The Los Angeles Lakers front office faces a clear mission this summer and that is to be aggressive when it comes to team building. Time is not on their side regarding the future of LeBron James and providing an upgraded roster for next season would go a long way.
Acquiring Luka Doncic improved the Lakers’ scoring and playmaking on the perimeter by a lot, however against the Minnesota Timberwolves specifically, Anthony Davis’s impact was missed. Jaxson Hayes played just 30 total minutes through five games and was removed from the starting lineup by JJ Redick for their final contest of the season.
At only 24 years old, Hayes showed flashes down the stretch of the regular season and still has time to develop into a starting caliber piece long term, but Pelinka knows that he needs to find a quick fix in order to please James.
“I think LeBron’s gonna have high expectations for the roster and we’re gonna do everything we can to meet those,” Pelinka told the media after the Lakers’ first round playoff exit.
The Lakers believed they found their new center back in February when they agreed to send Dalton Knecht, an unprotected first round pick, and a pick swap for Mark Williams. However, Pelinka decided to back out of the exchange following a failed physical by Williams.
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Although the move ultimately fell through, the urgency showed right before this year's trade deadline should lead directly into the off-season. It might be as simple as making just one trade. They aren’t far from championship contention, but they must act promptly.
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