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

1. Wings who can defend

What made the Los Angeles Lakers so special in 2020, and what kept them afloat during injuries the following season, was the fact that the team could play defense. Even in a disappointing 2021 season, the Lakers were one of the best defensive teams in the league.

Offense might pay the bills and get someone a max contract but defense wins championships. Just look at the two teams currently battling in the NBA Finals. Golden State and Boston were the two top teams in the league in defensive rating, both coming in at 106.9.

The Lakers forgot about their defensive roots last season, which was interesting considering they had a defensive-minded head coach in Frank Vogel. They let Alex Caruso walk away because of a tax payment and the team did not bring in any role players who could defend.

They brought in shooters in Malik Monk, Carmelo Anthony and Wayne Ellington and while Monk and Carmelo were promising, the trio really could not play much together because they were so bad defensively. Add in Anthony Davis getting hurt and the Lakers really struggled to stop teams on the defensive end.

Los Angeles is not going to be able to build a defensive juggernaut with the lack of resources they have but they have to target players, specifically wings, who can defend at an above-average level. This team is not going to go very far with Talen Horton-Tucker being the best perimeter defender.

Someone like Delon Wright, who should be available on the minimum, would be a really good signing. Even someone like Otto Porter Jr. would add value on the defensive end that the Lakers simply did not have before.