5 Lakers Already on Thin Ice to Begin Preseason
By Cem Yolbulan
The 2024-25 NBA season is less than three weeks away and teams are ramping up their training camp and preseason efforts. The Los Angeles Lakers are bringing back the same team from last year, much to the frustration of the fanbase.
The biggest change from last season will be head coach JJ Redick. Replacing Darvin Ham, the first-time head coach is expected to have a positive impact on the team but expecting him to work miracles and turn this roster into a title contender is unrealistic.
What can be expected from this roster is playing well enough in the first half of the season to prove to the front office that they can go on a deep postseason run. If that happens, GM Rob Pelinka will likely make some moves before the trade deadline to improve the roster and increase their title chances. He himself alluded to the first 30 games of the season as the evaluation period to make a decision on how many resources to invest in this team.
This evaluation period will mean more for the future of some Lakers than others. The current roster has a ton of weaknesses, including shooting, perimeter defense, and athleticism. If the Lakers want to upgrade in any of those areas, there will be some departures necessary. Here are five Lakers who can find themselves on the outs if they don't impress early.
D'Angelo Russell
The Lakers spent the entire offseason trying to offload D'Angelo Russell after the talented point guard opted into his player option for next season. However, they were not able to find any suitors.
Russell's $18.6 million expiring salary makes him a prime trade candidate. If the Lakers are going to make any trades, that contract almost has to be included.
At this stage of his career, Russell is a known commodity. He is a good offensive player for the regular season but his defensive flaws and scoring inefficiency prove too costly for the playoffs. Therefore, it's hard for him to prove anything else early in the season for the Lakers to feel good about him as the starting point guard for the postseason. Hence, he will be on the thinnest of ices until the trade deadline.