r/lakers • u/Ajthekid5 • 20h ago
TEAM TALK Finals
I know that a Finals appearance might be a season or two away. So I have to ask what do you think the team really needs to give the Lakers a chance to win it all? Hiring someone from Miamis front office to help out Rob was smart but they have no real draft capital so what do think can be done?
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u/rjaysenior 20h ago
Anything can happen. Nobody said a spurs Knicks finals was a lock during the season
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u/CartoonsAndAppleJack Shaq and Kobe 20h ago
Two pieces: A true two-way wing and a competent rim running backup center
Those two things make us complete and able to compete with anyone
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u/Flimsy-Trust-2821 7h ago
Rim running back up is more important. The wing part is getting overblown
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u/EyelessSK 15h ago
It's gonna be hard to find these things given what the Lakers gave up for Kessler, have to pay Kessler, AR, Grimes, and Mamu. This is all on Rob and will be hard if not impossible for the next (hopefully) GM to fix.
I think Mamu is gonna be the real deal, and Kessler COULD be great, but could isn't good enough so he has to be able to hang with the Jokic and Wemby if this team ultimately wants to win it all.
I had bad feelings about Austin being the second best player before the preseason started, and I've only felt worse since it has.
I love the guy and think he can absolutely be a key piece of a championship team, but not as the second best player.
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u/CyclistTeacher 20h ago
As we saw with the Knicks last year, it’s just a matter of who gets hot at the right time. Almost nobody had the Knicks winning last year. They were a great team, but most fans had OKC, Spurs, Denver, etc. ahead of them.
To make the Lakers more likely to win, they need a true backup center and another two-way player who’s not afraid to get physical and can also close out on threes. You can’t win in today’s NBA by allowing as many open threes as they did last year.
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u/Ajthekid5 20h ago
That’s not really a fair comparison though. While I agree no had the Knicks winning they also had a more complete roster. It was perfect for making it that far no one expected to them to do though is the main thing. I agree with what the team needs though. I would add that I don’t think it would hurt to have more defensive on the roster as well.
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u/Delicious-Towel5813 20h ago
being hot at the right time is more of a argument for baseball than basketball. ehhh if the Lakers can take spurs or okc to a game 7. that is a successful szn for this Szn. next szn is finals win or bust.
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u/Advanced_Art_233 17h ago
That used to be true, not anymore. The game has been 'moneyballed' in the exact way that baseball was.
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u/FunctionJust3555 15h ago
I think you’re asking the right question, but I think the lack of clarity on the answer is what makes it so fuckin vital that we make the 2nd round, and push either SAS or OKC to 6 games. Give the team some concrete idea of what needs to improve instead of broad strokes.
Definitely need a backup 5, but Kessler is also 23 (24?) he needs to know exactly how he can develop. Same with the other role players. They gotta learn exactly where to practice 3’s from. And JJ will have to learn too.
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u/j_rooker 20h ago
2nd round assets will be important after hiring Amsler. Heat found and DEVELOPED guys like strus, vincent, martin, robinson, nunn, highsmith, haslem.
Lakers got Reaves. but went dark after that. Couldn't even get multiple 15th overall picks right. Carr was a gift from a deep draft. nuggets got Trevon Brazile in 2nd round.
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u/FunctionJust3555 9h ago
Worst part is that the Lakers actually HAVE found a bunch of legitimate rotation players around the margins, they just keep letting them go. Pippen, Huff, Goodwin, obviously Caruso, dare I say Kyle Kuzma. Josh Hart and Max Christie, though both were in legitimate upgrade trades. Zubac. As you said, Reaves. Jury’s still out on Thiero
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u/j_rooker 4h ago
the ones that cost a low vet min is inexcusable. Huff would be a valuable backup at the min.
not giving Caruso 8mil was a fk up.
The others had some returns. Christie. hart were neccessary to add stars. The Westbrook deal was a fiasco though.
Thiero will be a rotation player as he is now. whether he can make 3s will be known by his next contract.
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u/ManonFire1224 20h ago
If you think waiting a season or 2 puts us in position to be in the finals, well id temper expectations. With more seasons come aging players, and hefty contracts (looking at AR) on our books. And we have next to no assets.
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u/Well-Intentioned-Fox 3h ago
The main rotation players are all locked up for 4 years, except Luka and LA has his bird rights. Mathisse and Williams are the only high value players not signed for multiple years but AR took less money next year so they would have money for a 4 or backup center and also give them more than a vet min
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u/ManonFire1224 1h ago
That just isn’t accurate. AR’s cap percentage increases every year. Him, AR, and Walker will maintain above a 73% cap hold for the next 3 years. Now add Mamu and Grimes contracts. That leaves only MLE like plays the next couple of years.
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u/crimedawgla 20h ago
I think next offseason, targeting a quality backup C should actually be pretty easy, even if it’s just a guy who can play 10mpg in the playoffs. The bigger and most obvious piece that every championship team has had basically for as long as I can remember is a high-level switchable wing that can’t be played off the floor in crunch time (OG is the example from last season, but that’s champagne, 2022 Wiggins-type would be great).
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u/warranpiece 20h ago
It's culture and a coillecroll guys that are dogs. That's really underrated. Even an NBA chip is a good amount of luck and just sort of "coming together" at the right time.
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u/scifier2 9h ago
The biggest impact and reason teams win or lose a championship is health. If you can go into the playoffs rested and basically injury free for your top 8 or 9 players then you have a real good shot at winning it all. Look how many teams lose out because one of their top players is hurt or multiple? Lakers lost last year because both Luka and Reaves were hurt.
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u/effurshadowban 4h ago
This roster, as currently constructed, can win a championship. Are they a top contender? No. But they are capable of it. Jake and Ziaire have to be real shooters and good wing defenders, Mamu has to be an effective small ball center and the lineup around him has to shore up his deficiencies rebounding and rim protecting. Matisse healthy and decent shooting. Grimes seamlessly slides into the Smart role while at least being able to Catch and Shoot 3s. Also a decent ball handler. Sexton healthy and can run the offense to give Luka and AR some rest without the offense slipping too much. Big 3 healthy and at least meet the level they were at the last time they were healthy.
Of course, they all need to be healthy and fit with each other.
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u/Forkielifter 19h ago
Easy, trade our trash pieces for legitimate rotational players, just like some people in this sub keep complaining about. But on a serious note after we figure out a way to clear room, we are at a ride or die stage until trade deadline. Then at trade deadline we might be able to pick up someone of value.
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u/gratitudeisbs 20h ago
Da GOAT rob is going pull off a mini heist at the trade deadline like he does every season and that will put us over the top
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u/outsidehere AR 15 11h ago
Perimeter defender who can shoot 3s and a rim running center who can block shots. PJ Washington and Daniel Gafford
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u/Splittinghairs7 20h ago
To reach this team’s ceiling, they need to trade Hardy plus 3 seconds for a good back up big like Jalen smith and then use the NTP MLE to sign a 3D wing like Derrick Jones Jr next year.
These are all very realistic moves.
Then also hope that guys like Carr and Adou continue to develop.
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u/SpiritFantastic4835 17h ago
Realistic yes but we can’t have Luka be the full time 4. Need someone bigger than DJJ. Help side defense is super important
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u/Splittinghairs7 17h ago
DJJ does that and Jalen smith and Mamu can be used on big 4s.
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u/SpiritFantastic4835 15h ago
DJJ is too small (weight) and doesn’t rebound(for a PF) Mamu and Jalen smith can’t guard SFs so you’re asking Luka to take on the superstar SFs. The forward position needs someone who can rebound, protect the rim, guard the best SF & PF each night. This player can’t lock Luka in one role defensively. It has to be matchup dependent
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u/Miserable_Certainty 19h ago
I think that during the immediate aftermath of the season ending this year we need to fight like hell to bring Jokic here.
He’ll be a free agent, LA has room for his horses, and best of all, he and Luka are great friends. A super star draws in more super stars and together they’d be an unstoppable force.
Add in reaves, some strong sf and f’s, and good health and we’ll be championship contenders in a year.
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u/1of1czr 19h ago
For all the flak he gets (kinda deserved) Rob also makes a lot of really good moves. He got Rui for just 2 2nds I believe. Obviously got Luka and now Kessler. Also got Kennard for just a second and these are valuable players that he found. So I think there’s a good chance he pulls off another lowkey move that can really help us. Then if Adou and Carr develop properly, it’s possible they can be exactly what we need. Carr (2 way 3&D wing) and Adou (Athletic starting power forward who guards the best player and hopefully can hit 3’s) we’d be so set if they hit their potential. Then like everyone else said we desperately need a real backup center. If all these things happen we can genuinely win a chip in the soon future. But a lot of things have to go right for this to happen. Definitely possible