The season didn’t end as expected for the Los Angeles Lakers, but then, unless you win the championship, when will it? Although they ignited in ignominious fashion thanks to the Denver Nuggets, they still showed a tremendous turnaround in the latter stages of the season, going from a team that faced each other there to make the playoffs to an NBA conference finalist.
Despite LeBron James’ comments about his future, which have been widely talked about, he will almost certainly be back in Los Angeles next year alongside Anthony Davis. And while these two are clearly the focal point of the team, it was the vastly improved supporting cast around them that really initiated their season’s turnaround.
This offseason, they’ll have a lot of decisions to make about what supporting cast and who to bring back next year. These are the three players whose return to the team in 2023-24 should be a priority for the Lakers.
This one is something of a no-brainer. Austin Reaves already had a solid season up until the All-Star break, but once Russell Westbrook was traded, he took it to a new level. At the end of the season, he was clearly the best player on the team outside of LeBron and AD, with his composure with the ball in hand, excellent decision-making and hot shooting making him that much more. than just a role player.
Reaves has become a key piece of the Lakers puzzle going forward, and at just 24, he still has plenty of room for improvement. Reaves was making just over $1.5 million this season, well below what he will now demand, but he’s a player the Lakers should be more than happy to shell out for.
When the Lakers acquired Rui Hachimura from the Washington Wizards in January, there were high expectations for what the No. 9 pick in the 2019 draft would be able to deliver. Some of this expectation was probably overstated; while he’s a solid mid-range shooter, he hasn’t exactly set the world on fire in his career to date and isn’t exactly the kind of player to turn the tables on a franchise.
None of that has changed since that trade, but he doesn’t have to be a franchise changer to bring value to the Lakers. He’s proven to be a solid player off the bench, with his potential to score in clusters making him a big X-factor for the Lakers. At this point in his career, Hachimura is the kind of player whose minutes will likely fluctuate every game depending on his offensive production, but as the playoffs went on — and especially the series against the Denver Nuggets — he was a constant presence. in the field. , with his minutes in this series reading, chronologically, 28, 30, 34, and 42. At just 25 years old, Hachimura still has room to grow, but even as the player he is now, he’s a valuable contributor. for the Lakers, and one they should focus on returning in 2023-24.
Dennis Schroder moved to the Lakers after a short stint with the Houston Rockets and proved to be an important part of their roster throughout the year. He started somewhat sporadically and mostly came off the bench in the playoffs, but he still played solid minutes and was one of a handful of players who could join James, Davis and Reaves on the court in the final minutes. .
Schroder is a good defender, with his athleticism and ability to slip around screens making him difficult to get away from opposing guards. He’s an effective enough shooter to demand the attention of opposing defenses, and while he has to be a bit more willing to take open shots in time, he also has the ability to rely on the best players on his team. than many NBA players in particular. lack. The Lakers won’t need to break the bank to keep him, and his experience and defensive acumen mean he’s another one they should focus on.
All is not lost for the Los Angeles Lakers – in fact, far from it. As hard as it might be to calculate after a 4-0 series loss, they definitely seemed like a potential NBA Finals team despite building up a large chunk of their runaway roster during the regular season. With LeBron and AD returning next year, if they can re-sign the names above, they should enter the 2023-24 season with high aspirations.
