.8 percent), but the 195 regular-season games he'd played prior to that told a different tale (33.9 percent).

Vincent will be better (once he gets over his current knee injury), but it's fair to question the logic on his addition already. Point guard wasn't necessarily a dire need, as L.A. also re-signed Russell and planned on giving Reaves more on-ball responsibilities. This was the Lakers' one shot to add an external difference-maker, and they wound up getting someone who could average mid-20s minutes in a reserve role.

Seeing Cam Reddish as a Floor-Spacer

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ORLANDO, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 04: Cam Reddish #5 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on against the Orlando Magic during the first half at Amway Center on November 04, 2023 in Orlando, Florida. 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. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images)

In a vacuum, L.A.'s addition of Cam Reddish seemed sensible enough. The 24-year-old wasn't super far removed from being the No. 10 pick (2019), and it hardly cost the Lakers anything (two years, $4.6 million) to see if they might be the club that finally cracked the code with his development.

What they overlooked, though, was the mountain of evidence suggesting Reddish isn't a reliable outside threat. And if he can't consistently space the floor, then he isn't helping James or Davis.

Reddish came to L.A. with four NBA seasons under his belt. He only shot better than 34 percent from distance in one of those campaigns. Even going back to college, he was just a 33.3 percent three-point shooter during his one-and-done run at Duke.

Something convinced the Lakers they could coax the kind of shooting out of Reddish that he'd never previously provided. They have to be wondering what exactly that was as he trudges through a brutal 2-of-13 start from three that already includes one misfire on a potential game-winner.