It’s been tough sledding for the Los Angeles Lakers since Phil Jackson vacated his role as head coach, but some roster moves set this franchise back far more than others.
Not long ago, the Los Angeles Lakers were annual contenders and one of the NBA’s most prestigious franchises. Although they haven’t lost all of their luster, this team is a much different place than it was a few seasons ago.
The decline really began when legendary coach Phil Jackson opted to hang up his whistle and retire in 2011.
The passing of Jerry Buss in early 2013 was also a big step backward for the Lakers, but most cite Jackson’s departure as the point in time when things went downhill for the purple and gold.
Since then, the Lakers have endured their worst season in franchise history, earned two Top-2 draft picks and had five head coaches (one interim). It hasn’t been pretty for Los Angeles, but the future looks bright with so much young talent on the current roster.
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With the 2016-17 season a few weeks away, though, I figured taking a look back wouldn’t be the worst idea. It’s good time to reflect on where the Lakers have been so we can appreciate where they’re headed.
With that in mind, here’s my take on the Lakers’ five worst roster moves since Jackson left.
Next: 5. Letting A Quality Contributor Get Away
5. Failing To Re-Sign Ed Davis
Details: Ed Davis signed a three-year, $20 million deal with the Portland Trail Blazers after there was mutual interest between him and the Lakers to keep him in Los Angeles. According to Davis, he signed with the Blazers because he didn’t want to “wait around” for the Lakers.
Signed for the 2014-15 season, Ed Davis quietly proved to be an underrated contributor for the Lakers. Although he averaged modest totals of 8.3 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.2 blocks, he was an exceptional presence off the bench. So it only made sense for the Lakers to bring him back.
As you probably know, that didn’t happen.
While there was interest from both parties, a new deal never got signed. Apparently Davis was hoping something would happen, but the Lakers failed to get a contract in place before the Trail Blazers swept in and signed him.
"“[The Lakers] wanted me to come back,” Davis said via Inside the Lakers’ Mark Medina. “But I felt like this was the right decision for me. I didn’t really want to wait around… I wanted to go back. Nothing went bad or anything.”"
It’s believed Davis was also eyeing a larger role in Portland, but it was a big loss for the Lakers nonetheless. They got impressive production off the bench from the tough veteran big man, who added a 61.1 shooting percentage to those aforementioned totals.
Now, they head into 2016-17 with unproven depth in the frontcourt. Sure, Larry Nance Jr. offers some upside and Ivica Zubac is an intriguing prospect. However, having an experienced option like Davis would have given the Lakers much more stability in the middle.
Next: 4. Getting Bit By A Bad Bid
4. The Claiming of Carlos Boozer
Details: The Lakers claimed Carlos Boozer off amnesty waivers from the Chicago Bulls with a high bid of $3.25 million.
There was a reason the Chicago Bulls used the amnesty clause to rid themselves of Carlos Boozer. Unfortunately, the Lakers learned that the hard way after winning the bid for the veteran power forward before the 2014-15 season.
In his first and only season in Los Angeles, Boozer was a total bust. In 23.8 minutes per game, he averaged only 11.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists–all among his career worsts in 13 NBA seasons.
Although he put together a handful of solid outings for the Lakers, he was generally ineffective and inefficient on a nightly basis.
Since he left the Lakers following that season, Boozer has been out of the NBA. He received some tepid interest from various teams last offseason, but nothing ever came to fruition. His recent signing with Guangdong Tigers likely put any hopes of an NBA comeback to bed.
Boozer seemed like a bargain when the Lakers originally landed him for $3.25 million. However, when his short stint in Los Angeles was over, it was clear his signing was a regrettable mistake.
Next: 3. Spending Too Much On An Average C
3. The Signing of Timofey Mozgov
Details: In the first unrestricted free agent deal of 2016, the Lakers signed Timofey Mozgov to a four-year, $65 million deal.
As many of you know, I wasn’t a big fan of the Lakers’ decision to sign Timofey Mozgov this offseason. I understand that salaries were inflated due to the new TV deal and rising salary cap, but there was no need to hand an average-at-best player such a massive deal.
Mozgov has enjoyed his fair share of success in the NBA, but he’s far from a proven starter. Through six seasons, he only has two that I would consider standout performances–and one of those isn’t last year.
By the time the 2015-16 season had ended, Mozgov had essentially become irrelevant for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Lakers were obviously desperate for a prominent presence in the paint when they signed the Russia native. However, with players like Tarik Black and Zubac now under contract for 2016-17, the deal for Mozgov is looking worse and worse.
I understand they paid more than we’re used to because of the NBA’s evolving financial situation. However, with how much they spent, they easily could have gotten more for their money elsewhere.
The Lakers will end up regretting this decision in the not-so-distance future.
Next: 2. Gambling On An Immature Big Man
2. The Dwight Howard Trade
Details: The Lakers acquired Earl Clark, Chris Duhon and Dwight Howard in exchange for Andrew Bynum, Christian Eyenga, Josh McRoberts, a conditional 2015 second-round pick and a conditional 2019 first-round pick as part of a three-team deal.
Realistically, the Lakers got screwed when the NBA denied their trade for superstar point guard Chris Paul. As a consolation prize, they managed to pull off a three-team deal for Dwight Howard, which still seemed like a big step forward for a team desperate for star power.
Little did they know, it would be a tumultuous relationship from the get go.
Throughout his year with the Lakers, Howard butted heads with Kobe Bryant. He also had issues with nagging injuries and always seemed to have something to complaint about to the media, which soured both the team and its fans on the former No. 1 overall pick.
On top of the chemistry issues, his numbers weren’t all that impressive for a superstar big man. His 17.1 points, 12.4 rebound and 2.4 blocks per game simply weren’t up to par with his last few seasons as a member of the Magic.
The Lakers gave up a lot to get him, but didn’t see the type of dominance they thought they were getting.
Despite their investment, the Lakers were unable to convince him to stay in Los Angeles the next offseason. He signed with the Houston Rockets, officially labeling the Howard trade a failure.
Next: 1. Mortgaging The Future On An Aging PG
1. The Steve Nash Sign-And-Trade
Details: The Lakers acquired Steve Nash from the Phoenix Suns for a 2013 first-round pick, a conditional 2013 second-round pick, a 2014 second-round pick, and a conditional 2015 first-round pick.
Hoping to give themselves one final push towards being a contender, the Lakers mortgaged their future to acquire Nash from the Suns. The veteran point guard rewarded them with two injury-filled seasons that culminated in Nash’s overdue retirement.
At the time, I understood the move. They already had players like Bryant, Howard and Pau Gasol in the starting lineup. It looked like a quality roster, but needed an upgrade on Steve Blake if a deep playoff run was going to be in the cards.
Nash seemed like the answer, even with him nearing the end of his career.
Instead, he struggled to stay healthy and eventually opted to hang it up due to nerve damage in his back. It was a miserable move for the Lakers, and one that may have set their rebuild back a couple of years with how many draft picks they parted with.
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I’m all for gambling in hopes of making a roster a true contender. However, in the case of the Nash trade, the Lakers made a big mistake.