5 offseason needs for the Los Angeles Lakers

1. Either get Anthony Davis (in a reasonable deal) or rebuild the trust

Okay, so this is a bit of a copout but something has to give. After trying to trade the farm to get Anthony Davis a few months back and not being able to get it done, that certainly doesn’t mean that the Lakers aren’t going to try again. The Pelicans do have new personnel in their front office so perhaps talks can start at a reasonable level again but New Orleans is certainly going to want a lot from anyone who attempts a trade…as they should. However, the Lakers still have to deal with the fact that they alienated the majority of their young core. Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram and Kyle Kuzma were all part of the package and those are three guys that are crucial to the success of the Lakers while they’re a part of this team.

So the dream scenario for L.A. would likely be to somehow get New Orleans to deal Davis before free agency hits as AD could then help LeBron lure in another big name. However, things may not be that simple as the status of Brandon Ingram, who was starting to play the best basketball of his young career, is up in the air. In the six games he played following the All-Star Break, Ingram put up 27.5 points per game and shot 57 percent in the process. However, he had his season shut down with deep vein thrombosis in his right arm. If you’re not familiar with DVT, it’s a blood clot that can be very serious, even life-threatening. It’s what retired Chris Bosh. It’s treatable with blood thinners but you can’t play while on blood thinners. While this could just be a one-time issue, it’s going to be risky for New Orleans to take that chance and Ingram was a major part of the deal.

If Ingram is diagnosed in good health, the Lakers are certainly going to try some sort of deal again. It might not be as big this time around but they’re going to try. But if talks with New Orleans shut down, it’s going to be critical for the front office and perhaps even more so for LeBron James to let guys like Ball, Ingram and Kuzma know that he’s on board with them being there. Trust is critical when competing at a championship level and even if another big name comes in, this trio is essential to the Lakers’ success in 2019-20. When everyone was healthy, there was a lot to be positive about but the negativity surrounding the trade and some of the communication issues could be a real factor. If AD isn’t coming to L.A. this summer, the faith in these youngsters has to be there to compete next year.

What do you think the Los Angeles Lakers need to be focusing on during the offseason? Feel free to join in the conversation in the comments section below.