The Los Angeles Lakers will be looking to put the 2021/22 season behind them in a hurry and no one would blame them for it. The Lakers endured a dismal campaign that ended with them missing even the play-in tournament and changes were inevitable after such a disastrous season.
Frank Vogel was the first one to go in April and the Lakers have hired Darvin Ham as per reports as his replacement. They have also tried to move Russell Westbrook but it doesn’t look like the former MVP is going anywhere, as the team is unwilling to part with additional assets to facilitate a trade. With the core of the team looking set to stay the same, Stephen A Smith was asked about their title prospects for next season on NBA Countdown:
“None, no championships but postseason participation yes. But when we talk about championships, you gotta look at the Clippers, The Suns, The Warriors, The Mavericks, The Timberwolves, Zion Williamson now with New Orleans. These are all teams that you think about before you even get to the Lakers and (also) the Nuggets with (Jamal) Murray and (Michael) Porter Jr coming back.”
“Darvin Ham I didn’t know whether this is the right situation but I am so happy for him he deserves this opportunity and there is no question about it, he is going to elevate their level of toughness, you gotta take that into consideration. You look at Russell Westbrook its the wildcard because I don’t think Russell Westbrook is finished, I believe he has still something in him. Here is the issue Russell Westbrook has to look at basketball film and stop thinking that every time somebody critiques his game they are character assassinating him.. You don’t have a jump shot and you struggle with your free throw shooting too and turning over the basketball. Let’s fix that and then you might have a chance to make some noise if you are the Los Angeles Lakers and LeBron James.”
The Western Conference looks set to be absolutely brutal next season provided some of these teams remain healthy and it is hard to see the Lakers competing with them even if things go well. They should, however, at least make the playoffs if Anthony Davis stays healthy.
They probably would have made it in this season too if AD was healthy but they weren’t going anywhere after that and it looks like it’ll be the case next season too. It is a shame that this roster is as flawed as it is, as it’s robbing us of watching LeBron James compete for a title in the final years of his career.
