The Los Angeles Lakers dug themselves in a hole way too often last season. They got off to slow starts and failed to fight their way back into games. Moreover, Anthony Davis and LeBron James' injuries further derailed what seemed destined for failure from day one.
Firing Frank Vogel was a step in the right direction. The roster was poorly built, and that wasn't on him, but he failed to make adjustments and seemingly lost his players' trust along the way. He had to go.
Now, first-year coach Darvin Ham wants to have a clean slate. He's spent the past couple of months figuring out how to get the team over the top again. And according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, that includes making one major adjustment.
NBA News: Lakers Offense Will Run Through Anthony Davis, Not LeBron James
"He voiced that defensive tenacity needs to be picked up all across the roster and also forewarned that players would have to play new roles and if he sensed reluctance, he wouldn’t hesitate to remove them from the game," Haynes reported.
"Furthermore, the first-year head coach said one wrinkle he will implement and stick with is having the offense run through Anthony Davis, and James concurred," Haynes added. "The team has been encouraged with Davis’ offseason progression and believe he’ll be in optimum shape to avoid serious injuries and carry a heavier load. The team is also hopeful for a corner-3 shooting percentage bump from Russell Westbrook next season, sources said."
James isn't getting any younger, so it's only natural to see him take a step back and allow Davis to be the go-to guy. If anything, the Lakers always intended Davis to carry the torch and lead the way once LeBron is no longer in town.
LeBron is eligible to sign a two-year contract extension worth $97 million, but those talks have reportedly stalled. So, if the Lakers want to convince him to stay, they better prove they have what it takes to compete at the highest level.
