Whether the team is vying for championships or struggling to not be a lottery team, the Lakers always find a way to make headlines.
The headlines are plentiful at the moment, as the team is in more of a mess than it is has been for a long time. Day after day, the sports sites and blogs are filled with Lakers rumors and news regarding the team.
The following are some major points being talked about at the moment.
1. Tyronn Lue as the Next Head Coach?
No offer has been made, but it’s looking like Tyronn Lue is going to become the next coach of the Los Angeles Lakers.
From the outside looking in, it looks like a move with LeBron in mind, since he won a championship with James in Cleveland. Apparently, Lue was also recommended by Phil Jackson and Magic Johnson.
2. The Front Office Will Needs Some Organization Following Magic’s Departure
No one quite knows what’s on in the Lakers front office right.
Just before the end of the 2018-19 season, Magic Johnson resigned as president of basketball operations, telling the press before telling owner Jeannie Buss or any of the players. It sent shockwaves throughout the organization, and the rest of the front office has been quiet about the situation ever since.
It hasn’t been formally announced what role general manager Rob Pelinka will play or how the organization will replace Johnson.
To add to the confusion, Buss and Johnson posted pictures of them at dinner on social media, and Johnson has said that he and Buss regularly communicate and he’s going to help her fix the Lakers’ troubles.
Who will the Lakers face during the Playoffs
With a locker room that fell apart at the end of the season, along with PR hiccups involving the resignation of Luke Walton and LeBron and his management going around the front office to try to make a major trade, they’ll need to piece things back together going into the 2019 season.
Pacific Division
Lakers vs Suns Tickets.
Lakers vs Clippers Tickets.
Lakers vs Warriors Tickets
Lakers vs Kings Tickets.
3. All Eyes Are on the Draft Board
Without question, the Lakers need a slam dunk in the upcoming draft.
The team has a less than 10% chance of scoring a top 4 pick in the lottery, but should still be in range to draft a quality player to build around. Though we won’t know how things shake out until we learn the 2019 draft order, the team is projected to possibly take players like Cam Reddish or Jason Hayes.
With a draft filled with talented players, it’s important for the team to come prepared to make a splash.
Northwest Division
Lakers vs Jazz.
Lakers vs Nuggets.
Lakers vs Thunder.
Lakers vs Timberwwolves.
Lakers vs Trail Blazers.
4. LeBron News Will Dominate Headlines for the Foreseeable Future
Southwest Division
Lakers vs Spurs.
Lakers vs Mavericks.
Lakers vs Grizzlies.
Lakers vs Pelicans.
Lakers vs Rockets.
The Lakers sell out the Staples Center with or without star power, but LeBron coming to Los Angeles created an entirely different kind of spectacle in the city. Don’t expect the 24-hour LeBron news cycle to slow down anytime soon.
It appeared that the locker room was divided throughout the 2018-18 season. Also, it was the first time in a while that James wasn’t able to seemingly will his team to a playoff seed.
A big reason for this is that his season was filled with injuries. In fact, he played 55, which was the lowest total of his career.
No matter what, he’s the best player on the team and fans will be looking to see how he bounces back.
5. Free Agency Will Be a Big Deal Every Summer
In the super team era largely created by LeBron, it’ll be interesting to see if the Lakers can partner him with another major piece or two in the post 2018-19 summer.
Some popularly rumored targets include Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving. It was the failed Davis trade earlier in the season that sense a rift through the locker room and front office, and Irving demanded a trade while playing with LeBron in Cleveland, so neither one of these moves is a given.
Aside from superstar acquisitions, the Lakers would do well to sign some lights out veterans like Kemba Walker and Khris Middleton.
6. The Young Core Will Have to Develop
The Lakers’ young core and its lack of development were huge topics of conversation throughout the 2018-19 season as well.
Lonzo Ball came to the team with much fanfare but hasn’t been able to become the transcendent star point guard the team had hoped for. However, Ball has shown some promise, as have other young players like Brandon Ingram and Kyle Kuzma.
It’s unclear how much time they’ll all have to play with each other, as virtually anyone on the roster not named LeBron could be up for the grabs for the foreseeable future as the team tries to put a roster in place that can compete for a playoff spot.
7. They Have a Decent Amount of Cap Space
What’s more, the team has a bit of money to throw around, which also makes things interesting.
The cap space currently stands at about $35 million, which isn’t tops in the league, but is definitely enough for the team to add some pieces. A lot of their roster is on one-year contracts, so the team is clearly prepared to make a deal if it looks right.
Stay Tuned to Lakers Rumors and News
No matter what, Los Angeles remains one of the most talked about sports cities, with the Lakers leading the topics of conversation. Stay tuned for Lakers rumors and news, as our site is one of the best when it comes to summer free agency updates.
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