While waiting for the opening of the regular season on October 18, We Sport offers you an overview of the thirty franchises that will compete for the title in the NBA. Honor today to one of the two Los Angeles teams, the LeBron James Lakers.
The record of the Los Angeles Lakers last season
Accustomed to occupying the first places in the Western Conference, the Los Angeles Lakers had a very complicated last season. Finished in eleventh place with a largely negative record of only 33 wins and 49 losses over the entire regular season, the Lakers and their coach Franck Vogel did not even allow their fans to reach the playoffs or even the play in.
With a failing collective, disappointing and even worrying performances from their star player LeBron and a Davis-Westbrook duo that has not finished disappointing with its irregularity, the Lakers have had a nightmarish season that has required many changes during the season. off-season.
Los Angeles Lakers free agency
The offseason was very intense for the Lakers with many arrivals for rather controlled departures. If only Malik Monk and Talen Horton Tucker are among the only major players to leave Los Angeles this season, many reinforcements will be part of the Lakers roster next season.
Among these arrivals, that of Dennis Schröder is one of the most important with the return of the German leader to the Angelo city. Many other rotation players have also signed in Los Angeles including former Warriors player Toscano-Anderson, Patrick Beverley sent by Utah against Horton Tucket and Johnson or even Thomas Bryant, the imposing player of the Wizards.
Arrivals: Scotty Pipen Jr (two-way contract), cole swider (two-way contract), Juan Toscano Anderson (Golden State Warriors), Troy Brown Jr. (Chicago Bulls), Damian Jones (Sacramento Kings) Patrick Beverly (Utah Jazz), Dennis Schröder (Houston Rockets) Lonnie Walker IV (San Antonio Spurs) Thomas Bryant (Washington Wizards), Darvin Ham (coach)
Departures: Bryce Hamilton, LJ Figueroa, Talen Horton Tucker (Utah Jazz)Stanley Johnson (Utah Jazz), Malik Monk (Sacramento Kings) Frank Vogel (coach)
Extensions: LeBron James (veteran extension)
Los Angeles Lakers roster for the 2022-2023 season
Leaders: Patrick Beverley, Dennis Schröder, Russell Westbrook, Javante McCoy, Kendrick Nunn
Rears: Dwayne Bacon, Max Christie, Shaquille Harrison, Nate Pierre-Louis, Scotty Pipen Jr., Austin Reaves, Lonnie Walker IV
Winger: Juan Toscano-Anderson, Cole Swider, Matt Ryan, LeBron James, Troy Brown Jr.
Strong winger: Anthony Davis, Wenyen Gabriel
Pivots: Damian Jones, Jay Huff, Thomas Bryant
Coach: Darvin Ham
The ambitions of the Lakers
With the arrival of a very good leader in the person of Dennis Schröder, a new coach at the helm with Darvin Ham and a very complete roster with a lot of bench depth, the Lakers seem equipped to react after a catastrophic last season.
While there is no doubt that the progression of the franchise will be linear and that many adjustments will be necessary to regain rhythm and consistency in the results, it is very clear that the playoffs will be the number 1 objective of a franchise accustomed to playing the “postseason” and fighting for the NBA title.
Player to watch: LeBron James
How not to cite LeBron James as the main individual attraction of the Lakers season? It must be said that after a season like his during the last exercise, all questions were allowed but the staff of the Lakers wanted to continue the adventure with the one who still symbolizes the franchise and who brings a lot offensively.
Defensive work and collective play will therefore be two major challenges of the season for the “King” who will be even better surrounded this season to relieve him in his weak moments and allow him to be in a competitive team for one of the last seasons. of his NBA career.
The Los Angeles Lakers schedule for the 2022/23 season
With a promising start to the season and a derby against the neighbors, the Clippers of a Kawhi Leonard who will make his return, the Lakers will therefore have to confirm the supremacy of the city by winning in a room in their colors for the first confrontation. of the season.
- 18/10: Los Angeles Lakers @ Golden State Warriors
- 10/20: Los Angeles Clippers @ Los Angeles Lakers
- 09/11: Los Angeles Lakers @ Los Angeles Clippers
- 13/11: Brooklyn Nets @ Los Angeles Lakers
- 25/11: Los Angeles Lakers @ San Antonio
- 25/12: Los Angeles Lakers @ Dallas Mavericks
- 30/12 Los Angeles Lakers @ Atlanta Hawks
- 01/31: Los Angeles Lakers @ New York Knicks
- 09/04: Utah Jazz @ Los Angeles Lakers
Maxime Labrot
A big fan of sports of all kinds, Olympique de Marseille makes my heart beat, Benoît Paire takes my head and Tiger Woods makes me vibrate.