The Los Angeles Lakers were one of the busiest teams of the offseason. They made plenty of moves to ensure that Luka Doncic is surrounded by the right players.
The Lakers officially moved on from LeBron James, who signed with the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency.
They also re-signed Austin Reaves to a massive contract, acquired Walker Kessler from the Utah Jazz and signed multiple free agents.
Matt Barnes’ Wild Lakers Comment
Speaking to TMZ Sports recently, Matt Barnes was asked about the Los Angeles Lakers and the moves they did this summer.
Barnes, who played two seasons for the Lakers, made a wild remark about the Lakers roster.
“This is probably the whitest Laker team since the Minneapolis Lakers,” Barnes said, via New York Post.
After letting out a little laugh, Barnes then gave a serious answer about his thoughts on the new-look Lakers team.
“But again, man, when you’ve got Luka and AR (Austin Reaves) out there, to me two of the best scoring guards in the league,” Barnes said. “They added some depth. To me, I just got to see it. Everyone wants to give a hot take and predict what they feel like they’re gonna do.”
Barnes’ first comment was a running joke on social media after the Lakers made their moves this summer. They already had Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Jake LaRavia and Dalton Knecht.
So adding Walker Kessler and Sandro Mamukelashvili just sent NBA Twitter into madness.
Nevertheless, the Lakers have an opportunity to prove their doubters wrong this upcoming season. Doncic and Reaves are probably the best scoring backcourt in the NBA, while Kessler seems to be a perfect fit at center.
Lakers Spent Time in Slovenia
To prepare for the upcoming season, Luka Doncic hosted his Los Angeles Lakers teammates and staff in his home country of Slovenia. Doncic prepared a bunch of team-building activities to create a harmonious relationship within the team.
Based on social media posts, the Lakers looked ready for next season. They were enjoying their time together on the golf course and on Lake Bled. They also had some on-court workouts, with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves going viral with their reflex drill faceoff.
Speaking to Mozzart Sport, Luka’s father, Sasa Doncic, shared some insights on the Slovenia trip and gave his thoughts on what to expect from the Lakers next season.
“They were there,” Sasa said, via BasketNews. “They had a crazy and unforgettable time, at least that’s what they say. I don’t know, time will tell how it will be. I can’t wait to see what happens. … Of course, I support the Lakers because of Luka and whether Rob Pelinka has built a good team. We’ll see.”
The Lakers begin training camp on September 29. Their offseason starts on October 5 against the Sacramento Kings.
Matt Barnes Makes Wild Los Angeles Lakers Statement Before Training Camp