Hindsight is 20/20, and maybe it's unfair to claim the Los Angeles Lakers should have traded for Jose Alvarado instead of (or in addition to) Luke Kennard at the trade deadline. But in a season which the Lakers have played Nick Smith Jr and Bronny James and signed Kobe Bufkin, guard depth has been more of an issue than fans want to admit. Alvarado, a defensive menace, was dealt to the Knicks for nothingburger picks, cash, and Dalen Terry.
It's hard to think the Lakers couldn't have matched (or bettered) that trade package, and Alvarado's energy would be a gigantic boon to a Lakers team that looks lethargic far more than they should. Maybe this isn't "the year" for the Lakers. That doesn't make it less frustrating to see this team go through the motions as much as it does — most recently in a blowout loss to the Celtics.
Sometimes, all it takes to break a team out of that cycle is one guy who busts his butt every game, every play, like Alvarado does. Instead, this Lakers team is stuck with a roster that plays like it would enjoy winning, but won't be too broken up if not. That's one of the most frustrating teams to root for.
Lakers still lack a spark that Jose Alvarado would have provided
Sometimes, you see the vision with this Lakers roster. With three legit stars and some talented role players, there are nights in which the team of fans' dreams materializes — and it's cathartic. The ball is moving, everyone's playing their role, Deandre Ayton is making those short midrange jumpers he's obsessed with, and the team defense is serviceable.
But those nights come far too rarely, and without an energy guy like Alvarado, it's hard to know exactly when that team will show up, and when the team that scores 89 points is going to show up.
If this Lakers team is already phoning it in, then adding one defensive-minded energy guard might not have moved the needle. But when the asking price for a guy like Alvarado was so low and he would fill the void of a sparkplug the Lakers have been lacking all season... Wouldn't it have been worth a shot? (Yes, it would have been. And was).
Instead, Alvarado is lighting up Madison Square Garden and the Lakers are left with a talented roster that doesn't look nearly as bought in as fans would hope the No. 5 team in the Western Conference would be.