The Lakers are conducting exit interviews with their players today, sources told ESPN, and continues to go through its evaluation of the season as it pertains to deciding on the future of Darvin Ham coaching the team.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) May 1, 2024
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Lakers have multiple options but biggest problem is DLO.
Lakers have multiple options but biggest problem is DLO. Lakers need him to accept player option or agree to S&T so Lakers don't lose him for nothing.
Best solution w/b to work out S&T to team desperate for 3-point shooting like Magic for Jonathan Isaac. DLO is key to summer. https://t.co/rHb9I5kstB pic.twitter.com/104aHcNEAw
— LakerTom (@LakerTom) May 2, 2024
Lakers not so keen on adding third star next to James & Davis
Lakers might not be so keen on adding a third star next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis after allhttps://t.co/JqAMKCOi0o via @BleacherReport
— LakerTom (@LakerTom) May 2, 2024
The Los Angeles Lakers might not be so keen on adding a third star next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis after all.
Jovan Buha of The Athletic reported some in the Lakers organization would prefer building through depth rather than acquiring a third superstar.
“The Lakers have pushed back in recent weeks and months on the notion of going down the three-star build path, so we’ll see how that all shakes out. I think LeBron James will have a say in that,” Buha said on The Athletic NBA Show (20-minute mark).
He added that James has long been a proponent of the Lakers trading for a third star.
The Lakers’ avenue to adding a third star isn’t as straightforward as it was around the trade deadline. With D’Angelo Russell more than likely opting out of his contract to test free agency, they would need him to agree to a sign-and-trade to make nearly any permutation of a superstar acquisition work.
Russell would be most likely packaged with a combination of veteran contracts for salary matching purposes, and the Lakers would almost certainly have to give up all of their draft-pick flexibility moving forward.
It would be understandable if the Lakers balked at the notion. James turns 40 in December. The front office has to start preparing for a world where he’s no longer on the roster. Davis turned 31 in March and has a long injury history. He’s also shown himself incapable of being the best player on a championship team at this point.
Even if the Lakers want to compete for a championship next season, they need to think about the long-term health of their franchise. Cashing in what remains of their assets for a one- or two-year run with a 40-plus-year-old James and crossing their fingers Davis stays healthy is a risky proposition.
Taking the middle ground and revamping the roster and coaching staff around Davis and James for next season might be the best long-term move—even if it makes the odds of a title in 2025 longer.
Clippers’ playoff woes may lead to dream Lakers’ offseason
Clippers' playoff woes may lead to dream Lakers' offseason https://t.co/7PdqH1Oext
— LakerTom (@LakerTom) May 2, 2024
Everything could be coming together for the Lakers’ dream offseason.
Clippers flameout could make Tyronn Lue available
In his four seasons as head coach, the Clippers have won 57.9 percent of their regular season games, despite continually dealing with injury issues, but Lue only advanced beyond the first round of the playoffs once. They reached the conference finals in his inaugural season and have quickly flamed out ever since.
The former Lakers point guard may take the blame for the Clippers’ struggles, but it is not deserving. Lue is one of the best coaches in the world. He led the Cavaliers to a championship in 2016 and three straight NBA Finals but was fired after LeBron’s departure.
Lue is known for his Xs and Os and his ability to think outside the box on matchups and game plans. The Lakers desperately needed that this season as Ham struggled with his rotations and feel for the game.
Lakers likely to move on from Darvin Ham by the end of the week
Lakers likely to move on from Darvin Ham by the end of the week; per @jovanbuha
"The latest I've heard is the plan is still to move on from Darvin [Ham] at some point, likely by the end of the week, potentially as early as tomorrow, then the head coaching search will start.… pic.twitter.com/wTWiJ8vdIl
— BASKETBALL ON 𝕏 (@BasketballOnX) May 2, 2024