Lakers Ranked Near the Bottom of the Barrel in Offseason Transaction Recap
We've officially reached the dog days of summer. While the league waits for trade news involving Donovan Mitchell, Russell Westbrook, and Kyrie Irving, experts and analysts have been cranking out rankings to recap each team's offseason moves so far. The Athletic's David Aldridge, a veteran NBA reporter, recently published a full 30-team ranking. The Lakers didn't fare all that well.
Aldridge ranked the Lakers 28th based on his criteria, but was quick to note that just because a team is in the bottom 10, "it doesn't mean that I hate your team". His main criteria was is how each team has improved since this past season.
The reporter pointed out that although the Lakers got younger with their signings, the drafting of Max Christie, and inking Cole Swider and Scotty Pippen Jr. to two-way deals, the team still lacks quality shooting to support LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
"Also, while the Lakers did get much younger this offseason, almost none of the players they’ve brought in, other than Bryant, project to be plus shooters at their positions. After last season’s fiasco of a floor-spacing team, you’d think the Lakers would have been all-in on adding perimeter firepower around LeBron James and AD. Instead, they saw their one consistent shooter from last season, Monk, walk to the Kings."
Monk bolted for Sacramento for a larger payday that they Lakers were unable to offer due to their current financial commitments and cap space, but it's still a valid point. They lost their only true floor spacer.
Lakers fans are hoping the new roster will have much different results than their predecessors.
