Oooh LA LA in LA Lakerland
The year 2020 continues to provide us with twists and turns in the sports world.
The Los Angeles Lakers capped off an abbreviated and unprecedented NBA season in October with its 17th NBA championship. Think about that for just a moment. THE NBA SEASON WAS CAPPED IN OCTOBER!!!!! As if things were not uncharacteristically strange enough, the NBA draft just completed on November 19th and free agency officially opened the day after.
Let’s start there. The Lakers possess the most-prized free agent of this offseason with PF/C Anthony Davis. “The Brow” has already opted out of his final year, but the expectation is he will sign a more lucrative but shorter-term deal to stay in L.A. This is the Lakers’ top priority as the start of the 2020-2021 season looms.
Gone are PG Rajon Rondo, C/F Dwight Howard and C JaVale McGee. Rondo, who was instrumental in the Lakers’ run to the title has signed with the Atlanta Hawks. Howard is taking what little talent he has left to the City of Brotherly Love as he will back up C Joel Embiid in Philadelphia. McGee was traded to the Cavaliers for a bag of basketballs that were slightly deflated.
The Lakers have quickly reloaded by bringing in more talent, younger talent and more skilled players to replace the trio mentioned above. Switching locker rooms is Sixth Man of the Year Montrezl Harrell as he joins the Lake Show from the Clippers. The Lakers have also signed C Marc Gasol and G/F Wesley Matthews while re-signing G Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and F Markeiff Morris. Trading G Danny Green to the OKC Thunder for G Dennis Schroder adds more consistent scoring in the backcourt and strong defense.
The path to 18 for the Lakers championship count and title number five for LeBron James is looking stronger than the pursuit of the 17th title. For Laker fans, there is genuine hope for a repeat. For the world, let’s hope there is no repeat of a pandemic and a return to sports normalcy.
