Well, at least they haven’t been timid. They haven’t hesitated to add pieces around Luka Doncic. The Los Angeles Lakers are clearly trying to convince their superstar he is on a championship-contending team.
As ESPN’s Zach Kram noted, the Lakers have seen plenty of movement this offseason, but what will these changes ultimately deliver?
“The Lakers might have been the busiest team of the summer,” Kram wrote. “But did all that activity make them better, or were they merely running in place? In came (Walker) Kessler, (Sandro) Mamukelashvili, (Quentin) Grimes, (Collin) Sexton, (Kevon) Looney, Jaden Hardy, (Matisse) Thybulle and (Ziaire) Williams. Out went (LeBron) James, (Rui) Hachimura, (Marcus) Smart, (Luke) Kennard, (Deandre) Ayton and (Jaxson) Hayes. … The Lakers mostly did well with depth signings such as Thybulle and Williams. But it’s hard to overcome not replacing James’ production, even in his 40s. They have less flexibility now, and it’s hard to say with confidence that they’re any closer to title contention.”
Doncic, for one, has put his faith into his new teammates, taking them across waters to train and develop chemistry with one another. Their trip to Slovenia has certainly captured the attention of most.
Luka Doncic’s Father Gets Honest About Lakers Offseason
The kind of offseason the Lakers have had has been — and will continue to be — debated at length. Doncic’s father, Sasa, isn’t ready to say if the many roster changes the Lakers have made this summer are good for the future of the team.
“They were there, they had a crazy and unforgettable time, at least that’s what they say,” the elder Doncic said of the Lakers’ time in Slovenia, according to BasketNews. “I don’t know, time will tell how it will be. I can’t wait to see what happens. My focus is honestly on Ilirija, but of course I support the Lakers because of Luka and whether (general manager) Rob Pelinka has built a good team, we’ll see.”
Indeed we will.
The Lakers’ offseason fireworks began back in late June, when LeBron James informed the team of his plans to sign elsewhere in free agency.
From there, Pelinka and company got to work, making a flurry of moves by adding Kessler from the Utah Jazz in a seismic sign-and-trade and signing several free agents.
L.A’s roster is clearly improved from an athletic standpoint, and the team has also gotten considerably younger. (A 41-year-old leaving the mix will certainly help!) But the Lakers are said to still be on the lookout for more reinforcements, with the power forward and backup center positions still under question.
A Crucial Time for the Franchise
Last season was promising. Until it wasn’t.
It was Doncic’s first full season as a Laker after that stunning trade that sent him from Dallas to Los Angeles. In Doncic’s first full rodeo, the Lakers started looking like one of the top three or four teams in the NBA, especially after ripping off 16 wins in March before the start of a fateful April.
The Lakers surely have a bad taste in their mouths, but last season was a strong step toward contention as the Doncic era continues to get serious.
There is plenty of pressure, though. The chatter of Doncic’s potential exit will only intensify if L.A. falls short of expectations.
Luka Doncic’s Father Has Blunt Message for Lakers GM Amid Offseason Moves