Report: Vital member of Lakers training staff no longer with franchise

After a disappointing 2021-22 season, the Los Angeles Lakers have been making some changes.

The team fired Frank Vogel earlier in April, and it is now being reported that Judy Seto, a longtime member of the Lakers’ training staff, is no longer with the team.

“Judy Seto, a longtime presence within the Lakers training staff, is no longer with the team after her contract expired, sources with knowledge told The Times,” wrote Dan Woike.

Seto had been serving as the team’s director of sports performance since 2019. She also served as L.A.’s head physical therapist from 2011 to 2016 and worked closely with Lakers legend Kobe Bryant before that. Her ties to the organization date back to the 1990s.

The Lakers reportedly won’t be replacing Seto in her role, and head athletic trainer Roger Sancho will continue to lead that department.

Over the past couple of years, the Lakers have made lots of changes to their training staff. The team hasn’t really been able to stay fully healthy in recent seasons. During the 2021-22 campaign, injuries to LeBron James and Anthony Davis derailed the team’s year completely.

Los Angeles wound up finishing with a 33-49 record this season, which wasn’t even good enough to secure a spot in the play-in tournament.

Surely, lots of changes will be made to the Lakers’ roster during the upcoming offseason. It seems like Russell Westbrook, who was acquired last offseason in hopes of helping the team make it back to the NBA Finals, is on his way out.

Right now, only James, Davis and Talen Horton-Tucker, who was involved in many trade rumors during the regular season, have guaranteed contracts for the 2022-23 season.