The Lakers gave up champions such as Kuzma and Pope in the offseason last year, got the Wizards' Westbrook through a trade, and formed a shock alliance of big three with James and Davis. But Wei Shao's state declined, without the threat of projection, he could not lead the team further, and there was no way to be perfectly compatible with James and Davis, and the Lakers could not even score in the playoffs in the end. Judging from the results, the Lakers in the 21-22 season is a losing journey, from the general manager, team manager, team members need to carry out deep reflection.
"Eat a trench and grow a wisdom", the Lakers naturally do not need a superstar who is good at breaking through and shorter than projection, but needs a defensive and three-point fighter, as well as a new interior line that can open up space and can be coordinated. Why? Because james and Davis' offense needs space support, and James needs to organize the inside line after he leaves the court, this can reduce the pressure on the two superstars. Nowadays, how to deal with the heavy burden of Wei Shao is also a huge problem in front of the Lakers.
Isn't that? Now that it has been eliminated, the Lakers in addition to recuperation, the moment to test the general manager's operational ability is also coming. Before the free market doors open, they need to spend a lot of time researching and negotiating, so they don't lose a lot of trading opportunities by the time they are busy. As Lakers fans, we are very concerned about what kind of stars this team can bring in in the offseason so that we can maximize the use of James' final peak to compete for the championship.
According to Los Angeles Times reporter Dan Woike, an insider revealed that Pelinka's negotiations have made a key breakthrough. The 4-for-3 trading plan was released, and the specific transaction content was:
Lakers: Sending chips such as Wei Shao, the first round pick in 2027 and two second round picks;
Pacers: Send out Turner, Hilde, Brogdon;
Why is this deal possible? Or why are the two teams negotiating for this? To answer this question, it is necessary to talk about the needs of both teams, after all, the NBA has always been a purely commercial organization, both based on the maximization of profits.
The Los Angeles Lakers failed in the 21-22 season mainly because of the deformity of the lineup structure, and then the core players suffered injuries that led to the birth of instability. So it's important to adjust the current player structure, first to deal with hot potatoes like Westbrook and bring in players who are young enough to have a chance to balance something. The Pacers' three players can perfectly fit the Lakers' tactical system, and can provide the three points that the team needs, and the offense of James and Davis has been supported.
All three players have the ability to shoot one-handed three-point shooting, such as when James or Davis attack the basket with the ball, the opponent must not dare to easily wrap it, otherwise they will be punished by these shooters. In addition, Brogdon is an excellent point guard, which can also reduce the pressure on James's possession to some extent. Turner's ability to protect the basket and rebound can share Davis's offensive and defensive pressure, and can be placed in the twin towers or used as a stand-in for Davis. As a shooter, Hield is naturally in line with Zhan Huang's "one-star and four-shot" offensive system, and Zhan Huang may be happy to close his mouth.
As for the Walkers? This team did not make it to the playoffs and had to adjust the lineup. Turner's years of playing for the team still can't be the core figure, proving that he is not suitable for training as the core of the team, so the team needs draft chips to prepare for the future. As for Westbrook's contract? There are also a few seasons left, and it will be time to be flexible.
Once the deal can really be reached, then general manager Pelinka is really turning decay into magic, and the Lakers have a chance to once again appear on the big stage of the Finals.