Reports: LA Lakers star players believe team 'couple of players away' from being serious title contenders

The LA Lakers' star players believe that the team is a couple of players away from being a serious title contender.

The LA Lakers have been on an upward swing. But due to their horrible start, they are 2.5 games back from the final play-in spot in the Western Conference. They need to maintain their strong play. Otherwise, they'll miss the playoffs for the second year in a row.

The Lakers' resurgence is a result of an easy schedule and strong play from superstar Anthony Davis. The 29-year-old big man is averaging 33.4 points, 17.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 2.0 steals and 2.6 blocks over his last five games. Davis has stepped up in LeBron James' absence. He is showing glimpses of his old dominant self.

NBA reporter Dave McMenamin wrote the following about the team's confidence in the roster.

“There is belief shared by leaders in the Lakers’ locker room that the team is only a couple of players away from turning this group into a legitimate contender. But acquiring the right players could take multiple trades.”

The only role players who are doing well are youngsters Lonnie Walker IV and Austin Reaves.

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LA Lakers need better players to compete in the loaded western conference

The Lakers have won five out of their last six games. But they have a long way to go if they want to challenge the top dogs in the Western Conference.

With Russell Westbrook settling into his role running the second unit off the bench, the spotlight is now on GM Rob Pelinka. They are one of the worst shooting teams in the league. They also lack quality two-way wings, which leaves Anthony Davis to clean up a lot of mess in the paint.

Superstar LeBron James has started off slow. He is expected to bounce back after recovering from a groin injury.

Fans have been yearning for the team to trade for the Indiana Pacers duo of Buddy Hield and Myles Turner. However, Pelinka is adamant about not including their 2027 and 2029 first-round picks in any trade discussions.

The concern is that they will waste another year of LeBron James playing superstar level basketball. Anthony Davis is also in the prime of his career. If they don't figure it out soon, they could be in for a long rebuild.

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