What a strange season for Los Angeles Lakers.
The team entered the season with a podcaster as a head coach, has done a business start to the season for Dorian Finney-Smith to (finally) obtain more bidirectional production, saw LeBron James at 40 after playing in a match with his son, then exchanged for Luka Freaking Dončić just before the date of the business.
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Oh, They also canceled a jobwhich occurs very rarely and returned to haunt them In match 5 Wednesday evening. Never a boring moment at La Land.
In many ways, it was a season of change. Not only for the now, but also the future. James aged (allegedly), to the point where you have to ask yourself how long it will stay. Dončić's acquisition has sent a signal that the organization is about to transfer the power of a superstar of yesteryear to one with an eye over the coming years.
The cost was Anthony Davis, 32, one of the most influential great men of the last decade, who, for a 26-year-old who, at worst, is a top-five talent of the league, is not really a sacrifice if we are truthful.
Luka Dončić and LeBron James were rebounded in the playoffs on Wednesday evening. (AP photo / Mark J. Terill)
(Associated Press)
Of course, we have to balance things fairly here.
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While the Lakers have made sure that the Mavericks make sure that Dončić is not exactly dominated when they reached the playoffs, Locating in five games in the first round against the Minnesota Timberwolves With an extremely worrying defense demonstration, a large part at the feet of Dončić, and a general lack of cohesion, size and depth.
In some respects, it is understandable. Dončić and James both play a similar brand of physical basketball, because they have a lot in hand the ball, and none is as foldable as a out of ball as, let's say, Kyrie Irving, who played with both.
In addition, Dončić does not have a great man who can roll hard is to remove part of his creation of games otherwise elite.
That said, the Lakers went to fight with two players who should absolutely be able to produce more and ways to do the means to do the work, and they did not do it.
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So what is the next step?
Here is what you need to know about the lakers before the offseason:
2024-25 Finish
Record: 50-32, third of the Western Conference. Lost against the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games in the first round.
Presentation of the season
Let's be honest, there was no better time that Dončić left 45 points in a victory against the Mavericks on April 9 in Dallas, with the applauding and applauding crowd for his guy. This game was advanced sports – emotions bubbling on the surface, a large offensive execution, an individual glory and the world of basketball not wanting to miss a beat. It was a regular season match of all time.
Players signed next season
Luka Donic
Rui Hachimura
Austin Reaves
Maximum glue
Gabe Vincent
Jarred Vanderbilt
Dalton Knecht
Bonny James
Key -free agents
LeBron James (player option)
Dorian Finney-Smith (player option)
Projected salary
$ 118,233,459 (the salary ceiling should be $ 154.6 million)
Draft choice
N ° 55
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Focus on the project: When your hopes depend on LeBron and Luka, a choice at the bottom of the second round does not really matter.
Since the above salary number does not include James or Finney-Smith, the chances are good, these two will combine to engulf most, if not all, of luxury tax space. If so, this means that the Lakers examine the exception of the level of the Milieu tax, as opposed to the Mle without tax. This means that the team can sign a free agent up to two years, with a maximum starting salary of $ 5.6 million.
Needs and objectives
They are one and identical for Lakers. Size. Charges and charges of agile size to prevent great men from making What Rudy Gobert did in match 5 Wednesday evening. This team needs big painting players who can be fed by Dončić and James lobs, with the ability to draw defenses to free up space so that these two stars work. Complete this need and the goal of a championship becomes much more realistic.
