Lakers Hot Takes After 1st Month of 2023-24 NBA Season

The Los Angeles are ostensibly competing for the NBA crown during the 2023-24 season.

You wouldn't know it by how they've played so far.

They haven't been abysmal, but they certainly haven't flashed the top speed of a championship squad. They still have a chance to find that form, of course, but this rocky start to the season has already yielded some hot takes about this team.

The Offseason Was Less Productive Than It Seemed

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LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 2, 2023 - Los Angeles Lakers #28 Rui Hachimura and #15 Austin Reaves enjoy a light moment at Los Angeles Lakers Media Day at the UCLA Health Training Center in El Segundo on October 2, 2023. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

The Lakers had an eventful offseason, and most observers were impressed with the activity. It was hard to find a list of offseason winners and losers that didn't include L.A. among the former.

So far, though, it seems this was more of a solid summer than anything spectacular.

Austin Reaves' ascension hasn't happened. Christian Wood has been hit or miss. Taurean Prince has lost his shooting touch. Gabe Vincent couldn't get anything going before a knee injury forced him off the floor. D'Angelo Russell and Rui Hachimura have been fine, but not good enough to prevent this offense from ranking in the league's bottom half.

Maybe things will eventually come together, but for now at least, the whole has been less than the sum of its parts.

This Roster Needs a Major Trade

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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MARCH 29: LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers is defended by Zach LaVine #8 of the Chicago Bulls during the first half at United Center on March 29, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. 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 Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

It's incredible to witness LeBron James still steering an NBA franchise during his 21st season and with his 39th birthday fast approaching.

It's also astounding to see the Lakers be so reliant on his impact. The difference in his floor presence is a net rating swing of 22.9 points per 100 possessions, per NBA.com.

This wasn't supposed to happen. James tried to publicly pass the torch to Anthony Davis this offseason. L.A. spoke of lessening James' workload and maybe keeping him under 30 minutes a night. None of this has come to fruition, because his supporting cast simply hasn't been able to tread water without him.

The front office must find him more help, and a significant addition is almost surely required. Get James the proper support, though, and the Lakers could force their way into the championship race.

The Stars Can Still Make This Season Special

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LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 14: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers handles the ball next to Anthony Davis #3 during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies during the In-Season Tournament on November 14, 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)

There are two reasons it's impossible to rule the Lakers out of the title race.

Their names are LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

The league doesn't have many pairs of full-fledged superstars, but this is one of them. James still posts some of the best box scores in the business. Davis' best outings are wholly dominant on both ends. They have an imperfect roster around them, but when they play together, they still better the opposition by 8.1 points per 100 possessions.

That, more than anything, is what should keep hope alive in Laker Land. As long as they have James and Davis on the court, they can hang with anyone.