The Los Angeles Lakers have little else to play for other than a championship at this point. Yes, young talents like Dalton Knecht and Max Christie can continue their development and evolve into difference-making role players, but time is not on the organization’s side. The ongoing presence of LeBron James and Anthony Davis requires LA to move with purpose, hence why the NBA trade deadline is such a pivotal occasion.
Both stars have either directly or indirectly communicated their desire for general manager Rob Pelinka to add some reinforcements. Davis specifically wants a new center, that way he can slide over into the power forward position on a regular basis. James, on the other hand, mentioned a couple of weeks ago how the Lakers have little room for error because of how the roster is constructed.
Fans themselves also clamor for organizational action. So, one can argue that Pelinka is feeling some degree of pressure, or at least urgency, from all sides. Longtime columnist and television personality Skip Bayless does not think an impactful deal is necessary, however. He is calling for James and Davis to fully embody their superstar nature.
Skip Bayless weighs in on Lakers’ trade deadline situation
“The trade deadline is February 6, Thursday and LeBron and AD have both taken turns saying they need help,” Bayless said on his weekly podcast, via ClutchPoints. “And I’m calling BS on both of them. Even their agent Rich Paul dropped hints with the media– LeBron and AD, they’re a player or two players away from being contenders. Seriously? The Lakers have two of the best players in basketball.”
“They are complaining about needing more help,” he said. “Stop it you don’t need any help. You just need to play. Just be you, you guys are blessed… You got two top-10 players on your team. You got something nobody else has.”
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Can LA really contend without making moves?
While fans can and will quibble about player rankings, LeBron James and Anthony Davis are undeniable powerhouses. The former is scoring nearly 24 points on 51.2 percent shooting while dishing out 9.0 assists and grabbing 7.5 rebounds per contest in his 22nd NBA season. The latter is averaging 25.7 points, 11.9 boards and 2.1 blocks through 42 games.
Davis’ abdominal injury, which he suffered versus the Philadelphia 76ers on Jan. 28, will likely cost him a couple of more games. Given the relatively short recovery length, this development might not do anything to incentivize Rob Pelinka at the trade deadline. Bayless believes the burden will always fall on the top guys’ shoulders, anyway.
He is right in asserting that these two future Hall of Famers must carry much of the workload if the Lakers are going to make everyone nervous in the West. An additional All-Star is probably not bursting through Crypto.com Arena this year. But, there are certainly areas of need that could be addressed in the coming days.
Los Angeles head coach JJ Redick can use another big man, one he can trust more than some of the current options. Another shooter couldn’t hurt, either, as the team ranks 19th in 3-point shooting percentage (35.3).
Regardless of what transpires between now and Thursday, James and Davis are expected to carve out a favorable path for the Lakers. The franchise is ahead of where it was last season, residing in fifth place with a 27-19 record. But if this group slips up in the second half of the campaign, fans will also look back to Pelinka’s deadline activity. A pivotal stretch awaits.