The Los Angeles Lakers haven’t made any major moves yet, outside the intriguing pickup of Thomas Bryant in free agency. However, rumors continue to swirl around the franchise as the expectation remains that they will bounce back and seriously compete in the playoffs next season. A lot of this hinges around the personnel at their disposal, and the biggest question mark is associated with Russell Westbrook, but other roster moves could also be on the cards for the team.
Most Lakers fans would likely hate the thought of running it back with more or less the same roster. The disappointments of last season are still fresh in their memory. But there has been one significant change at Head Coach that is a factor, with the exciting Darvin Ham replacing Frank Vogel. And while Ham will know moves are on the cards, ESPN reported on him discussing the roster and the trade rumors surrounding it.
“We love everyone on our roster,” Ham told reporters Friday at halftime of L.A.’s 104-84 summer league loss to the Phoenix Suns on Friday. “And until you’re not on our roster, you’re ours and we’re going to try to get better with the group that we have. That’s just the bottom line of it.
“I don’t know a player that’s come through this league in my 26 years that hasn’t had their name part of a trade rumor a time or two. But, it is what it is. It’s the nature of the beast of our business. And so, again, the guys we have on our roster I’m very thankful for, I’m proud of and we want to maximize everything they can do to help us get to that ultimate goal.”
Ham’s take seems logical enough, and it will be very important for the team to start building chemistry with one another soon. Considering how things panned out during the Summer League game between the Lakers’ decision-makers and Russell Westbrook though, it could be argued that more needs to be done to make the roster gel together should no moves occur.
