The Los Angeles Lakers made some significant roster upgrades this offseason. The results of these additions have been telling, as the Lakers come off a solid 140-126 win against the Utah Jazz to improve to 11-4 on the season.
Given that they are currently tied for third place in the West and only half a game out of second, the Lakers have started the season strong. However, considering the depth of competition in the conference, Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley noted that there may be some roster issues that the Purple and Gold will regret not addressing during the offseason itself.
“The Lakers should be overloaded with three-point shooters. If they were, they might be truly unstoppable on offense,” Buckley wrote, noting that a team led by Luka Doncic and LeBron James would be immensely successful with shooters surrounding its superstar core.
“Well, it’s easy to point toward the absence of LeBron James, and that’s surely part of it, but even the NBA’s ageless wonder can’t solve L.A.’s problem with perimeter shooting,” he critiqued.
The Lakers’ offseason plan was geared toward the addition of a starting-caliber center to anchor their frontcourt, along with a reliable wing. While adding Deandre Ayton and Jake LaRavia aligned with this plan, Buckley noted how Los Angeles’ lack of shooting depth was reflected in the statistics.
L.A. currently ranks 23rd in the NBA in three-point shooting, shooting 33.8% from beyond the arc, with an average of 10.9 three-pointers made (28th) and 32.3 attempted (27th) per game.
This inevitably impacts the team’s scoring, as they average 117.9 points per game this season, earning 16th place in the league. In terms of offensive rating, the Lakers still manage to hold their own, placing 11th in the league with 116.5. Having improved on both ends of the floor, Los Angeles also boasts a positive net rating of 2.4.
Although players such as Doncic, LaRavia, Austin Reaves, and occasionally, LeBron James and Gabe Vincent, can get hot from beyond the arc, the Purple and Gold aren’t geared to be a perimeter shooting team. While this may go against the general trend in the NBA, given the team’s league-leading field-goal percentage of 51.1%, it would appear that Los Angeles is still headed in the right direction.
Will The Lakers Be Haunted By Their Regrets?
While the Lakers find themselves in a good position early in the season, especially with LeBron James back in the lineup, they may still face challenges down the road. In such an event, not making certain moves in the offseason may come back to haunt them.
In this regard, not trading for Andrew Wiggins stands out.
Although the trade negotiations presented a positive outlook, indicating that Los Angeles would be landing the former champion, the Miami Heat‘s refusal to entertain further offers put a damper on these plans.
Currently, Andrew Wiggins is averaging 16.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.1 steals per game, shooting 48.4% from the field and 35.7% from three-point range for the Heat. Given how valuable his addition could have been, the Lakers may look back at missing out on an opportunity to acquire him with some disappointment.
The Purple and Gold will be required to make some trades if they intend to contend for the title. However, given their current trade assets, acquiring a piece that would move the needle appears to be a challenge.
