The Lakers ended this season by getting swept in the Western Conference Finals. What can they do to improve for next season?
The Lakers had a really weird season. By midseason, they were the No. 13 seed in the Western Conference. They then traded Russell Westbrook and started to improve. LeBron James got healthy soon afterward and they made the playoffs.
The Lakers ended up winning two rounds in the playoffs before getting swept by the Nuggets. Poor play from Anthony Davis and a lack of versatility and firepower forced them to head home. They have a lot of big offseason decisions to make on restricted and unrestricted free agents but here are the goals they should be pursuing.
Lakers offseason priorities: 3. Make sure Anthony Davis and LeBron James are healthy
As LeBron James becomes the oldest active player in the NBA, he most likely won't be healthy for a complete season ever again. Still, the Lakers can think about ways to manage his production during the season to make sure he faces the least amount of wear and tear.
With the injury histories of both of these players, it is likely that both will miss extended time due to injury. While it will most likely happen at some point next season, avoiding these types of injuries and making sure they have the depth to survive them should be a priority for the Lakers if they want to go farther next season.
Additionally, the Lakers should look to make Anthony Davis more of a priority on the offensive end. They need to find ways to make sure he is more dominant than he was in the playoffs this year. He had his moments but struggled with consistency on the offensive end of the playoffs.
Lakers offseason priorities: 2. Find a replacement for D'Angelo Russell
It is time to move on from D'Angelo Russell. His offensive game is too inefficient for the playoffs. While he is a solid starter in this league, it is hard to play a lot of playoff minutes when his offense isn't there and he is a huge defensive liability. Russell will command a significant offer in the free agent market and will likely be offered starter-level money.
The Lakers can not afford to keep Russell on a starter-level contract. They should look for a more offensively consistent guard who is good enough on defense to stay on the floor in the playoffs. This may be a hard task to do with the Lakers' limited resources.
The better solution to this would be to find a less-talented offensive player who is at least playable on the defense side of the court. If the Lakers want to have a chance to win a title next season, this is something that they must do.
Lakers offseason priorities: 1. Have some continuity on the roster
The most important thing for the Lakers this offseason is to make sure they have continuity on this roster. This is a team that made the Western Conference Finals. Yes, they got swept by the Nuggets but still, this team isn't far from winning a title. An offseason where they are able to keep key players on their team may do them a lot of good.
The Lakers should look to keep Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura, both of whom are restricted free agents. Reaves was a very efficient ball-handler and creator for the Lakers. Hachimura was an amazing shooter for the Lakers in the postseason. He showcased his offense potential and was a great secondary creator for the Lakers.
The Lakers can offer a max extension of $50 million dollars over four years but they can also match any offer from an opposing team. And it wouldn't be surprising to see other teams throw a lot of money at Reaves and Hachimura, if for no other reason than to stress the Lakers. According to Jake Fischer, Rui Hachimura played well enough that $15 million per year is probably the floor on his next deal, with Reaves in a similar range.
Still, the Lakers need to get both guys back, whatever it takes.
Check out The Step Back for more news, analysis, opinion and unique basketball coverage. Don't forget to follow us on Twitter and Instagram and subscribe to our daily email newsletter, The Whiteboard.
