The Los Angeles Lakers have made some interesting moves this offseason, reaffirming that they are the team to beat this season. Coming off a championship season, the purple and gold are ready to keep their dominance over the rest of the league and their front office is making the right moves to keep the team afloat for several years to come.
After landing Dennis Schroder via trade from the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Lakers continued making moves once free agency started. Even after they suffered the losses of Dwight Howard, Rajon Rondo, Danny Green or Avery Bradley, the Lakers managed to acquire Montrezl Harrell and Wesley Matthews in the free market. They haven’t finished making moves yet, but the picture looks very good for them.
Former NBA champion Channing Frye has tipped this team to be competitive and stay at the top of the league even if LeBron James gets injured or misses some time during the regular season. Talking with NBA TV, Frye stated that this new Lakers team and the old ones were very different.
“I called (LeBron) and said ‘How the heck did y’all do this?'”@channingfrye discusses how much the Lakers have improved in the offseason. pic.twitter.com/vsYMTvUKSI
— NBA TV (@NBATV) November 22, 2020
“Not even close. Absolutely. They are better because now this team is built for the next 2 or 3 years.”
“If something happens to LeBron, Schröder is a starter, Montrezl Harrell plays 30 minutes, Wesley Matthews plays 30 minutes.”
Frye revealed that he even called LeBron and asked him how the Lakers had made all these moves.
“All of these guys are winners and have opportunities to really make an impact on this team. That’s what is dangerous. I’m best friends with ‘Bron, and I called and said, ‘How the heck did y’all do this?’”
He then explained that these moves are ‘unfair’ in his eyes, as they give LeBron a huge advantage during the season, making him a real threat in the postseason.
“This is unfair because if LeBron plays 32 or less minutes, he is dangerous, especially at this age. You could take him out and put Schröder in, put Montrezl Harrell in. That’s nasty. Not only defensively, but that’s a nasty screen and roll.
“And add AD and KCP in there, now you’ve taken away the greatest player of our generation and you still have a Top-3 team in both divisions.”
The Lakers still can bolster their squad. The purple and gold can acquire three more productive players in the next hours to complete a team that is already dangerous. They aren’t planning to leave their throne just like that. They know the rest of the league is getting better to beat them and they are getting better to prevent that. This upcoming season is set to be an interesting one and the Lakers know they have to show they are here to stay.
