The Western Conference has turned into a legitimate bloodbath. While hosting two of the best-run organizations brimming with talent in the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder, they also have deep rosters like the Denver Nuggets and the Minnesota Timberwolves to contend with.
Los Angeles Lakers Remain on the Brink
Not counting up-and-coming teams like the Dallas Mavericks, that leaves a very complicated scene to potentially build a contender in. The Los Angeles Lakers, after trading for Luka Dončić, believed they could also be a part of that group.
However, after getting swept in the second round, some had doubts about that future. One franchise icon, though, still believes they are right there with the elite.
Compared to the other rosters in the Conference, the Lakes aren’t as deep or as athletic, particularly defensively. As a result, most pundits and sports analysts haven’t given them a huge shot at making a run through the postseason.
This year, with Dončić injured, Austin Reaves and LeBron James could only push them past the first round. However, Michael Cooper believes the raw talent of their three stars could be enough for them to overcome any other deficit.
“We have LeBron, Luka, and Reaves. We got three players, and on any given night, two of those three can get you 30 to 35 [points]. That’s a lot of points. That’s what I’m saying.” However, the problem for the squad is the other areas.
While the offense keeps humming, the defense has been a major question mark for the team, which finished in the bottom 10 in defensive rating. But Cooper, who won five championships with the franchise, believes those gaps can be filled.
“The other role players who start to come in have to fill in the gaps a little bit, as far as some defensive intensity, being able to guard SGA [Shai Gilgeous-Alexander], being able to guard [Stephon] Castle or [Devin] Vassell, some of those players like that.”
[Victor] Wembanyama presents his own problem, not just to the Lakers but to every team. But we’ll make that adjustment with him. We’re not far from it.”
In conversation with Ratings, he explained that their Big 3 was as good as any other in the league. Instead, his focus remained on the auxiliary pieces and how they could be the difference-makers for their postseason hopes.
“That’s why those role players, and again, going back to our days, were so important. We had myself, we had Mike McGee, Bob McAdoo, and Mychal Thompson. We had a really solid [group], and you mentioned the bubble team. They had a solid cast of players who could come off the bench, and if we’re struggling to get there, they can help you get there.”
Cooper wasn’t certain about how far Los Angeles could truly go with this core. Last year, after striking on major free agent signings, the team brought in Marcus Smart and Deandre Ayton off the buyout market, before trading for Luke Kennard near the deadline.
This year, the hope in LA has to be for a better haul to complement their star players. And Cooper believes the role players will need to fit around James, Dončić, and Reaves for the entire operation to work.
“If we’re struggling to get over the top, those other three can get us over the top. But it’s going to take those role players coming in and doing their jobs consistently, night after night, for the Lakers to get back to the top and to be able to overcome OKC, the Spurs, and the Denver Nuggets. If we do that, we’re gonna be OK.”
It remains to be seen how the summer shapes out for the Lakers. With contract decisions around Reaves and James still pending, the roster could look drastically different from what it did at the end of last season.
However, as Cooper mentioned, some of the biggest members of the fan base still have trust in the team to take them to the promised land.
