The Los Angeles Lakers are headed to the play-in tournament for the third time in the last four seasons, and while some may see that as a disappointment, the team is peaking at the right time.
It has won 11 of its last 14 games, and overall, it has gone 28-14 since mid-January. Head coach Darvin Ham inserted forward Rui Hachimura into the starting lineup in early February, and it seemed a major factor in the Lakers’ improved play.
Some believe the Lakers have a puncher’s chance of reaching the NBA Finals thanks to their superstar duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis. But some within the organization believe the team would be better off letting both go and starting anew (h/t Lakers Daily).
Via Heavy Sports:
“According to executives around the league, some within the Lakers prefer to see the franchise take a more conservative and, perhaps, wiser route — wipe the slate clean and start over,” wrote Sean Deveney.
“’Let LeBron go, trade Anthony Davis, get the Klutch (Sports agency) influence out of there, collect draft picks and start over with young pieces and cap space,’ one Western Conference executive said. ‘That is what they need. Something drastic. They’re in a loop they can’t get out of. There are more than a few people in that organization who want them to go that route but you know, they’re not at the top of the food chain.’”
One executive called the Lakers old and said they’re stuck in the middle between mediocrity and true championship contention.
“They’re not a bad team,” another executive said. “But they’re stuck. A lot of teams in the league are in the same situation. They’re 45-, 46-, 47-win teams but don’t have the means to get past that. The difference with the Lakers is that they’re old and they need a reset. It is probably going to get worse before it gets better. I think there are plenty of people in that building who know it, but they don’t want to say it.”
LeBron James and D’Angelo Russell can turn down their player options for next season to become free agents this summer. While there is a feeling James wants to stay, there have been plenty of rumors Russell could be on his way out to make way for a third star such as Trae Young.
Another executive believes L.A. would have to trade Davis, who is 31 years of age, if James does leave in free agency.
“That would be the big one, but once you’ve decided to let LeBron go, you should move AD with him,” the West executive said. “AD has value, a lot of value, and that is where you can really start your rebuild. But that is going to be a tough sell, even if it is a smart thing to do. They might have some PTSD about rebuilding.”
Luckily for Lakers fans who want the team to keep together its core for a little longer, those in the organization who want a reset don’t seem to have much influence.
Via Heavy Sports:
“Around the league, there are suggestions that the Lakers should consider major changes — ‘drastic’ moves that include not only jettisoning LeBron James but also include looking into the trade market for Davis over the summer,” wrote Deveney. “That won’t be easy, though.
“For one thing, league execs point out, trading Davis is not easy. He has a record $177 million extension that kicks in for 2025-26. For another thing, while some within the Lakers might be in favor of a Davis trade, as one West executive said, ‘They’re not at the top of the food chain.’”
With James continuing to play at more or less the level he has always played at, perhaps hitting the reset button wouldn’t be a wise decision for the Purple and Gold just yet.
