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The LA Lakers roster went through a major overhaul at the NBA trade deadline on Feb. 9. NBA analyst Stephen A. Smith believes the Lakers are now in a position to contend for an NBA championship.
LA came into the season with a roster that was full of question marks. Although the team had superstars such as LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the depth of the team seemed to be lacking. It presented a challenge for general manager Rob Pelinka to quickly upgrade the roster ahead of the trade deadline.
That's just what Pelinka did, as the Lakers were aggressive in acquiring additional pieces to surround James and Davis. The front office went out and acquired forward Rui Hachimura from the Washington Wizards. After that, LA made one of its biggest moves of the season.
They sent Russell Westbrook, Juan Toscano-Anderson, Damian Jones and their 2027 first-round pick to the Utah Jazz in a three-team deal. In return, the LA Lakers roster added Malik Beasley, D'Angelo Russell and Jared Vanderbilt.
Appearing on "First Take," analyst Stephen A. Smith praised Rob Pelinka, saying he believes the LA Lakers roster, if healthy, can make a run in the Western Conference:
"I'm gonna say, it's possible. ... They're only 3.5 games out of the six seed. ... I got LeBron James healthy. ... AD. I like D'Angelo Russell on the Los Angeles Lakers. ... I like Malik Besley on the Los Angeles Lakers. I like this kid Vanderbilt. ...
"They've improved in shooting. They've been able to spread the floor. ... If these guys are healthy, the way the West has looked ... The Lakers healthy are going to the semifinals."
LA Lakers roster hopes to make a push in second half of 2022-23 season
The LA Lakers roster has had a complete makeover. LA now has improved depth when it comes to its options on the court. As one of the worst shooting teams in the league so far, LA has added some firepower to its offense.
The Lakers also acquired one of the most underrated defensive assets in the league in young forward Jarred Vanderbilt. If LA wants to make a push toward securing a spot in the playoffs, the time for the Lakers to hit the ground running is now, right after the All-Star break.
The Lakers currently find themselves at 27-32. That places them in 13th place in the Western Conference standings. But there's room for optimism, as the Lakers are just two games behind for a spot in the play-in tournament. If LeBron James and Anthony Davis can stay healthy, a run for the Lakers to close out the season isn't out of the question.
