"I expect them to be a bottom-tier playoff team if Westbrook is on the roster and playing" - Los Angeles Lakers insider gives a damning indictment of the current squad

The 2022-23 NBA season won't start until late October, but experts already think the Los Angeles Lakers will have another mediocre year. With only a few tweaks to their roster, the Lakers haven't really made any major noise during this year's off-season.

After a very disappointing 2021-22 season, the Lakers are trying to re-tool their failed roster. Los Angeles tried to make things work with league veterans and Russell Westbrook. On paper, they even looked like a legit threat. Four-time NBA champ LeBron James even took to Twitter, telling fans to watch out for what's to come. James deleted the tweet as their season was subpar. The Lebron James' led squad failed to manage expectations and crashed out of the playoffs.

They were also plagued with injuries, specifically Anthony Davis, throughout the season.

Right now, the Lakers have managed to go in a different direction. The Lakers have signed youngsters like Lonnie Walker IV, Juan Tuscano-Anderson, Troy Brown Jr., and Damian Jones. Although they've managed to bolster their ranks, it still doesn't look like a huge improvement.

The Athletic's Jovan Buha doesn't believe the Los Angeles Lakers will be making a huge impact this upcoming season. Buha stated:

"I don’t believe the Lakers, as currently constructed, can win a championship. I expect them to be a bottom-tier playoff team if Westbrook is on the roster and playing."

It's important to take note that the Lakers can still make immense improvements if Russell Westbrook isn't part of the team. Based on Buha's assessments, the Lakers' supporting cast is somewhat weak compared to the top teams in the Western Conference. The new players they signed don't have a ton of playoff experience, which is what the Los Angeles Lakers need if they are to compete for a championship.

---

The Los Angeles Lakers won't win another championship with just Anthony Davis and LeBron James

New Orleans Pelicans vs. Los Angeles Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers have changed since winning the 2020 NBA championship. They weren't able to retain their championship squad and signed veteran players on one-year deals.

These new signings weren't able to make noise in the league as their age and health proved to be insurmountable obstacles. Plus, their slow defensive movement gave the opposing teams a huge advantage in executing their offensive sets.

Additionally, Russell Westbrook's failure to integrate with the team has become a major hindrance in running a fluid offense. Charles Barkley, a Phoenix Suns' legend, sounded off on James and Davis on the show NBA on TNT:

Anthony Davis is one to blame as well. His inability to stay healthy is one of the reasons for the Lakers' underwhelming season. Before the start of his tenth season, Davis was expected to be the team's leader. The eight-time All-Star missed half of the season due to injuries.

With LeBron slowly aging, it was logical for the Lakers to fixate their eyes on grooming The Brow into a new leader.

The Los Angeles Lakers likely won't win another championship with the way their roster is fixed right now. They might even struggle to make the playoffs. But a few decent signings, like Kyrie Irving, and Lebron's contract extension just might prove enough for them to enter title contention.