Lakers reporter Jovan Buha recently interacted with fans at The Athletic and answered some questions about the team. Let's take a look!
Blackdragonroll: What should we do first?
Buha: The Lakers' first priority in the offseason should be to hire a new manager. As the most important indicator work, choosing who becomes the manager will have a huge impact on the future direction of the team, how to best trade Westbrook (of course, this depends on the market of Westbrook) and the positioning of the Lakers next season. The Lakers' next manager will also have weaknesses, but James and Davis may be able to keep the team competitive. Of course, choosing a coach whose coaching characteristics match the style of the two teams' star owners will be the best decision.
Now that more and more teams have surpassed the Lakers in terms of strength, choosing the right manager may be one of the few ways they can close the gap as soon as possible. It's difficult to significantly increase the strength of the squad, but the right coach can increase the lower and upper limits of the team's strength at the same time.
After finding the right new coach, the Lakers management needs to start manipulating the Westbrook trade and then fill the lineup with more suitable players.
PICKUPHOOP: Do you think the Lakers will give the new manager a five-year contract, or will they continue to give a short-term contract? Which model do you personally prefer?
Fan (lakid213): What type of contract do you think the Lakers will give to the new coach? I think candidates will want a four- or five-year contract with some extra bonuses.