The Los Angeles Lakers are trying to maintain a winning streak at present. They need it to have a better advantage over others to make the postseason with ease this time. But the LA side has not had it easy in the last few seasons. They had a terrible start to the last season. But the fact that they ended up reaching the conference finals was nothing short of a miracle. Moreover, the 17-time champions had been through a pretty promising offseason. They seemed to have balance and depth in the personnel. Moreover, the Lakers looked like a contender for winning the title this season. However, a shaky start disappointed the Lakers Nation. Albeit, they have won three games on the trot.
Moreover, they are still unbeaten in the in-season tournament. However, concerns can raise over the team’s Injured List. It is not looking good so soon in the new season. All these injuries and the rocky start to the season made the front office think about reinforcements. Moreover, the trade season is around the corner, and the Lakers are already eyeing a potential trade with the Chicago Bulls. But there can be other trade options as well. Moreover, the Lakers are looking to trade for Zach LaVine and also plan to bring back Alex Caruso. On top of that, the Lakers can also try and target the Detroit Piston’s Bojan Bogdanovic.
Three Players Perfectly Match For Joining The Lakers Roster
The problem with the Lakers is that their roster does not complement well the top two stars of the team. It doesn’t matter how much LeBron James and Anthony Davis give their best. But they won’t be able to go on playing at the same level, given their weak fitness history in the last few seasons. Hence, they need a player to complement AD and LBJ. Zach LaVine is the ideal choice. Moreover, LaVine has an enormous contract, and that can play a part in his trade cost. Hence, the Lakers might not have to give up some of their major assets for LaVine. But Caruso is the fan-favorite player in LA.
Alex Caruso can play in any position, but his defensive skills make him an elite player. He spent his first four NBA seasons with the LA Lakers. Caruso was part of the Lakers 2020 championship-winning team. Hence, the fans would love to get him back. But the question is his trade cost. Besides the Lakers, the number of possible suitors for Caruso might reach the double digits. On the other hand, the Piston’s Bojan has not played in the current season so far with a calf strain. Bojan Bogdanovic must not be very expensive. He’s 34 years old. But his style of play suits the Lakers pretty well. His ability to shoot over smaller defenders and outside shots make him an ideal choice. As per Spotrac, he only has $2 million guaranteed for the next season.
Injuries Raise Concern For Darvin Ham’s Side
Moreover, the Lakers are already missing key players in their lineup for the last few games. For instance, Jarred Vanderbilt has not even played a single game in the current regular season. He has been out owing to a heel bursitis injury. It will take him some more time to recover.
Moreover, Vando was the most crucial player in the Laker’s defense after Anthony Davis. Hence, the LA side must feel a bit weak in their defense. Besides Vando, the Lakers are missing the services of the new signing Gabe Vincent and Jalen Hood-Schifino again due to injuries. Lately, against the Utah Jazz, Cam Reddish sustained a groin injury. Hence, the Lakers might miss him, too, in the next few games.