The NBA playoffs are an educational moment.
Lessons given, lessons learned.
Among the key takeaways from the Denver Nuggets-Los Angeles Lakers series: The Lakers don’t have a championship roster compared to the Nuggets, and the gap is wide during a best-of-7 series.
The proof is in the results. The Nuggets swept the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals last season and a similar result occurred in Denver’s 4-1 win over the Lakers this season.
Denver ended the Lakers’ season with a 108-106 victory in Game 5 on Monday. Jamal Murray’s 14-foot jumper with four seconds left pushed the Nuggets into the conference semifinals, where they will face the Minnesota Timberwolves. Denver’s Nikola Jokic had 25 points, 20 rebounds and nine assists, Murray had 32 points and seven assists and Michael Porter Jr. added 26 points.
The Lakers now enter another offseason looking for answers that could make them contenders in the Big West where the best teams — Denver, Oklahoma City and Minnesota — are being built for the coming seasons.
The Lakers did not make a move at the February trade deadline, although they explored potential trades.
“You can’t buy a house that’s not for sale,” Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka explained nearly three months ago. “My job is always to look for ways to improve our listing, but you can’t buy a house that’s not for sale. We spent a lot of time looking for ways to use strengths to improve our team.
In non-real estate discussions, there was no suitable trade for the Lakers. Additionally, the Lakers only had one first-round pick to send to another team at the trade deadline — not exactly the attractive assets another team was looking for in a deal for an All-caliber player. Star.
However, this summer the Lakers could have three first-round picks, which would allow them to improve the roster.
“This summer, in June, at draft time, we will have three first-round picks to pursue deals, which I think will really unlock access to a potentially bigger or more important swing,” Pelinka said in FEBRUARY. after the trade deadline. “We didn’t want to shoot a little bullet now, it would only lead to a very marginal improvement at the expense of a much bigger and potentially more impactful decision in June or July. Sometimes nothing is better than a careless move.
Where do the Lakers go from here?
Who is under contract for the Lakers in 2024-25?
LeBron James (has a player option and can become a free agent)
Anthony Davis
D’Angelo Russell (has a player option and can become a free agent)
Rui Hachimura
Austin Reaves
Gabe Vincent
Jared Vanderbilt
Jalen Hood Schifino
Christian Wood (has a player option and can become a free agent)
Cam Reddish (has a player option and can become a free agent)
Jaxson Hayes (has a player option and can become a free agent)
Maxwell Lewis
Who is a free agent on the Lakers roster?
Max Christie (restricted free agent)
Skylar Mayes (restricted free agent)
Colin Castleton (restricted free agent)
Spencer Dinwiddie (unrestricted free agent)
Prince Taurus (unrestricted free agent)
Harry Giles (unrestricted free agent)
How much salary cap space do the Lakers have?
The Lakers do not have salary cap space to make significant free agent signings. They should exceed the luxury tax, given James’ return. They will have access to minimum salary and mid-level exceptions to strengthen the roster.
Major measures must be taken through trade.
The Lakers have the No. 17 pick in the 2024 draft, but New Orleans has the right to take that pick (part of the Anthony Davis trade) or take the Lakers’ first-round pick in 2025. The Lakers also have a second pick. round pick in 2024.
What do the Lakers need?
Percentage-wise, the Lakers were a solid 3-point shooting team at 37.7%. But there were 28 of themth in 3-point attempts per game (31.4) and 24th 3s made per game (11.8). This led the Lakers to produce an average offense – #15 in the league with 115.4 points per 100 possessions.
Finding offensive help is a must, and guard help is at the top of the list.
The Lakers also need good health, which Lakers coach Darvin Ham says is the key to maximizing a team that had some strong moments during the regular season. They didn’t have their full roster available for much of the season due to injuries to Christian Wood, Cam Reddish, Gabe Vincent and Jarred Vanderbilt.
Will Darvin Ham return as Lakers coach?
Ham had his ups and downs as coach of the Lakers, and as noted, he didn’t have a healthy roster to work with. Ham appears to have the support of owner Jeanie Buss, but that doesn’t mean he’s guaranteed to return for a third season.
News Source : www.usatoday.com
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