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#4 LA Lakers need to develop team chemistry
With the LA Lakers losing Alex Caruso in free agency, LeBron James became the longest tenured Laker on the roster. Besides LeBron, Davis, Horton-Tucker and Gasol, the rest of the roster consists of players who were acquired by the Lakers this offseason.
With so many new faces, forming team chemistry will be vital for the Purple and Gold. Having a healthy locker room boosts team morale and pushes players to perform to their full potential.
The addition of veterans in this regard is a definite upside as there is a wealth of knowledge that comes with it. However, the coaching staff will have the task of ensuring that the dominant egos in the team can work together towards a common goal.
#5 LA Lakers need to focus on player health
The short offseason took its toll on all the teams that went deep into the playoffs in the NBA bubble. With star players like LeBron James and Anthony Davis missing the majority of last season due to injuries, the LA Lakers dropped from the top of the Western Conference all the way to the seventh seed. They barely squeaked into the playoffs through the play-in games.
The Lakers have an old roster. The rest of the roster outside LeBron James and Anthony Davis also needs to stay healthy. The medical and training staff will have to make sure that the players are prepared to go through the grind of the regular season. Frank Vogel will also have his hands full while managing the minutes of LeBron and other veterans.
#6 LA Lakers need to address their three-point shooting woes
An additional facet to be acknowledged here is the LA Lakers' three-point shooting woes. While the mid-range is making a comeback in the game, shooting from the outside is a must in the modern NBA. Having reliable outside shooters will open up options for both LeBron and Westbrook to drive and kick the ball to an open man while also making it easier for bigs such as Davis to feast in the post.
Having shot just 35.4% from beyond the arc last season, the LA Lakers have attempted to solve those problems by signing Wayne Ellington and Malik Monk. Ellington shot the ball at 42.2% from downtown last season while Monk maintained a healthy accuracy of 40.1% from beyond the arc.
