The Los Angeles Lakers have not been historically associated with the idea of average. Neither has LeBron James. The same goes for Luka Doncic. However, one NBA analyst thought that was the exact reality in which this year's roster finds itself.
"They're just an average team," Mo Dakhil said during an appearance on The Zach Lowe Show. "That's it. At the end of the day, they're just average, and that sucks. ... It's a frustrating run when you're watching this team."
Dakhil jumped to an immediate critique of Deandre Ayton and how much the signing has fallen short of what would be desirable. The shortcomings of the roster made this a very clear gap year in the eyes of Lowe's guest on the show.
Issues with the Lakers defense were brought up thereafter. Dakhil thought the roster had a clear problem of too many targets being available for opposing offenses to expose. There was not enough substance to be found that would invite the thought of a Western Conference Finals trip being within the realm of possibility for the Lakers.
Lakers roster is failing to inspire hope midway through the season
Harsh assessment from Dakhil? Perhaps it was. Fitting of the current situation? Debatable.
The Lakers have gone 5-5 over their last 10 games. The is pretty much the definition of average. Granted, Austin Reaves has been out since Christmas, making that an imperfect evaluation of just how good the team really is.
A clean bill of health for everyone on the team does not take away the point of the defensive problems. The Lakers do lack the personnel, as currently constructed, to consistently play elite basketball on that end. That much is tough to dispute.
The options on the trade market for the Lakers to bridge the gap between where they are and being a bona fide contender are not in great abundance. Any effort to acquire 3-and-D help will almost certainly bank on some type of gamble.
Can the Lakers be dominant enough on the offensive end to overcome the defensive deficiencies? There is at least one recent champion that offers them hope in that thought.
The 2022-23 Denver Nuggets were a middle of the pack defense in the regular season, with their elite offense guiding the way for contention. The Lakers are a considerably worse defensive team at present. However, the offense — even through all the absences — is not too far off in production.
Denver had a higher level to climb to once the 2023 postseason started. They jumped to the top offense in the NBA Playoffs, and their defense finished fourth among the 16 remaining squads as well.
Do the Lakers have that extra gear? Their crunch-time heroics suggest that may be a possibility. That would be the most optimistic of counterpoints to Dakhil's rough critique.