Los Angeles Lakers: Lessons from failed super team, longtime rival
If the Lakers Continue to Struggle, Their 2018 Hopes Are Doomed
Truth be told, the Lakers aren’t playing as well as we thought they would. No one saw Lonzo Ball’s impact being this huge on a team at the bottom of the Western Conference.
It of course, also doesn’t help when a huge free agent signing is imprisoned 25 days for a DUI, barring any play outside of California. Luke Walton is still finding the best lineups to contemplate for improvements in Julius Randle and Jordan Clarkson’s game and has not kept the team accountable.
The franchise needed a jumpstart at the top of the front office. Executives Jim Buss and Mitch Kupchak had steered the Lakers into a rebuilding team with fresh assets, yet with a mind to contend in a hardened conference. To replace them, Lakers majority owner Jeanie Buss hired Robert Pelinka, Kobe Bryant’s agent and a close friend of Magic Johnson, who he would work alongside as the new general manager of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Magic’s and Pelinka’s goals were simple: stabilize the front office, restore faith in Lakers Nation, and sign two maximum contracts in the 2018 free agent pool. However, that was easier said than done. The Lakers haven’t been contending since 2013, and their top player retired two years ago, hampered by multiple knee and heel injuries at the end of his career.
Only one superstar expressed that he wanted to play for Los Angeles. Superstar small forward Paul George of the Indiana Pacers [at the time] joined a talk show with Jimmy Kimmel. He said that he planned to work out with Kobe Bryant and has talked to Magic Johnson about the deal.
His preferred destination in 2018 is Los Angeles, and Magic Johnson was fined for tampering with Paul George’s agent about 2018. Pelinka, however, failed to strike a deal before OKC executive Sam Presti acquired him by trading away Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis, who (specifically Oladipo) have rejuvenated their careers for the Pacers.
That may be in jeopardy. After an extremely confusing slow start to the season, the Oklahoma City Thunder have turned their season around. Westbrook remained Westbrook, George exemplified his two-way play, and Carmelo Anthony has accepted his role as a spot-up shooter.
Although the Thunder are over the cap by a significant margin, George can still accept his player option. If Oklahoma City were to somehow make it to the Western Conference Finals or beat Golden State in a seven-game series, can Lakers Nation really expect Paul George to leave Oklahoma City?
Other top free agents could also join the Lakers, but none of them may want to wear purple and gold. DeMarcus Cousins tormented the Lakers for years with the Sacramento Kings and had fights with Julius Randle.
Chris Paul’s pairing with James Harden has been almost flawless. Houston is 15-3 with Paul healthy, and they should end up with at least the third seed if the Rockets fall off with Harden sidelined for two weeks. Truth be told, Kevin Durant isn’t going to consider Los Angeles if the Warriors win their second straight championship. The best player in the game is considered a ‘long shot’ to even wear a purple and gold uniform.
So what should the Lakers be doing?