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 Jamesā 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 wasnāt on him, but he failed to make adjustments and seemingly lost his playersā trust along the way. He had to go.
Now, first-year coach Darvin Ham wants to have a clean slate. Heās spent the past couple of months figuring out how to get the team over the top again. Andaccording to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, that includes making one major adjustment.
NBA News: Lakers Offense Will Run Through Anthony Davis, Not LeBron James
āHe 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 wouldnāt hesitate to remove them from the game,ā Haynes reported.
āFurthermore, 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,ā Haynes added.āThe team has been encouraged with Davisā offseason progression and believe heāll 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.ā
James isnāt getting any younger, so itās 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.
