The 2023-24 Los Angeles Lakers are going nowhere as currently constructed.
Fresh of the heels of their surprising finish to the 2022-23 season, which saw them unexpectedly advance to the Western Conference Finals as a seventh seed, this current version of the Lakers is lost in the conference shuffle.
Despite bringing back of all of their key players from last season and adding some key young role players — Gabe Vincent, Christian Wood, Taurean Prince and Cam Reddish — it’s become clear through the early portion of the season that this is a below-average team being kept afloat by 38-year-old LeBron James.
The latest example of this Lakers team simply lacking the pieces to be a true threat in the Western Conference was their 125-110 blowout loss to the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night. Not only did Los Angeles trail by as many as 26 points in the game, they never led at any point during the loss.
Their latest loss has led to reports that the Lakers could pull off a trade with the Chicago Bulls involving any one of their key players such as Zach Lavine, DeMar DeRozan or Alex Caruso.
“The Lakers’ interest in LaVine is real — at the right price,” writes Buha. “However, LaVine’s potential availability also hints at the possibility of a fire sale in Chicago, with the organization seemingly looking to finally pivot away from its longstanding mediocrity.
If additional Bulls players become available, the Lakers would also have interest in DeMar DeRozan and/or former Laker Alex Caruso, according to multiple team sources.”
There’s little doubt that the addition of DeRozan — who the Lakers could have acquired back in 2021, but instead opted for Russell Westbrook — would probably make Los Angeles a more competent offensive squad.
Same thing with Lavine, who would give the Lakers a viable third offensive option that they’re currently lacking.