It has been a roller coaster of a season for the Los Angeles Lakers, to say the least. After starting 2-10 and struggling for large parts of the year, they turned it around and got to the Western Conference Finals, only to be swept with ease by the Denver Nuggets.
Speaking after the fourth loss of the series, LeBron James was very open in his assessment of the Los Angeles Lakers season.
“I don’t know. I love to play the game, I love to compete,” James said in his press conference. “I love to be out there for my guys, my teammates, whoever I have that particular year. I think it was special in the fact that having a first-year coach and a first-year coaching staff and be able to take them to the Western Conference Finals, I think that’s dope for Coach Ham and his coaching staff moving forward. It’s pretty amazing.
“For me, it’s all about availability for me. Keeping my mind sharp, things of that nature. Being present on the floor, being present in the locker room, on bus rides, plane rides, things of that nature. It’s challenging, for sure. It was a very challenging season for me. For our ball club. Obviously, we know what went on earlier in the year, whatever the case may be. It was pretty cool. Pretty cool ride, but I don’t know.”
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The Los Angeles Lakers revamped their roster at the trade deadline, moving on from Russell Westbrook and adding serious depth. They managed to turn what looked like another missed playoffs into a Western Conference Finals. That is impressive and deserving of credit, but considering that the goal was to win a championship, it’s not surprising that LeBron James sounds disappointed.
The Los Angeles Lakers Face A Lot Of Uncertainty Going Into The 2023-24 Season
The Los Angeles Lakers changing up their roster midseason means there is a lot of uncertainty going into next year. The only players under contract are LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Mo Bamba, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Max Christie, while Malik Beasley has a team option worth $16 million.
They seemed happy to potentially retain D’Angelo Russell after his performances, but the Nuggets series might have changed that. Austin Reaves is the key target for retention but will cost big money after he broke out this season. LeBron James has also hinted at retirement, so everything is up in the air for the Lakers at the moment. This season was both exciting and disappointing and all eyes will be on the storied franchise to see how they move forward.
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