Lakers: Top 3 Positions of Need Before the Trade Deadline
By Eric Yee
Shooting Guard
With the Black Mamba’s departure, while sad to say, the Lakers will benefit from addition by subtraction. That said, when the stage lights finally go black for Kobe Bryant, another will begin to shine on the trio of D’Angelo Russell, Jordan Clarkson and Julius Randle.
Though Kobe was dominant, seemingly invincible in his prime, once his Achilles gave he was never the same. Like his letter said, though his mind was always there, it was his body that ultimately failed him. Going hand in hand, since the 2013 season, the Lakers have failed to appear in the playoffs, reaffirming the growing debate that star players hardly make noise after age 33.
The Lakers are a win now organization, so don’t be surprised when they once again salvage their future for a shot at replacing Kobe Bryant as soon as humanly possible. To this point, rumors of the Lakers’ interest in Toronto Raptors’ shooting guard, Demar DeRozan, have already surfaced, though it’s readily apparent that he’s not the rightful heir to the throne.
Instead the Lakers would be wise to move on from their past and experiment with the dominance by committee approach with Russell-Clarkson-Randle at the forefront of the attack. This means that instead of going after a big name free agent or trading for one, the Lakers should instead target a specialist, preferably a shooter, to help spread the floor.
Next: Time for Anthony Brown to Step His Game Up
What players do you think the Lakers should be targeting at this deadline? Let us know in the comments below!