(Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
After getting eliminated by the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs, the Los Angeles Lakers headed into the offseason determined to make some drastic changes in hopes of righting the ship and getting back on track as a force to be reckoned with in the Western Conference.
The first order of business was firing head coach Darvin Ham after two seasons, as reports surfaced that he had lost the locker room in Los Angeles, with superstar Anthony Davis no longer seeing eye-to-eye with him.
In a controversial move, the Lakers decided to hire LeBron James’ podcast co-host JJ Redick as Ham’s successor, even though Redick has no coaching experience on any level.
Following the hiring of Redick, the team made another controversial move by selecting Bronny James in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft, which hasn’t been perceived well, with many chalking it up to be an extreme case of nepotism.
As if things weren’t bad enough in Los Angeles with the state of the team, the franchise hasn’t made any significant roster additions this offseason, as they’ve only been able to re-sign LeBron James, Max Christie and D’Angelo Russell.
Jovan Buha of The Athletic claims that the Lakers brass have been trying to make moves this summer but just haven’t been able to get anything done, via NBA Central.
“The Lakers’ inactivity has not been due to a lack of trying,” Buha wrote. “They struck out with Klay Thompson, were unable to land other impact free agents like Jonas Valančiūnas and DeMar DeRozan, and have failed thus far to find common ground in trade talks with Portland, Brooklyn, Utah, Toronto and Orlando. Now, according to league and team sources, the Lakers are expected to remain patient in their quest to improve their roster.”
The Lakers plan to remain patient in their quest to improve their roster after failed trade talks with teams such as Portland, Brooklyn, Utah, Toronto, and Orlando, per @jovanbuha
“The Lakers’ inactivity has not been due to a lack of trying. They struck out with Klay Thompson,… pic.twitter.com/9ZOwpZIcgk
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 16, 2024
The Lakers have a rough road ahead if no substantial move is made, with teams in the West only getting better this offseason, setting up Los Angeles for a reality check during the 2024-25 campaign.
In the meantime, LeBron James and Davis will try to win gold medals playing for Team USA at the 2024 Summer Olympics, while Bronny James is trying to prove his worth in the NBA Summer League.
The post Insider Details Lakers’ Plans To Improve Roster This Offseason appeared first on The Cold Wire.