The Los Angeles Lakers are preparing to return to the hardwood at the end of July, but will they be able to find the chemistry that made them so formidable all season?
It’s a strange new world that we are living in, and that could pose a challenge for a Lakers team that was rolling to a first-place finish in the NBA’s Western Conference.
On this episode of the Lakers Nation Podcast, host Trevor Lane is joined by managing editor Matthew Moreno to talk about the challenges facing the Lakers, starting with the question marks still surrounding the roster.
It remains unclear whether Dwight Howard or Avery Bradley will play, and if both skip the trip to Orlando, that could leave the Lakers scrambling to replace their minutes.
While Howard’s skill set and physical presence is particularly difficult to replace, DeMarcus Cousins would be an intriguing option should Howard decide not to report. Bradley would also be a big loss, though it’s possible that the Lakers could absorb his minutes by increasing the roles of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Alex Caruso, Rajon Rondo, and perhaps even newcomer Dion Waiters.
With the NBA’s season suspension lasting more than four months, getting back into basketball shape and rebuilding chemistry on the court will also be a formidable challenge.
LeBron James and Anthony Davis will do what they can to keep players in shape, and head coach Frank Vogel will build schemes to play to their strengths and allow them to re-establish themselves, but getting back to playing winning basketball is still a daunting task.
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