The 2023-24 NBA season has been a bit of a roller coaster for the Los Angeles Lakers. The team currently sits ninth in the Western Conference with a 30-26 record.
In other words, the Lakers are a play-in team, which is a bit of a regression from their close to the 2023 season, which saw them reach the Western Conference Finals. Part of the issue has been roster construction, which the Lakers weren't able to address at the trade deadline, as they hope to make a splash move in the summer.
However, if the Lakers had several players from last season on the roster still, they wouldn't quite feel as much of a burn. Let's take a look at three former Lakers who would make a world of a difference on this season's roster.
3 former Lakers who have been missed dearly this season
3. Lonnie Walker IV
Lonnie Walker is a microwave scorer, who has the ability to get hot at any point in time. Walker understands his role and plays it perfectly, constantly making the most of any minutes or shots he gets.
Walker possesses playmaking and shooting abilities that could give the Lakers a tremendous boost on the wing. Walker is a quality two-way player, who has averaged 11.5 points and 2.1 rebounds with the Brooklyn Nets this season.
His shooting splits have tremendous, as he's made 43.3 percent of his triples, 47.4 percent of his shots, 52.2 percent of his 2-pointers, while also posting 60.8 percent true shooting.