The Los Angeles Lakers had been nice on Friday evening. They dominated top-of-the-line groups within the Western Conference — the Denver Nuggets.
LeBron James scored 30 factors, and the Lakers bought optimistic contributions from a number of gamers. However, their greatest participant — Anthony Davis — scored solely 10 of the Lakers’ 126 factors. The motive for the low scoring output, he left the sport within the second quarter with a foot damage. The Athletic’s Shams Charania is reporting that Davis will probably be out for a minimum of a month, however there’s a important likelihood that it is going to be longer.
Davis was lastly turning into the participant that the Lakers felt was value buying and selling a heaping pile of beginning caliber gamers and future draft picks to amass. He is averaging 27.3 factors per recreation on practically 60 % from the sphere. Combine that along with his common stellar protection, and Davis was enjoying like a legit MVP candidate.
The Lakers bought off to a ghastly begin to the 2022-23 season, going 2-8. Largely resulting from Davis’ excellent play, they’ve drastically improved and presently sit at 12-16. The playoffs are very a lot in attain, however with Davis out till probably after Valentine’s Day it is extremely unlikely that the Lakers will be capable to proceed their profitable methods.
Unless they make a commerce.
They haven’t unloaded Westbrook’s expiring contract and their 2027 and 2029 first spherical draft picks with good motive. At the start of the yr, they had been dropping an excessive amount of to mortgage any extra of their future, and as they began to win it made sense to hold on and anticipate the very best supply doable. The Lakers gave up an excessive amount of for each Davis and Westbrook, and didn’t must go all in on one other deal.
There isn’t any time left for a wait and see strategy. James turns 38 years previous on the finish of this month. He can not carry the Lakers for possibly 20 video games, possibly extra, whereas ready for Davis to return.
Westbrook has performed extraordinarily effectively in his restricted position with the Lakers. He has been coming off of the bench, enjoying lower than half-hour per recreation, and enjoying with extra restraint and effectivity when on the ground. He goes to must shoulder extra of an offensive burden if he stays on the roster, and that hasn’t labored out effectively since he has been in a Lakers uniform.
The Lakers have been linked in rumors to amass Bojan Bogdonović, Myles Turner, Buddy Hield, DeMar DeRozan, Nikola Vučević, and even Evan Fournier and Cam Reddish. Of course that isn’t probably the most spectacular group of names, but when the Lakers care about saving this season there is no such thing as a time to be choosy.
The clock is winding down shortly on their 2022-23 season. Their fortunes had been trying up, however now they’ve to select. Either act swiftly and make a commerce to attempt to regular the ship till Davis can return, or punt on this season, and attempt to do one thing with all of their cap area this offseason, with James inching nearer to 40 years previous.