The Los Angeles Lakers had high hopes when they returned to Crypto.com Arena to take on the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night. They wanted to inspire their fans after devastating wildfires ravaged Los Angeles. Instead, they disappointed them with a surprising 126-102 Lakers loss.
The Lakers have now lost three games in a row. They are hoping to put an end to this streak on Wednesday evening against the Miami Heat. But if they can’t, it will only serve as more proof that it’s time for general manager Rob Pelinka and his staff to get to work at making a significant trade.
Another Lakers Loss Should Affect Their Trade Strategy
It was recently reported that the Lakers might be content to sit still through the upcoming NBA trade deadline and stick with the team they have now. To his credit, Pelinka recently acquired Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton from the Brooklyn Nets. They seem to be positive assets for LA. As the team adjusts to their new players and others return from injuries, Pelinka was allegedly going to take a wait-and-see approach for the rest of the season. But if the Lakers fall again on Wednesday, he will hear a swift and loud cry from the fans to do something now.
That is because the recent trade didn’t do much to improve LA’s most notable problem: their porous defense. Throughout their match against the Spurs, the Lakers gave up far too many points and let San Antonio run all over them. Leave it to Victor Wembanyama to expose the glaring defensive issues plaguing the Lakers.
Big Man to the Rescue?
For the last few months, there have been rumors about Los Angeles pursuing a talented big man to fill the void in their frontcourt. They require a defense-minded center who can support Anthony Davis and clog up the offensive plans of opponents. They have tried to fill the roster with players who are capable of that. Sadly, it has never panned out because of bad luck and bad performances.
The team’s defense has gotten better throughout this season. Still, it’s a sizeable problem and that was on full display Monday. Wednesday will give the Lakers a chance to bounce back and show they still have defensive integrity. However, it’s possible that Bam Adebayo will be able to bully his way past their defense just like Wembanyama did.
Pelinka’s recent move was met with praise from faithful Lakers fans. Indeed, it feels like Finney-Smith and Milton will fit in quite well. But the recent losses make it clear that now is not the time to relax and let things stay on their current path. If the Lakers lose another game, the fans will be furious and will demand that Pelinka pick up the phone and put together a deal.
The Lakers have limited options when it comes to making another trade because D’Angelo Russell was their largest asset. But a loss against the Heat would put them in a very bad spot and force their hand. Pelinka may have had other plans, but they will have to change if the Heat further expose the Lakers.
The post Another Lakers Loss Should Affect Their Trade Strategy appeared first on Last Word On Basketball.