Getty Rob Pelinka, Darvin Ham, Los Angeles Lakers
Two games into the new season and the Los Angeles Lakers already look like they’re in trouble.
A lack of shooting and front-court depth has ensured Darvin Ham is forced into over-reliance on a plethora of non-shooting options, which is limiting the team’s ability to hurt opponents from the perimeter. While fixing the shooting issues seems like a tall order, the front-court issues could be easier to resolve.
Recently, a Western Conference Executive spoke with Heavy Sports Insider, Sean Deveney, and noted how former lottery pick, Mo Bamba could be a realistic trade target in the coming weeks or months.
I’m hoping the Lakers sign Mo Bamba solely for the opportunity to have LeBron-Bamba pick n rolls and call it Le-Bamba.
LeBron Ramps up Pressure on Front Office
Bamba would certainly help ease the frontcourt issues the Lakers are facing, and his three-point shooting would go some way to resolving the lack of perimeter offense Los Angeles is currently working with. However, Bamba alone, wouldn’t be enough to help turn the tide for a struggling Lakers team.
Speaking to reporters following Los Angeles’ opening night loss to the Golden State Warriors on October 18, LeBron James noted how teams are daring the Lakers to shoot because they know their perimeter shooting is a weak point in their roster construction.
“I mean, I don’t know. I think we’re getting great looks and I think there also could be some teams giving us great looks. To be completely honest, we’re not a team that’s constructed of great shooting. And that’s just what the truth of the matter is. It’s not like we’re sitting here with a bunch of lasers on our team. But that doesn’t deter us from still trying to get great shots. When you get those opportunities, you take them. But we’re not sitting here with a bunch of 40-plus [percent] career 3-point shooting guys,” James said.
The Lakers have now lost their opening two games, and could quickly find themselves in the midst of a losing streak unless the front office starts making some changes to the current roster.
Russell Westbrook’s Struggles Continue
On October 20, Russell Westbrook provided an unflattering performance against the Los Angeles Clippers, going 0-of-11 from the field, and scoring just two points, although Westbrook did provide some assistance on the defensive end.
Without LeBron, Anthony Davis, and Westbrook all providing elite impact, the Lakers will struggle to remain relevant in a competitive Western Conference – especially without having shooters to help keep the team afloat.
However, when speaking to the media following the team’s latest loss, LeBron continued to support Westbrook, noting that everybody has an off night from the field.
LeBron James’ advice to Russell Westbrook after his 0/11 shooting night: “Flush it down the toilet.”
“Just flush it down the toilet and get ready for Sunday. He’s a veteran. We’ve all had bad shooting nights. Everybody in this league has had bad shooting nights. Who cares. I thought he played a great game. Defensively he was in tune, he pushed the tempo. He didn’t make any shots and that’s OK. He had five steals and two back-to-back in a critical time when they were trying to post him against Kawhi. He didn’t make any shots and that’s fine,” LeBron said.
Hopefully, head coach Darvin Ham can figure out the Lakers’ best rotations to help their star players return to their peak performance levels, otherwise, it’s going to be another long season for Lakers fans.