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The LA Lakers are the hottest team in the NBA right now, and their slow start has a lot to do with it. After suffering a loss against the Denver Nuggets, NBA legend Paul Pierce took to Twitter to troll the Lakers.
The Lakers find themselves at the bottom of the West with a 0-4 record after losing to the Nuggets. With their slow start, people have made fun of the team for struggling to find a common footing.
Russell Westbrook, who's usually being blamed for their inefficiencies, didn't play due to left hamstring soreness. This was the perfect opportunity for the team to prove that Westbrook truly is their problem.
But that wasn't the case and the Lakers lost to the Nuggets. It wasn't a close game either as it ended with a score of 110-99. Fans of the famed franchise weren't happy with the result. Former Boston Celtics star Paul Pierce took the chance to troll fans on Twitter.
"Lakers think they slic. They wanna pair Bron up with Wembanyama next year," Pierce tweeted.
The LA Lakers weren't able to play well against the Nuggets last night. Their defense was below average as Nikola Jokic flirted with a 30-point triple-double.
The reigning MVP scored 31 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and dished out nine assists to lead Denver to a win. Jamal Murray and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had 13 points each, but KCP had to leave the game due to an apparent left leg injury.
LeBron James struggled to make shots, but still managed to put 19 points, seven rebounds and nine assists for Los Angeles. He shot 2-for-8 from downtown and wasn't able to find his strength. James also turned the ball over eight times, the most for the team.
Anthony Davis had a decent game but seemed to have hurt his back in the game. He addressed the incident after the game.
What happens to the LA Lakers pick in next year's first-round pick?
During the 2019 offseason, the LA Lakers traded away a ton of assets to acquire Davis from the New Orleans Pelicans. In the trade, the Lakers gave away Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, and three first-round picks, including a swap-pick for next year's draft.
The trade was a good move when the Lakers won the Larry O'Brien trophy back in 2022. However, they've struggled so far to keep that same energy and it looks like they'll end up in the lottery next year.
Unfortunately, the Pelicans have the right to swap picks. This means that whoever Los Angeles picks in the draft could possibly end up playing for New Orleans.
Can LA Lakers salvage their season after losing start?
The LA Lakers started off the 2022-23 NBA season terribly. With a winless start to the league's 77th season, many wonder if the Lakers can still save their season.
The answer to that question lies solely in the Lakers' management. If they are willing to sacrifice key assets to turn their season around, they should take the chance. So far, the Lakers desperately need a consistent shooter that could help them stretch the defense.
One of their prospects is the San Antonio Spurs' swingman, Josh Richardson. He has gained attention from the Lakers' front office as one of their targets this season.
Now, people should just wait on Lakers' GM Rob Pelinka to set the ball rolling.
