The Los Angeles Lakers overhauled most of their roster this past offseason.
Lakers captain LeBron James reportedly helped recruit while the franchise entertained trading for superstar players.
“In the two months that followed their first-round playoff flop against Phoenix [Suns], when [Anthony] Davis’ groin injury left them pulling up lame, the Lakers explored the prospect of trading for such stars as Damian Lillard, Bradley Beal, DeMar DeRozan and Russell Westbrook,” wrote Bill Oram, Shams Charania, and Sam Amick of the Athletic. “The process unfolded well beyond the team’s front office’s search, with James setting up a war room of his own at his Brentwood estate for some in-person player meetings while leading remote communications in other conversations.”
Despite winning a championship in 2020, the Lakers didn’t have the firepower and health to sustain a significant defense of the title.
As a result, they suffered an ugly loss to the Suns in the first round of the 2021 playoffs. The Lakers are reportedly worried that James’ and Davis’ windows to compete may be shorter than anticipated.
Furthermore, teams around the league, such as the Brooklyn Nets, are loaded with star power. Time is ticking for the 36-year-old James.
James averaged a solid 25.0 points, 7.8 assists and 7.7 rebounds per game last season.
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