Los Angeles Lakers: 3 biggest problems to fix this summer

1. Frank Vogel and Jason Kidd MUST make sure there is team chemistry next season

Maybe the two could take a minute to talk to South Bay Lakers head coach Coby Karl. Karl is huge on team chemistry. Win or lose, the team was cohesive and happy. That’s what the Lakers need.

That means keeping LeBron happy, but also making sure that LeBron is working closely to bring up his younger teammates. He is now the veteran on the team and he needs to be the star, but also be a coach on the court and on the bench. A mentor.

Lance Stephenson needs to return to the Lakers roster. He brings joy to the fans and the team and seems to go with the flow! He is a true glue guy, and the Lakers need more players with his attitude.

Lonzo and Kuzma have a ton of chemistry, although they seem to have been warned to keep it private. It was fun for fans when they went public with it.

It’s the hardest thing for a coach to get players on a team to do, to get on board with the team’s vision and structure. To play for the team instead of themselves.

The last team LeBron played on that earned an NBA Championship had a ton of chemistry. A lot of that had to do with the two veterans on the team, Channing Frye and Richard Jefferson.

Both are University of Arizona Wildcat alum so they came in with chemistry and provided levity when needed to keep everyone in the right frame of mind and with a winning attitude. LeBron can do this for the Lakers. He and Stephenson and maybe Rajon Rondo (LeBron and Rajon seem to have great chemistry) can provide leadership as well as Tyson Chandler if he doesn’t retire. Chandler was a game-changer when healthy.

Keeping JaVale McGee on the roster could also help with chemistry. He helped keep things fun and light while playing hard and caring about winning games.

Lakers new coach Vogel spoke about his plan at his introductory press conference, saying, “An analytics-based approach playing the game outside in [on offense] — it’s important to build your defense inside out, the paint is still the priority and then we will spread out and guard the three-point line.”

Vogel did not talk about chemistry. That’s disheartening and we hope he considers that no team wins championships without it.