Reason No. 2: Too many unproven players with LeBron’s short window
This issue goes along with Reason No. 1 previously mentioned. The Lakers are likely the deepest team in the entire league. They have multiple players who can step up and get hot on any night to win a game. However, it will be difficult for head coach Darvin Ham to find a consistent rotation he can trust come playoff time.
Rui Hachimura was excellent in the playoffs, shooting 48.7 percent from three, compared to his regular season average of 31.9. Can Ham and the Lakers rely on Hachimura as a shooter, not someone who shrinks the floor for LeBron and Davis? If not, he won’t be worth the three years, $51 million contract.
Hachimura was a great trade value for multiple second-round picks and played a considerable role in the Lakers playoff run, but committing to him for three years at that price point is a much bigger gamble.
Gabe Vincent also had a great playoff run and was a key role player in the Miami Heat’s surprising Finals run as the eighth seed. Like Hachimura, Vincent got hot from deep in the playoffs, increasing his three-point percentage from 33.4 percent to 37.8. Vincent’s three years, $33 million contract could result from recency bias and his playoff performance. As an undersized guard, if he isn’t an elite three-point shooter, he won’t be as valuable for the Lakers as many have made him out to be following the signing.
The signing of Cam Reddish for two years, $4.6 million, received some recognition as a good move for the Lakers.
However, Reddish isn’t reliable enough to play when it matters most. He only shot 31.3 percent from three last season and is an inefficient, offensive-minded player. At only 23 years old, Reddish certainly has potential and raw talent. However, the point is that he won’t be playoff ready in the short window that LeBron James has left on the Lakers and in the NBA.
Lastly, someone that has an extremely promising future as a Laker is first-round pick Jalen Hood- Schifino. Los Angeles has a good history of hitting on their draft picks in the past decade, and Hood-Schifino is another player that fans should be very excited about.
The obvious question, however, is whether or not he’s ready as a 20-year-old rookie to contribute right away. LeBron and the Lakers need to be in win-now mode. It’s fair to question whether or not Hood-Schifino will be a key part of that rotation come playoff time, especially given their depth.