5 offseason moves the Los Angeles Lakers need to make

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SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 12: Talen Horton-Tucker #5 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on against the Sacramento Kings during the first quarter at Golden 1 Center on January 12, 2022 in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

5 offseason moves the Los Angeles Lakers need to make: 4. Find a way into the draft

The Los Angeles Lakers don’t have a lot of draft capital to work with come June. At the moment, they have precisely no picks.

The Lakers have often built their star-studded roster through trades and free agency. But with much of the cache surrounding the franchise diminished this year, they may want to start looking to do what most other teams do and build through the draft.

None of the three superstars in Los Angeles came through the draft. Compare that to the teams dominating the Western Conference like Phoenix (Devin Booker) and Memphis (Ja Morant), and the present is the only part of the Lakers that looks concerning.

Look at the current Lakers roster. Actually, don’t look at the roster, especially if you’re not a hardcore Lakers fan. How many homegrown players show the promise of being a key piece of the franchise going forward?

Talen Horton-Tucker was traded to the Lakers on draft night and has shown promise despite being a second-round pick, averaging 9.3 points per game during his third season. Austin Reaves was a rotational mainstay this year, despite being undrafted. That’s about it in terms of young up-and-comers for Los Angeles.

The Lakers have a need for not just young talent, but young, cheap players. More than half of the team’s roster is coming off the books in the offseason and there are only a handful of players under contract for 2022-23, though Westbrook and Kendrick Nunn both seem likely candidates to exercise their player options.

Los Angeles may not have a quick fix to make it back to the top of the NBA ladder. Even if it hurts them in the short term, it’s time to start investing in a brighter future for the franchise, not focusing solely on the present.

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