4 Los Angeles Lakers playing in their final games wearing purple and gold
The Los Angeles Lakers entered the All-Star break at 30-26, winners of three straight. Darvin Ham has finally settled into a core group, and to nobody's surprise, their success is tied to the same group that spearheaded last season's second half surge — LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Rui Hachimura, Austin Reaves, and D'Angelo Russell.
Who could've predicted that?
We have a long way to go before the Lakers are "back" in a meaningful way. Los Angeles currently occupies the No. 9 seed in a competitive Western Conference, and there's no reason to believe the competition will get weaker down the stretch. In fact, the No. 10 seed Golden State Warriors are making their own run, so life will only get more difficult.
It was a hectic, if ultimately silent trade deadline for the Lakers. Not a single move was made, but the Warriors evidently tried to pry LeBron away. The 39-year-old's frustration has been an ongoing storyline, as has his upcoming free agency. While James ultimately feels destined to finish his career in purple and gold — that's the best business decision off the court — the Lakers' roster is due for an overhaul in the offseason.
Here are the Lakers playing their final games as the home team in Crypto.com Arena.
4. Taurean Prince is probably on the Lakers' chopping block
Honestly, Taurean Prince has been a full-blown success for the Lakers this season. He signed for a modest $4.5 million and has been elevated to the most significant role of his career in terms of playing time (30.1 minutes). The Lakers leaned on Prince as a starter for most of the season's first half. The numbers are perfectly respectable — 9.6 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.7 assists on .439/.390/.731 splits.
That said, Prince feels like an easy spot to start the search for upgrades in the offseason. His contract is expiring. Another team could pay him too much for the Lakers' taste based on his success from 3-point range, or the Lakers could simply look for a more dynamic wing to complement LeBron and AD. Prince can hit spot-up 3s aplenty, but he offers little in terms of self-creation or rim pressure.
Prince is a fairly one-note player at this point. He projects as a versatile defender on the wing, but he's not hounding the point of attack or stonewalling bigs in the paint. He's a fine defender, a solid shooter, and beyond that, he's not much else. He can absolutely hold down a rotation spot (obviously), but his excessive involvement in the Lakers' rotation has been a point of frustration for the fandom.
It's telling that Los Angeles' recent hot spell coincided with Prince's move to the second unit. Prince has performed on par with his contract — maybe even above it — but in the end, he's far from guaranteed a spot on next year's Lakers squad. If Los Angeles can find a younger wing, or a more sturdy defender, Prince will be shown the door.