Speaking on his “Mind The Game” podcast with JJ Redick, Lakers star LeBron James reflected on the season and some of the low points they endured early on. James specifically called out the first half of the 2023-24 campaign, when they couldn’t hit a three to save their lives.
“We always said the law of averages and how it would even itself out. We couldn’t shoot,” said LeBron. “The first month-and-a-half, two months, we couldn’t hit the side of a f–king cow’s ass from three-point. We couldn’t.”
LeBron pointed out how the team-wide shooting struggles forced the Lakers into the paint and to the free-throw line, where they averaged the second-highest free-throw attempts this season at 1,983 over 82 games.
“We’re 29th in threes attempted and then people are complaining that we’re top five in free throw attempts. Because that’s what we do!”
With LeBron and Anthony Davis in the frontcourt, the Lakers resorted to the slow and physical playstyle that worked owners for them in 2020 and briefly during the 2023 Western Conference Finals. Of course, more than anything, it was the three-point shooting of D’Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves that sparked a revival in the Lakers and it’s what inspired them to seek out role-players like Gabe Vincent and Taurean Prince last summer.
But when the Lakers started this past season shooting ice-cold from the perimeter, it became abundantly clear that shooting was still among their biggest flaws. Fortunately, while the Lakers did start hitting their shots down the stretch of the campaign, it wasn’t good enough to get them out of the top six and avoid a matchup with the Denver Nuggets in the first round.
The biggest question going forward for the Lakers is whether or not they can add shooters to the roster this summer and make one last push for the title with LeBron James.
Lakers Have Big Decisions To Make This Offseason
Just hours after the series loss to the Denver Nuggets this week, rumors started to swirl about their next potential move. According to recent rumors, Darvin Ham is unlikely to return as head coach, and a rigorous hiring process is expected to follow.
As for James himself, his future is completely up in the air right now as we await how the situation developed with his son, Bronny. But as it stands now, LeBron James has no plans to leave the Lakers, and they will fight hard to ensure that he re-signs with them for at least one more run.
But with such inconsistency from the role-players, including D’Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt, and others, the Lakers will need more than a 40-year-old LeBron James and a coaching change to save their title aspirations. With several assets to offer in the way of young players and picks, the Lakers can make a trade for any number of high-impact players and their name has already been tossed in the ring as potential suitors for Trae Young and Donovan Mitchell, among others.
But even if the Lakers can’t lure a star, they can still raise their ceiling by adding more shooters on the wing to space the floor and relieve the pressure from LeBron James and Anthony Davis. With only so many more years left to play, LeBron is not willing to waste what’s left of his career, and the Lakers seem willing to do whatever it takes to help give him the kind of end he deserves.
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