Big Changes Lakers Must Make If They Miss NBA Playoffs

The Los Angeles Lakers typically get at least a cursory mention in NBA championship talks.

Maybe that's just what has to happen when LeBron James and Anthony Davis reside on the same roster. Perhaps it's one of the perks of being draped in the fame Purple and Gold.

Either way, it's a thing that absolutely happens all while the stat sheet scoffs at the notion of the Lakers being even long-shot contenders. How many other teams elicit championship buzz while sitting much closer to the No. 11 seed than the No. 1 seed in its conference?

What's often lost amid these conversations is the very real possibility that the Lakers will ultimately be denied entry into the playoffs. They should snag at least a play-in tournament invitation, sure, but even if they get it, they could be just a loss or two away from being sent into summer vacation.

And if this club, a Western Conference finalist just last season, fails to produce a playoff berth, big changes could be coming this offseason.

Find a Better Fit at Point Guard

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SACRAMENTO, CA - MARCH 13: D'Angelo Russell #1 of the Los Angeles Lakers handles the ball during the game against the Sacramento Kings on March 13, 2024 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 2024 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)

D'Angelo Russell is playing some of the best basketball of his career, but even that may not extend his stay in Hollywood.

He is posting big numbers on a non-contending team with increasing difficulty getting defensive stops (28th in defensive efficiency since the All-Star break). Isn't that essentially the CliffsNotes reading on his entire career?

He is a gifted (if not always super-efficient) scorer and capable playmaker, but he's always felt like a square-peg-in-a-round-hole kind of awkward fit on this roster. The ideal floor general to suit up alongside James would be less ball-dominant and far more resistant on defense than Russell.

Perhaps he has turned a corner, but the Lakers probably shouldn't read too much into a few strong months—Russell's play didn't really perk up until the new year—from a nine-year veteran whose teams have played better without him more often than not.

Rework the Reserve Unit

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LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 8: Taurean Prince #12 talks to Christian Wood #35 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the game against the Denver Nuggets on February 8, 2024 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 2024 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Lakers' smartest move to date was filling out their starting five with Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura alongside James, Davis and Russell. Those are the five best players on the roster, so it made tons of sense to get them as many minutes together as possible.

By doing so, though, L.A. effectively took the proverbial wind out of the sails from its second team. With no Reaves, Russell or Hachimura around to lead the offense, the Lakers' bench group has struggled to form an offensive identity.

You could make the argument that Taurean Prince is now the team's top reserve, which is less than ideal when he's a catch-and-shoot specialist with limited off-the-dribble value. Cam Reddish and Jaxson Hayes are also reliant on others to create their scoring chances. Spencer Dinwiddie is supposed to steer this attack, and while he's been a decent distributor, he's had almost zero success getting himself going (35.1/31.4/72.7 shooting over his first 12 games with the team).

This bench group has to improve, though this front office could have a tough time making external upgrades. The Lakers have only three players definitely headed to free agency this summer—Prince, Dinwiddie and Max Christie—and they could have at least some level of interest in keeping all three.

Go for Broke on the Trade Market

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Los Angeles, California March 2, 2024-Lakers general manger Rob Pelinka, left, chats with head coach Marvin Ham before a game with the Nuggets at Crypto.com Arena. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka told a calculated risk while sitting out the trade deadline in February. While his team arguably needed an upgrade, the executive chose to delay that potential deal until this summer, when he'll have more assets at his disposal.

"In terms of what was available at the trade deadline, we had one first-round draft pick," Pelinka told reporters. "It was our only sort of hook to fish with. And this summer in June, we, at the time of the draft, we'll have three first-round draft picks to look for deals, which I think will really unlock an access to potentially a greater or bigger swing."

That sounds reasonable enough, though there's absolutely risk in waiting to improve a roster led by the seemingly ageless, but actually 39 years old James. Still, the Lakers may have needed a player greater than they were able to afford at the time, and if that player shakes loose this summer, Pelinka's patience could be hugely rewarded.

L.A. needs to wind up with a difference-maker, though, because this team isn't a high-end reserve or even a solid starter away from crashing the championship party.