The Los Angeles Lakers are trying to make what happened last year a past nightmare. Less than two years after lifting the Larry O'Brien Trophy in 2020, Californians enter training camp with more questions than certainties.
The Angelenos have a new coach, 13 new players, and only two players remain from the championship team: LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
After everything that went wrong the past two seasons, it was clear a change was needed, but have the Lakers made the necessary adjustments to get back into the Western Conference?
Here are the biggest questions facing the Lakers after a very intense offseason in Los Angeles.
Westbrook's situation with the Lakers is anything but pleasant the MVP's first season of 2017 in Los Angeles was widely viewed as a disappointment.
Although Russ has been mentioned in numerous trade reports in recent months, his $47 million salary is a big reason no team has had any genuine interest in acquiring him.
In this off-season, the Lakers added two more managers, Patrick Beverly, and Dennis Schroeder.
A fact that notably strengthens their outside line, to which a recovered Kendrick Nunn must be added due to a knee injury. Who missed all of last season?
Ham has expressed high expectations for New coach Darvin Ham's problems and the depth of his position, Westbrook, but with his, could Russ be in the best place to lead the Lakers' second unit?
As Westbrook approaches his 34th birthday and into the final year of his contract, he has reached a pivotal moment that could define the rest of his NBA career.
Lakers. A big deal gave how important he was to the Los Angeles hits.
AD has appeared in 76 possible 154 regular-season games, including 42 absences during the 2021-2022 campaign.
If the star can play among the top 10 talents in the league again, the Lakers' outlook for next season becomes much more positive.
This question has come up since LeBron James entered the twilight of his career. Will the king be able to overcome the effect of time again?
When available. Enough numbers to be included in the All-NBA Third Team. As good as his stats were, health was a big concern as James missed 24 games due to various ailments while eight others had to rest.
Barring injuries, LeBron has defied logic regarding the level expected for someone his age. Entering his 20th NBA season, James is months away from his 38th birthday, and, given the Lakers' constitution, he will need to remain at an All-NBA level to give the team a chance to return to the playoffs.
After serving as an assistant coach for a long time, Ham comes to give a respected voice to a team like the Lakers, with an exciting mix of veterans and young players.
When the Los Angeles team's coaching search began, general manager Rob Pelinka said, "We want a strong voice that can inspire players to perform at the highest level every night.
During his coaching career, Ham has worked with many stars, including Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, and, most recently, Giannis Antetokonmpo.
Ham, 49, is now commanding a locker room with three of the 75 best players in NBA history (James, Davis, and Westbrook). Plus, he's expected to have the same approach with everyone on the roster from top to bottom, a level of responsibility needed in Los Angeles.
The big question is how each team member will react to the approach of the rookie coach.
Several 13 new Lakers players are expected to impact the team immediately.
Troy Brown Jr., Thomas Bryant, Damian Jones, Juan Toscano-Anderson, and Lonnie Walker IV can all fit into the Los Angeles team.
Since adding those five, the Lakers have acquired Beverley and added Schroder on a veteran-minimum contract.
Add to that recruits Max Christie, Scotty Pippen Jr., and Cole Swider, and the Californians look much different (and younger) than they did last season.
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