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Ranking 5 huge needs that must be addressed by the Los Angeles Lakers

By Jason Reed

EL SEGUNDO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 06: Los Angeles Lakers Head Coach Darvin Ham enters with Vice President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka before the introductory press conference at UCLA Health Training Center on June 06, 2022 in El Segundo, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
EL SEGUNDO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 06: Los Angeles Lakers Head Coach Darvin Ham enters with Vice President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka before the introductory press conference at UCLA Health Training Center on June 06, 2022 in El Segundo, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers
(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

4. A big that can shoot

One of the biggest issues with the roster last season that we outlined here at Lake Show Life before the season began was that the Lakers did not have a true backup four. More importantly, the Lakers didn’t have a true backup four or any option that could shoot in the frontcourt.

Trevor Ariza was the best thing the Lakers had to offer in that regard and we saw how horribly that went. Ariza won’t even be in the league next season, so the Lakers were obviously wrong to bet on him.

Today’s NBA is positionless and the Lakers don’t need to target a power forward that can shoot or a center that can shoot. They just need someone with size that they can put in the frontcourt either at the four or the five that can help with the floor spacing.

The spacing was awful last season and the team was asking Anthony Davis to be a jump shooter as he played alongside Russell Westbrook. That made everyone worse in the process as Davis was playing out of his comfort zone and was one of the worst shooters in the league.

Westbrook is going to be on the team to start the season and the Lakers need to find some bigs that can space the floor, open a lane for him to drive to the rim and offer an off-ball shooting presence. Someone like Nemanja Bjelica, who will definitely be available for the minimum, would be perfect for the Lakers to pursue.

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