Lake Show Life
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Los Angeles Lakers: LeBron James is gone for weeks… What’s next

By Ronald Agers

Mar 20, 2021; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) is helped up by Los Angeles Lakers guard Wesley Matthews (9) and Los Angeles Lakers guard Alex Caruso (4) after injuring his leg in the second quarter at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 20, 2021; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) is helped up by Los Angeles Lakers guard Wesley Matthews (9) and Los Angeles Lakers guard Alex Caruso (4) after injuring his leg in the second quarter at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports /
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Los Angeles Lakers
Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /

The Los Angeles Lakers may have to make a trade this week to get a playmaker and/or a scorer!

Over the past week, Adrian Wojnarowski had the Lake Show Life staff buzzing with a “Woj Bomb” on his podcast, The Woj Pod that went like this…

"“The Lakers are interesting because I think the Lakers are looking a little bit down the road too at their salary structure,” “Dennis Schroder, they’ve got to pay him this offseason. It’s going to cost well over $20 million a year to keep him.” “I do think they would like to free up some of that money they owe down the line to put themselves in position to keep the guys they have there. I think that’s kind of at the center of some of their talks here around the trade deadline.”"

With the limited assets and financial options, no one really took this statement seriously especially with the trade deadline getting closer to March 25th. Now we are all reminded why he’s Adrian Wojnarowski and we are not.

LeBron’s injury changed everything and the Lakers may have to take some chances offering up players that might not have been available if they want to contend for a back-to-back title. Casual fans will downplay the situation stating the Lakers have time when they actually do not.

Don’t believe Lake Show Life, try ESPN’s top NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski… 

"Ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline, the Lakers are faced with an extended period of time without James and Anthony Davis. Western Conference standings could evolve dramatically with James and Davis out for the Lakers, who are only 2.5 games ahead of sixth place. This stretch could significantly reshape the playoff matchups if Lakers tumble a few spots."

The Lakers are currently the third seed in the Western Conference at 28-14. But look at how tight the conference is. The Lake Show is two games in the loss column (Going into Sunday’s game against the Phoenix Suns!) ahead of three teams and a three-game lead ahead of the San Antonio Spurs in the seventh seed.

  • Los Angeles Clippers: 27-16
  • Denver Nuggets: 25-16…Currently riding a three-game winning streak and has won eight of their last ten games.
  • Portland Trail Blazers: 25-16…Currently riding a three-game winning streak and has won seven of their last ten games.
  • San Antonio Spurs: 22-17 

The Los Angeles Lakers owned the 9th toughest schedule in the league in the second half of the schedule through the next two months. Now that LeBron and AD are out, Lakers fans might want to ask for a recount. The Finals contenders are coming fast and the multiple back-to-back games on the schedule make things worse.

Can the Lakers make a deal? It’s still highly unlikely with the limited options, But if Rob Pelinka can pull a deal off, if he doesn’t win Executive of the Year, there’s no credibility in it.

Until the trade deadline and buyout period ends, there are a few key people in the Lakers organization that are in the hot seat. Let’s start with the head coach, Frank Vogel. Read on…