LeBron James and Anthony Davis’ may have had strong performances on Opening Night, but the Los Angeles Lakers failed to notch up a win over the Golden State Warriors, prompting former NBA star Richard Jefferson to say that the Purple and Gold will look to better their roster over the course of the season.
The defending champs trounced Los Angeles 123-109 at the Chase Center with Stephen Curry (33 points) leading the way. While James and Davis had 31 and 27 points to show, it wasn’t enough to better the Golden State’s potent offense.
Speaking on his podcast, Road Trippin’, Jefferson felt that much of the influence behind the Lakers adding more depth to the roster would stem from James.
“There’s no way to honestly look at that roster with those two picks and think that you’re gonna waste a year of LeBron James. He didn’t sign multiyear extensions, he’s not gonna just go through this entire year losing again for whatever.”
He also added:
“There’s gonna be a move at some point in time before the season’s over, there’s going to. I don’t think there’s a basketball mind that doesn’t think that. That’s why I don’t think they’re done so I can’t judge them off of what I see right now because I don’t think that this is going to be their team.”
“The Lakers, they feel like they might be able to get something better out there. If the first 20 games don’t go well for the Nets. There’s some Draymond drama. Who knows what’s going on in Phoenix? They feel like there are a couple of things out there that are floating that maybe a better deal can pop up.”
One of the trades doing the rounds is the potential acquisition of Myles Turner and Buddy Hield from the Indiana Pacers and the former Warrior felt there was enough happening in the league apart from the much-discussed trade.
LeBron James Says The Lakers Roster Isn’t “Constructed For Great Shooting.”
One of the major weaknesses that were exposed in the Lakers’ loss to the Warriors was their lack of shooting, especially from the three-point line. The outfit was 10 for 40 from downtown and James addressed the issue upfront.
Barring James, Davis, Russell Westbrook, and Kendrick Nunn, none of the other Lakers were in double-digit figures, and their shots clattered away allowing the Warriors to consolidate.
LeBron James on Lakers’ poor shooting in loss to Warriors: “We’re getting great looks, but it could also be teams giving us great looks. To be completely honest, we’re not a team constructed of great shooting… It’s not like we’re sitting here with a lot of lasers on our team.” pic.twitter.com/VfqWnKcQ3D
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) October 19, 2022
“I think we’re getting great looks. But it could also be teams giving us great looks,” he said after the loss. “Being completely honest, we’re not a team that’s constructed of great shooting. That’s just the truth of the matter. It’s not like we’re sitting here with a lot of lasers on our team.”
The Lakers have less than a day to address at least some of their concerns as they take on archrivals Los Angeles Clippers at home on Thursday (October 21). With the likes of Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and John Wall healthy and raring to go, the Lakers will have their hands full.
