The Los Angeles Lakers could make natural improvements with the internal talent on the roster.
The Los Angeles Lakers are undoubtedly going to look to make improvements to the roster this offseason. While the team is the defending champions, if you are not getting better year-to-year then you are getting worse and Rob Pelinka is wise enough to know this.
That does not mean that the improvements will stop with any offseason additions, though. In fact, the Lakers are primed to get natural improvements from the talent they already have on the roster.
It can be a bit difficult to pinpoint as there is so much up in the air with who will even be on the Lakers next season.
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However, there are three Lakers that we can circle with certainty that will improve heading into next season — and will still be on the roster.
1. Anthony Davis
Yes, Anthony Davis will make improvements heading into 2020. It might seem a bit unusual to say that AD will make improvements when he was already one of the best players in the league last season.
However, he is just entering the beginning of his prime and I think we will really start to see that throughout an entire season. We already got a taste of it in the NBA Playoffs, where Davis led all players in win shares and win shares per 48 minutes.
The Lakers should be cautious with LeBron James after a historically short offseason and that means more time for Davis to be the true number one guy. I think this is the first season where we really start to see that shift where the Lakers become AD’s team, with LeBron saving himself for the big games and the NBA Playoffs.
Anthony Davis finished sixth in NBA MVP voting last season. I think he is a finalist next season.