Lakers News: Zero-risk move made, Dwight predicts doom, Davis snubbed again

The Los Angeles Lakers are searching for a new head coach to start a crucial offseason. Keeping LeBron James, improving their roster, and getting back into contention are all goals for the franchise this summer. It won’t be easy, but the Lakers are no strangers to this position.

Being in the Play-In Tournament and losing in the first round of the playoffs was a disappointing season for LA. It was not all bad, but the Lakers failed to live up to expectations. It is why Darvin Ham is gone, and the franchise is searching for improvements.

On Tuesday, the Lakers got back a reserve big man for next season, found out where Anthony Davis finished in Defensive Player of the Year voting and had a former center predict doom on the franchise. Get the latest here.

Christian Wood to return to the Lakers next season

According to Michael Scotto, Wood agreed to his $3 million player option for next season. He appeared in 50 games this season where the 6’8 big man averaged 6.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.0 assist in 17.4 minutes per game.

Fans were viewing this as a risk-free move as C-Wood is making virtually the minimum salary for a veteran. He has defensive issues but can offer rebounding and some scoring punch off the bench. Do not expect Wood to play a massive role, but he can be impactful as a reserve big man.

Dwight Howard predicts doom for the Lakers

Howard appeared on The OGs Show with Mike Miller and Goran Dragic where he talked about a host of topics, including the current Lakers. The eight-time All-Star predicted LA will land Bronny James and retain LeBron next season, but it won’t make them any better. Howard thinks his former team will be out in the first round of the playoffs again in 2025. Fans can watch the full podcast below.

Do not be surprised to see Bronny James in a Laker uniform next season, but it is way too early to say how they will finish. The Lakers could significantly improve their roster this summer. There is work to be done or Howard’s prediction of doom likely becomes reality.

Anthony Davis snubbed in Defensive Player of the Year voting again

The NBA announced Rudy Gobert won Defensive Player of the Year on Tuesday evening. Fans knew Anthony Davis was not a finalist, but it was surprising to see how little love he got. Davis finished fourth with four first-place votes. He appeared on just 47 ballots and was nowhere near the top two.

AD was arguably the best defender in the NBA this season. Gobert anchored the team with the top defensive rating, but he finished worse than Davis in almost every counting stat. The Lakers big man deserved more love. AD finished second in DPOY voting in 2020, but has not been in the running since. Hopefully, he gets the respect he deserves next season.

The Los Angeles Lakers will be in the news plenty this offseason. From finding a head coach to upgrading their roster, the front office has work to do. Stay tuned to see how it all shakes out.