Getty Los Angeles Lakers GM Rob Pelinka.
The Los Angeles Lakers have plenty of critics this postseason, including former players who used to don the purple and gold. Former Lakers guard Nick Young believes the Suns will top his old team, sending LeBron James and Anthony Davis home in the first round. Young took to Twitter to offer his thoughts on the Lakers, including a prediction that the front office will “blow it up’ in the offseason.
“I hate to say it but 4-2 suns 4-2 clippers,” Young tweeted heading into Game 5. “The Lake Show is hurt they trying but it’s not working this yr … so [they] should blow it up this summer, clear some of that roster get a [sic] all star and win the next 2 and Bron go out into the sunset.”
Young went on to predict the 2021 NBA Finals will feature the Lakers’ crosstown rival Clippers taking on the Bucks. The guard spent three seasons with the Lakers (2014 to 2017) before brief stints with the Warriors and Nuggets. Young averaged 13.1 points, 2.3 rebounds and one assist during his tenure with the Lakers. He last played in the NBA during the 2018-19 season notching four appearances for the Nuggets.
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The Undefeated’s Marc Spears reported in April that Young signed a contract with the Big 3 league to play on the Enemies. The league is slated to tip off its season on July 10th. Young campaigned for the Lakers to sign him in the NBA bubble last season after Avery Bradley opted out. During a 2020 interview with Lakers Daily, Young recalled a funny story of trying to get Kobe Bryant to autograph his shoes on his final gameday.
“My son came that day and got a picture with Kobe, and he also threw my shoes in the trash when I tried to get an autograph,” Young explained. “….It’s a dream come true. I grew up in LA. I had Kobe’s jersey. Pictures. My childhood dream came to life in a sense. To even have Kobe know me, be friends and get to play together.”
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As for Young’s bold Lakers prediction, it will be interesting to see how the team handles the offseason, especially if Los Angeles is unable to make a deep playoff run. Young is not the only one that predicts a major roster shake-up if the Lakers do not get close to winning another title. Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer noted that the perception around the league is the Lakers are “championship or bust.”
“They were built to be in the Finals,” an assistant general manager told Bleacher Report. “If they don’t meet the criteria this year, they will definitely look in the mirror.”
The Lakers ended the regular season with a thud needing the play-in tournament to make the postseason as the No. 7 seed. It is easy to chalk up the Lakers’ struggles to injuries with both LeBron James and Anthony Davis missing significant time.
Yet, the Lakers will be forced to take a hard look at the players surrounding their two superstars and potentially try to upgrade several positions this offseason. It will be challenging as the Lakers also have a number of key players who will be free agents, and the franchise is staring at a mounting luxury tax bill next season to keep the team intact.