'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
After a solid start to the 2020-21 NBA season, the LA Lakers saw their campaign derailed mid-way through because of long-term injuries to their star duo, LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
The LA Lakers were 21-6 when they were healthy and looked like legitimate favorites to land the title for a second consecutive year. However, it soon turned into a bumpy ride as they ended the regular season with a 42-30 record and found themselves seeded seventh. Davis and LeBron missed a combined 63 games for the side, featuring together just 27 times.
As a result, the Lakers had to play in the play-in tournament to secure a playoff berth. They did that by successfully defeating the Golden State Warriors and faced off against the Phoenix Suns, who turned out to be the winners of the Western Conference and are now playing in the NBA Finals.
Many expected the LA Lakers to beat the Suns due to their lack of experience in the playoffs, but an unfortunate injury to Anthony Davis ended their hopes of making it past the first round.
The miserable season is done and dusted now, and the LA Lakers have a long offseason to rest and come back stronger as opposed to the previous campaign. They only have six players guaranteed to be on their roster for next season, though, and have major decisions to make in the 2021 NBA offseason.
On that note, we take a look at the five biggest needs they must address.
#5 LA Lakers need to add more shooters
The LA Lakers, as mentioned earlier, only have six players guaranteed to be on their roster for next season. It gives them an excellent chance to add some new faces to the roster this offseason who can help them improve in areas they struggle with the most. One such aspect was not having many reliable shooters in their squad outside of LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
They added players like Dennis Schroder and Wesley Mathews to resolve their issues on that end, but neither player was as consistent as the LA Lakers expected them to be. Yes, the Lakers have limited resources to acquire elite-level talent, but if GM Rob Pelinka and the rest of the front office are crafty with available resources, it could do wonders for the side.
The LA Lakers were the seventh-worst offensive side with a 109.8 rating during the 2020-21 regular season and ninth-worst in three-point shooting, making only 11 shots from deep on 31 attempts per contest. Adding better shooters would give LeBron James and Anthony Davis some much-needed support and also open up driving lanes for them to get to the rim.
#4 Re-sign their most impactful free-agents
The LA Lakers will have to try and re-sign some of their best players about to hit free agency this summer. Those include the likes of Alex Caruso and Talen Horton-Tucker. Both players played huge roles for the team in the 2020-21 NBA season and will have a huge market in free agency.
They are young and clearly fit the LA Lakers style of play, which makes it highly important to bring these players back next campaign. It will be complicated, though, with the Lakers having no cap space available at the moment, which makes it unlikely that they will re-sign both players.
#3 LA Lakers need to figure out their big man rotation
When the LA Lakers moved on from JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard, they acquired Marc Gasol and Montrezl Harrell as their new big man pairing last offseason. It looked like a great deal for the team as Gasol would play as a stretch five and also provide rim protection, while Harrell could provide a solid scoring punch off the bench while operating beneath the rim.
However, both players failed to suit the style of the LA Lakers as Gasol wasn't able to match the athleticism and speed of opposition bigs, while Harrell found it difficult to match up against his counterparts who had a bigger frame. With Anthony Davis struggling with injuries, the Lakers did not have a reliable rim protector, which proved to be a huge weak link in their defense.
The Lakers had to add Andre Drummond mid-season as a result, but he did not deliver to his potential either. Drummond did not play with LeBron and Davis as much, as the trio struggled to dominate opponents when on the court together.
Drummond clogged the paint quite often, which restricted Anthony Davis and LeBron James from being able to attack the rim. His defense didn't inspire confidence either.
Gasol is on an expiring deal next season and rumors suggest he could be heading home to Spain to play out the rest of his professional career. Meanwhile, Harrell has a player option and this offseason. If he opts in, the Lakers will try to use him in trade talks and potentially ship him away in a sign-and-trade deal.
The LA Lakers have Anthony Davis in their ranks, a proven performer at center. They could either look to let him play most of his minutes there or acquire a traditional center to maintain the size advantage they have used in the last two seasons.
A stretch five would also do, but should also be able to provide cover as a rim protector, something the Lakers will need whenever Davis is off the floor.
#2 Kyle Kuzma's future
Kyle Kuzma failed to fill in as the team's third star, behind LeBron James and Anthony Davis last season. Kuzma did not have a specific role to play and struggled to deliver consistently for the side. He is one of their best tradeable assets this summer and could be on the move.
He did improve various aspects of his game, though, like his rebounding and defense, which makes one think he could prosper in his fifth year and play to his potential if given a more consistent role.
Kuzma also showed glimpses of being a reliable player in the absence of Davis and LeBron, putting up multiple 20-point games. The LA Lakers will have to weigh in on the pros and cons of parting ways with him. If they are to trade Kuzma, they will have to be wise with their transaction as he is one of their few intriguing tradeable assets.
#1 Aggressively pursue a third star
The LA Lakers desperately need a third-star in their ranks who can complement LeBron James and Anthony Davis next season. James will be playing his 18th season next year, while Davis has a long injury history, making it a very important need the Lakers will have to address.
They need a reliable player who can deliver in the absence of the two stars in case they endure another injury-riddled campaign. The Lakers have limited resources, but if used wisely, they can add a third star to their ranks.
The Lakers have been linked with multiple All-Star caliber players like DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry recently and should be aggressive in their efforts to provide LeBron and AD with some help.
