The 21-22 season is in full swing, and the new year is coming, which also means that the NBA has entered the second half of the season, and after the trade deadline, the pattern of the league will also be fixed, and who can compete for the championship will basically have eyebrows. For now, the most surprising team in the East is the Bulls (26-11, 1st in the East), while the most disappointing team is the Hawks (17-22, 12th in the East). The most surprising team in the West is naturally the Warriors (30 wins and 9 losses to the West), and the most disappointing team is the Lakers (21 wins and 10 losses, 7th in the West).
The Lakers have won more than half of the time, why is it still the most disappointing team in the playoffs? In last offseason, when Pelinka formed the core lineup of James + Davis + Westbrook + Anthony + Howard, in the eyes of many people, the Western Conference finale, the Lakers to reach the Finals is no suspense. Now, halfway through the season, the Lakers are exposed, seemingly behemoths, but in fact, they are strong and dry, if it is not the 37-year-old James struggling to support, the Lakers may be the belly of the West, not the playoff level team.
In terms of book strength, the Lakers are definitely at the championship level. James and Westbrook are both MVPs, and Thick Brow was the league's best big forward (2019-20 season), Anthony has proven himself, he is the top scorer on the bench, Howard's defense is still online, and Bradley, Munch and other 3D players. Other teams look at the Lakers' lineup, it is estimated that they are drooling, it is too luxurious, the team with the most All-Star players in the league, but the record can explain a lot of problems, and now the Lakers are almost a playoff round tour team, it is difficult to go further.
James is 37 years old, the last 2 years, this is James's time in Los Angeles, the final championship window, the Lakers must seize. And another month, the trade deadline is coming, if the Lakers want to have a drastic change, they must start with the core lineup and make changes. James is definitely not for sale, even if he performs average, the Lakers have earned, not to mention, the current James is still an MVP-level star, averaging 28 points per game.
The US media also suggested that the Lakers and timberwolves trade, and the specific transaction plan is that the Lakers use thick eyebrows + Westbrook to exchange the Timberwolves' Towns + Russell. This is a 2 for 2 trading scheme. The Timberwolves are currently eighth in the West with 20 wins and 20 losses and are already a competitive team in the West. And if Towns and Russell assist James, the Lakers may have a new look.
However, The Timberwolves' Edwards has risen to the top, averaging 22+5+3 per game, and he is not yet 21 years old this year, making him the league's most promising young star, and the ceiling is definitely MVP level. Towns and Russell are also the core players of the Timberwolves, basically non-selling, unless there is an offer that can impress the Timberwolves. If the Lakers are willing to use thick eyebrows as trading chips, perhaps the Wolves will be impressed, because thick eyebrows are better defenders than Downs, and the Timberwolves also need a DPOY-level interior line, so in time, the Timberwolves may become a championship-level team.
And if the Lakers decide to trade Thick Brow and Wei Shao, the reason is actually very good. First, thick eyebrow injuries are hidden dangers, the Lakers need a star with high attendance, and after James, relying on thick eyebrows to lead the team to compete for the championship is almost a fool's dream. Second, Wei Shao is destined to be just a passerby, he may leave the team in the offseason, it is better to take advantage of the current trade wei Shao.
According to previous US media reports, due to Davis's frequent absences from the game, the outside world is already discussing whether the Lakers will trade thick eyebrows. However, the Lakers have not yet revealed any signal to trade thick eyebrows, but in fact, everyone knows that if thick eyebrows still can't get back to the 3-point level (17.9% of the three-point shooting rate in the 21-22 season), it will open up space for James, taking advantage of his youth, trading him is actually the best choice. And Downs has made great progress this season, if the Timberwolves are willing, Lakers general manager Pelinka should also consider it carefully, and the thick eyebrows are not stronger than the current Towns.