LOS ANGELES LAKERS

Highlights

The Lakers certainly didn�t have the season they might have wished for, with the ebs and flows of the season brandishing not many cheers or moments of elation. The contrary would say that this was what the franchise wished for. In summation, the year itself wasn�t one that had many moments of �right�, however the off-season certainly has. The acquisition of Kristaps Porzingis, Julius Randle, Oshae Brissett, and Shake Milton to accompany the other assets of the Lakers is truly something to get excited about. The moves that have been made to turn the team around are staggering � turning this team of 8-74 into a team that can win games.

Lowlights

Diabolical. It was not a season to remember. It went wrong mainly in the progress seen in the youth in Los Angeles. While Cade kept his end of the bargain it wasn�t bolstered by others, and ultimately the weight of expectation on the youth to produce was far too high. A growing year for the young up-and-coming products of the Lakers, but not an ideal situation to find themselves. A season of 8-74 is a tough pill to swallow � GMJustin seems to have soaked in that adversity and sought to flip their franchise fortunes.

Best Trade:

Kristaps Porzingis enters the Los Angeles Lakers as the instant go-to guy. His presence brings a level of balance for Cade Cunningham to have a direct outlet, and further bolsters the team with his abilities on both ends of the court. A sporadic year last year will be a thing of the past with the team balance GMJustin has been able to construct. Porzingis has a career average of a double-double in the NSL; 19.8 points and 11.4 rebounds. But most impressive is his career average of 2.8 blocks per game. Milton and Brissett bring with them a wealth of talent and upside; most importantly �team balance�.

Worst Trade:

An inflated price for potential. Now it might be the conservative in me, but it�s a tall order to bank on what he could be with a team that hasn�t seen too much success. The Lakers took a punt here and I deem it a loss. Even with the in-coming player for the pick Christian Koloko, who is heading to the Toronto Raptors in the NBA, the faith in bigs in Toronto seems cyclical and tenuous. Now I think highly of Precious Achiuwa and the 2K engines have been kind; two firsts though, for him remains an L.

Runner Up

Wiggins had an all-star year while Sato and Bogdan didn�t do much. Wiggins talents would look super impressive in the current lineup. A potential for a big 4 in Cunningham, Wiggins, Randle and Porzingis. A missed opportunity for the organisation. Especially with Bogdan becoming Burks and Walker eventually � so as a long play, it is clear to see an L was ultimately taken.

Other Trades:

Star:

Cade Cunningham

Cade is the number one pick of the 20/21 draft. He has not yet reached his best, and has all the talents and abilities to be an all-star guard. With the twin towers of Randle and Porzingis are him now, he can run the ball up the court with ease and versatility. He started 65 of 65 opportunities last season; averaging 14.3 points, 2.6 assists, and 4 rebounds. He will be better next season, and expect him to be as explosive in the NBA as well.  

Draft Grades:

OVERALL � A

Keegan Murray has already excited with his Summer League performances. Murray is an explosive athletic, scoring forward. His size looks perfect for him to slot into the line-up straight away in the NBA. His acquisition ultimately led to the trade involving Porzingis. Time will tell on this one � a bold move but I think the correct one. Dieng has been discussed at length, and the selection by the Lakers seemed like a pick worth taking. Dieng may also benefit from the injury of Chet Holmgren. He is a project pick with upside in an Oklahoma outfit that has very few locks; which ultimately landed Julius Randle. Even the second-round selections are similar in their potential upside. Chandler enters the guard heavy Grizzlies, Liddell enters the identity questioning Pelicans (hopefully signing a contract soon by all accounts) and Keels signed a two-way contract and has a chance of minutes in the guard-confused Knicks. I think the spread of selections was well orchestrated and the selections only bolster the depth.

The Future:

If there was a way to describe the Lakers, it would surely be �The Future�. The Lakers brought in vetted players to support the youth. And that move will prove fruitful. With the likes of Cade Cunningham, Precious Achiuwa, Immanuel Quickley and company, the Lakers are building something exciting. They have three first round picks in the upcoming draft as well, but the pick of their own has definitely changed for the worse with their moves. No longer will their pick sit in the 1-5 range � they have revamped and that is due to the GM. Making big moves and cautious decisions. Free Agency could be kind � though the algorithm might not be too favourable. But they have room to grow.

This upcoming season they will line-up as follows:

PG � Cade Cunningham

SG � Immanuel Quickley

SF � Oshae Brissett

PF � Julius Randle

C � Kristaps Porzingis