Los Angeles Lakers
Wait, wait, wait patiently. Has the Los Angeles Lakers’ time with LeBron James been an unmitigated disaster?
You can call it that, sure. But remember we are talking about James’ initial season in Hollywood. He is signed on for at least two and, other than shouldering some uncharacteristic blows he still often looks like the league’s most dominant force.
That’s where the Lakers’ foundation starts. It might be enough on its own to justify our place.
But there’s more to consider here.
Former No. 2 select Brandon Ingram was in the midst of a breakout until deep venous thrombosis prematurely ended his third season. The diamond in the rough of a year, kyle Kuzma, has pushed nearly all his counting categories ahead. Lonzo Ball continued flooding stat sheets together with per-36-minute marks of 11.8 points, 6.5 assists and 6.3 rebounds prior to an ankle injury closed him down.
Kuzma is 23 years old; Ingram and Ball are 21. Whether they are trade chips or building blocks, they remain valuable assets.
If the Lakers are going to make a tournament run they will need more win-now help. But given their financial flexibility, young talent and potential top-10 pick this summerthey have the means to snag a star (or more) for the second straight offseason.
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