“We are in an era where you absolutely have to have shooting to compete in NBA” – NBA analyst highlights Lakers' weakness, says the team will struggle offensively and defensively

The Los Angeles Lakers have had a busy offseason. However, ESPN Senior NBA Writer Brian Windhorst isn’t optimistic about their chances this season. On a recent episode of "NBA Today," Windhorst said his foremost concern isn’t about Davis’ health. Instead, he is concerned about the Lakers' ability to shoot.

“There’s no shooting, Zach," Windhorst said. "We’re in an era where you absolutely have to have shooting to compete in the NBA. It’s not about how much shooting you have but how elite is it. They have no shooting. I don’t know how they are going to do it.”

While they do have All-Stars in Russell Westbrook, Anthony Davis, and LeBron James, the team still lacks elite shooting. ESPN's Zach Lowe refuted Windhorst’s claim by pointing out that recent addition Patrick Beverley is a 37.8% 3-point shooter. Windhorst responded that the fiery point guard had the worst three-point percentage of his career last season, 34.3%.

LA added a few other plays this offseason. In July, they signed center Thomas Bryant on a one-year contract to have his second stint with the squad.

Then, they acquired Dennis Schröder on a one-year, $2.6 million deal after his impressive stint at the 2022 European Basketball Championships. He led Germany to a quarterfinal victory over Giannis Antetokounmpo and Greece before finishing third. He became a part of the EuroBasket All-Tournament Team after averaging 22.1 points and 7.1 assists per game.

What are the Lakers' chances this year?

During the same episode of "NBA Today," host Malika Andrews which Lakers' player is the most important this season.

Analyst Dave McMenamin mentioned Davis, especially his availability to play. The four-time All-NBA First Team member played in 62 of the Lakers' 72 games in his first year with the squad. He helped lead them to a championship in the bubble. Since then, he has missed more games than he has played. He has played in 76 games over the past two years.

He also stressed the team’s concerns at point guard because of the specialized roles for Beverley and Kendrick Nunn. Beverley will be their primary wing defender, and Nunn will try to become a reliable scorer again. The point guard duties will be left with Schröder and Westbrookif he is still with the squad as the season progresses.

Lowe said the Lakers have a high floor if they can get 120 combined games from Davis and James. Lowe sees the team having at least 45 wins and a possible first-round playoff series victory if both remain healthy. He closed his statement by claiming that an early to midseason trade involving Westbrook could boost the team’s chances.

Analyst Ramona Shelburne stressed that the Lakers have multiple issues to fix, especially shooting and defense. She went back to availability being their primary issue. Having Davis improves their skills on both ends of the court. However, she shared concerns about the team’s ability to improve, given their scarcity of assets.