Are the Lakers Back On Track?

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        The Los Angeles Lakers have had a couple tough seasons since their 2020 championship. The season after their championship the Lakers [and the Heat] had the shortest off-season in sports history. During the 2020-21 season the Lakers experienced a load of injuries especially with Anthony Davis and LeBron James. LeBron missed 27 out of 72 games and Anthony Davis missed 36 out of 72 games. The Lakers went 12-15 without LeBron and 19-17 without Anthony Davis. The Lakers finished the 2020-21 season with a 42-30 record (7th seed in the Western Conference). The Lakers would beat the Golden State Warriors in their first play-in matchup and were set up to face the Phoenix Suns. During their first round matchup Davis and James just weren't the same after being banged up for most of the season. They would lose in the first round against the Phoenix Suns in six games. It would be the first time LeBron's career that he has been eliminated in the first round.





        The following season after their early exit the Los Angeles Lakers had a very interesting off-season. To begin with the Lakers traded for All-Star Guard Russell Westbrook sending Forward Kyle Kuzma, Guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Center Montrezl Harrell and the draft rights to Isaiah Jackson to Washington. The Lakers also got two second-round picks. The Lakers were active in free agency signing Guard Kendrick Nunn, Forward Carmelo Anthony, Guard Avery Bradley, Guard Wayne Ellington, Center Dwight Howard, Guard Kent Bazemore, Guard Malik Monk, Forward Trevor Ariza, Center Deandre Jordan and Guard Rajon Rondo. Given the names this team had high championship aspirations despite having the oldest age average of 30.9. The team faced a lot of adversity and injuries. Most notably Anthony Davis missing 42 games out of 82. There was also some chemistry issues especially with Russell Westbrook. The roster just could not find a rhythm and had a hard time playing alongside one another. No matter what rotations Frank Vogel put out there the team just had no rhythm. The Lakers would finish the season 33-49 (11th seed in the Western Conference) and miss the playoffs entirely. 





        This past season the Lakers would have another rough start to the season, they began with a 2-10 record. But the Lakers had a major bounce back especially after the trade deadline when they made some solid moves. The Lakers acquired Guard D'Angelo Russell, Guard Malik Beasley and Forward/Center Jarred Vanderbilt which helped them move on Russell Westbrook who just wasn't a good fit. The Lakers also acquired the young talented Forward Rui Hachimura. With the new names on the roster the team played with more fluidity, the fit was much better and the Lakers had a 17-9 record after trade deadline which was the second best in the Western Conference. The Lakers went from the 13th seed to finishing the regular season as the 7th seed in the Western Conference. The Lakers faced the Minnesota Timberwolves in their first game of the play-in tournament and took the victory which qualified them for the playoffs and would take on a young Memphis Grizzlies team. The Lakers would beat the Grizzlies in six games and would later dethrone the defending champs Golden State Warriors in six games. The 7th seed Los Angeles Lakers made it all the way to the Western Conference Finals. As impressive as they were the Lakers just had no answers from Jamal Murray, Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets. Despite their great efforts the Lakers would lose the series in four games.





        This off-season the Lakers had a pretty solid free agency. The Lakers re-signed Guard D'Angelo Russell, extended Forward Rui Hachimura and Guard Austin Reaves, picked up the club option for Forward/Center Jarred Vanderbilt and signed Guard Gabe Vincent, Forward Taurean Prince, Center Jaxson Hayes and Forward Cam Reddish in free agency. Gabe Vincent is coming off his first final appearance with the Miami Heat and Taurean Prince can be a very solid role player. However Cam Reddish and Jaxson Hayes are the new additions that I am very curious to see how things go. Reddish has been traded to three different teams and while the potential is there it just hasn't seemed like he's blossomed and Jaxson Hayes didn't see much playing time with the New Orleans Pelicans. So it will be very interesting how these new additions play out for LeBron, Anthony Davis and the Los Angels Lakers. 


Los Angeles Lakers new contracts 

  • D'Angelo Russell: 2-years, $36 Million (second year, player-option)
  • Rui Hachimura: 3-years, $51 Million
  • Austin Reaves: 4-years, $53.8 Million (fourth year, player option)
  • Gabe Vincent: 3-years, $33 Million 
  • Jarred Vanderbilt Club Option: $4.6 Million
  • Taurean Prince: 1-year,  $4.5 Million
  • Jaxson Hayes: 2-years, $4.6 Million
  • Cam Reddish: 2-years, $4.6 Million (second year, player-option) 







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