The recent Western Conference finals made it clear: there’s a significant gap between the final playoff teams and the other 28 franchises in the NBA, including the Lakers.
The Thunder and Spurs boast depth, solid perimeter and interior defenders, and they feature multiple sharp shooters. Plus, they’ve got a superstar leading the way and ten players thriving in their specific roles.
So, how can the Lakers close this gap?
The Lakers find themselves in a unique situation. Unlike the Thunder and Spurs, who struggled before smartly acquiring draft picks and making calculated trades, the Lakers can’t afford any losing seasons—they’ve won 17 championships after all. It’s not a realistic option for them.
Lakers’ general manager, Rob Pelinka, even laughed off the idea that a complete rebuild could be part of their strategy.
“This isn’t the Lakers way,” Pelinka said following their loss to the Thunder in the playoffs. “We need sustained excellence, but sometimes challenges pop up that complicate things. We must build a championship-caliber roster every year.”
This leaves us with some interesting questions.
If they can’t cultivate a candidate for success, what’s next for the Lakers?
Should they scout for another superstar?
Or should they channel their resources—like three first-round picks and around $55 million in cap space—into acquiring talented role players? Because let’s be honest: chasing superstars hasn’t guaranteed titles.
The Lakers learned that the hard way after dismantling their championship roster from 2020 to bring in Russell Westbrook, ultimately letting go of Alex Caruso as a free agent in 2021.
Without players like Caldwell-Pope and Caruso, who could space the floor and add defensive grit, the Lakers became lopsided and struggled until they managed to part ways with Westbrook before the 2023 trade deadline.
Do they truly need another star?
Sure, if a generational talent like Giannis Antetokounmpo becomes available—well, that changes everything. But that’s a big “if.”
If Giannis isn’t on the table, then targeting another superstar likely isn’t the best move either.
Instead, the focus should shift to keeping their core trio of Luka Doncic, Austin Reeves, and LeBron James together, a priority Pelinka has emphasized. Both Reeves and James are set to become unrestricted free agents soon.
The Lakers have shown that this combination can work.
They went 16-2 during spring when James adjusted to being the third option on offense. Doncic operated at an MVP level, while Reeves emerged as an All-Star. James, in many ways, was the best “role player” in the league.
However, the illusion of being title contenders came crashing down on April 2 when they lost Doncic to a hamstring issue and Reeves to an oblique injury in a blowout loss to the Thunder.
While they showcased determination by defeating the Rockets in the first round—without Doncic and with Reeves missing two games—their true challenge came next against the Thunder.
Despite a valiant effort against the reigning champions, the Lakers simply couldn’t compete. The Thunder had a roster depth the Lakers lacked.
In nearly every game except Game 4, the Lakers faltered in the second half, struggling while the Thunder appeared tireless.
James expressed candidly what went awry: “We fought and played to the best of our ability, but frankly, we were overmatched in talent,” he admitted on a podcast.
The Thunder had about 13 players at peak performance, while the Lakers were scraping to find six who could play at that level.
The Lakers could benefit from adding passionate players like the undrafted Caruso. They need a player like Ajay Mitchell, who has proven himself under pressure. Or someone like Isaiah Hartenstein, whose intensity in the paint can’t be overlooked.
Drawing inspiration from the Thunder could be key for the Lakers.
Depth, not just star appeal, should be their aim.
When the Thunder’s general manager Sam Presti rebuilt the team, he focused on enhancing the roster’s depth rather than chasing superstars—and that strategy has clearly paid off.
This is presumably where the league is headed.
The Lakers should shift their strategy to mirror the Thunder and Spurs.
They need to uncover hidden gems this offseason, invest effort into their defense, add more 3-point shooting, and ensure they have ten reliable players for the playoffs.
They must seek out the type of players they overlooked while pursuing stars.
For a city driven by star power, this calls for a significant change in philosophy.
