The hopes and dreams of the Los Angeles Lakers for the 2022 Championships are out of the window. With their loss against the Phoenix Suns yesterday, the Lakers will officially not be able to participate even in the play-in tournament.
It was a very disappointing season for LeBron and Los Angeles. Even with a star-studded cast, Hollywood Lakers still came up short, completely falling out of playoff contention.
At first, they struggled to win games and sometimes choked on crunch time. Then, injuries plagued the team.
From Kendrick Nunn missing the whole season to Anthony Davis coming in and out of the games. Top that with inconsistencies, miscommunication, lack of defense, and a bunch of drama, the Lakers were already set to fold. Not to mention, they are a very OLD team. Guess this tweet from LeBron did not age very well.
Lately, there are a lot of speculations and rumors surrounding the Lakers organization for possible moves, trades, signings, and whatnot.
1. There is a high possibility that Russell Westbrook will not be returning in a Purple and Gold jersey.
As great as Russ is, he is nowhere near his former all-star self. But, let’s give the guy some slack, we know he plays his heart out and plays every game with passion. It just did not pan out.
2. Frank Vogel failed as a coach, and fans think he needs to be fired.
Vogel failed to capitalize on what looked to be a pretty good team, well at least on paper. He was heavily criticized for his player rotations and poor choices that might have caused the Lakers’ demise.
If Vogel gets fired, who should replace him? Previously, there were talks about Jason Kidd or Mark Jackson taking his place. Kidd is currently the head coach of the Dallas Mavericks, though Mark Jackson could be a good option. Other choices are Quin Snyder (Jazz head coach) and Doc Rivers (Sixers head coach).
3. Admit it or not, the great LeBron James is already aging.
Though even at this age, James is still playing at an elite level. Since the season started, the King had been carrying the whole organization on his back.
Earlier this year, he said that he wants to play with his son, Bronny, on an NBA team. Guess that opens up a lot of possibilities for LBJ’s next destination. He also hinted that another guy he would love to play with would be Steph Curry. It’s an absurd take, but will we ever see LeBron and Steph on the same team? (Not just the All-Star team)
4. There still could be hope for the Lakers and Anthony Davis
The Lakers are reportedly NOT MOVING Anthony Davis this offseason. This just means that he and LeBron could give it another shot next season.
5. Talen Horton-Tucker, who?
THT was nowhere to be found this season with him being inconsistent and sometimes becoming useless. Though no team is interested in him yet, he is already a candidate for the trade deadline.
With the Lakers’ shortcomings, do you still see them as a contender next season? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below. For more content, stay with us, here at Spiel Times.   Â
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