The Los Angeles Lakers, even under new ownership, have inherited all of the off-court drama that defined the Buss era. Los Angeles, led by the three headed drafgon of LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and Austin Reaves, got off to a promising start to the season, but is only 5-5 in their last 10 games, and on the cusp of qualifying for the play-in.
A lot of the outside noise around the franchise has centered on the future of James, who is set to hit free agency this offseason. Rumors have swirled around a potential return to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the franchise that drafted him, for a farewell tour and a better shot at winning one more title before retirement.
The issue, for the Lakers, Cavs, and any other team that may be in the market for James’s services, is that he has looked every part of the oldest player in the league.
“When Luka, LeBron, and Austin Reaves play together, they’re just not a good team… When it’s just [Austin & Luka] out there, the Lakers are an excellent team,” said ESPN analyst Brian Windhorst of the Lakers during a First Take appearance.
Now, more disarray is surfacing from the depths of second-year head coach J.J. Redick’s locker room.
Center Deandre Ayton scored 21 points and snagged 13 rebounds in a close loss to the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night. When asked about his teammates recognizing his play, Ayton provided a media-trained response.
“The ball finds energy,” Ayton told reporters, per ESPN. “They believe in me when I’m down there and sealing and they see me running hard to the rim and crashing, they reward me.”
However, on his way to the showers, Ayton revealed his true feelings on his role within Redick’s system.
“They’re trying to make me Clint Capela,” Ayton said, referring to the Houston Rockets’ backup center. “I’m not no Clint Capela!”
However, differing opinions on Ayton’s role were far from the Lakers’ most pressing problem on Tuesday night. The game ended in brutal fashion, with James missing a turnaround shot as time expired after being passed a “hot potato” from Doncic, who seemed to pass up on a wide-open shot.
Even James was at a loss for how the sequence played out.
“Obviously, you have to ask Luka what he saw on that,” he said in his media session after the game. “But I thought he had a good look. He kinda just lost his balance, didn’t have a rhythm of the ball, or whatever the case may be.
“And it allowed him to get back in front of him. I was kind of off balance when he gave it to me. I thought he had a great look, that’s my POV.”
The Lakers need to find their chemistry and fast, and if they can’t, they need to hone in on what direction they want to take the franchise moving forward. Things are coming apart at the seams, and if they can’t get them stitched up, it may be in everyone’s best interest to reset the roster, even if it means James has to leave LA for Lake Erie to get his Hollywood ending.
About Qwame Skinner
Qwame Skinner has loved both writing and sports his entire life. In addition to his sports coverage at Comeback Media, Qwame writes novels, and his debut; The First Casualty, an adult fantasy, is out now.