5 Reasons Why the Los Angeles Lakers Shouldn’t Blow it Up
Savannah Mehran
Host · Writer
5) Christian Wood Hopes to Stay Healthy
Christian Wood, who is under contract for the Lakers—3 million dollars if we're talking numbers—is also looking to stay healthy in 2024-25 to offer more than he did last season. Whether or not he can be traded, we'll see if the Lakers will have Wood complement their stars or be an asset on the trade market.
The Lakers have so much to look forward to leading up to the offseason—much excitement and debate, though the spotlight may be dimmed by the NBA's other narratives.
1) LeBron James is Still Royalty
Heading into the NBA playoffs, the Los Angeles Lakers had significant potential. With the offseason on the horizon, we look ahead to LA's fortunes. The Lakers have a strong team, but are they worth the talk of the town?
LeBron James remains a cornerstone, but at nearly 40 years old, it's hard to tell how much longer he'll be a primetime player. He has been in the NBA since 2003, and if he were to opt-out, it wouldn't be the first time he jumped to another team along the journey. He's also beginning to look toward the next step in his basketball career and could prioritize playing with his son Bronny James for the upcoming season.
Links: Bronny NBA Draft Destinations | Top 5 LA Lakers Head Coaching Candidates
2) Rui Hachimura's Redemption
Rui Hachimura, power forward for the Lakers, hasn't had the best luck on the court. Rui's fifth season has been his most active and productive as a pro, averaging 13.6 points while shooting 53.7% from the field — which has also been noted as his career best. His postseason, however, started to fall apart. During the Lakers' several head-to-heads with the Denver Nuggets, the Gonzaga product failed to exceed a single-digit score in four of the five games. Ouch! Since he has performed very well in the past, we look forward to his redemption in the offseason.
3) All Eyes On AD
Anthony Davis’s return to form adds intrigue, hinting at a potential shift in team dynamics. LeBron and Davis together can be a tough matchup, and with AD's current playoff performances, he continues to wow the crowd. Davis averaged 27.6 points and put a league-leading 1.21 points of possession in the playoffs. Although the Lakers wouldn’t be the same without LeBron, Davis can be the No. 1 guy, and if the King remains, Davis can take the weight off LBJ's reign as he approaches his veteran status with the Lakers. New king of the Lakers?
4) Taurean Prince Has Caught Us By Surprise
The signing of fresh blood Taurean Prince has caught the eye of the public. He had a strong year, with an average of shooting 40% from 3-point range—impressive. Playing 78 games this season has given him time to grow with the team and adapt to his position. His health hasn’t been the most reliable, but coming into the offseason, he holds potential as a key role player.
5) Christian Wood Hopes to Stay Healthy
Christian Wood, who is under contract for the Lakers—3 million dollars if we're talking numbers—is also looking to stay healthy in 2024-25 to offer more than he did last season. Whether or not he can be traded, we'll see if the Lakers will have Wood complement their stars or be an asset on the trade market.
The Lakers have so much to look forward to leading up to the offseason—much excitement and debate, though the spotlight may be dimmed by the NBA's other narratives.
1) LeBron James is Still Royalty
Heading into the NBA playoffs, the Los Angeles Lakers had significant potential. With the offseason on the horizon, we look ahead to LA's fortunes. The Lakers have a strong team, but are they worth the talk of the town?
LeBron James remains a cornerstone, but at nearly 40 years old, it's hard to tell how much longer he'll be a primetime player. He has been in the NBA since 2003, and if he were to opt-out, it wouldn't be the first time he jumped to another team along the journey. He's also beginning to look toward the next step in his basketball career and could prioritize playing with his son Bronny James for the upcoming season.
Links: Bronny NBA Draft Destinations | Top 5 LA Lakers Head Coaching Candidates
