The Los Angeles Lakers are going to do whatever they can to shake up their roster this offseason. They have to show LeBron James that a winning roster can be put together after how poorly the 2021-22 NBA season went.
Rob Pelinka took a major risk last season, acquiring Russell Westbrook from the Washington Wizards. Westbrook wasn’t the sole reason for the team’s struggles, but his fit certainly played a part.
Westbrook’s skill set did not fit alongside James and Anthony Davis. His struggles as a shooter certainly played a part as opponents were daring him to take jump shots. The injuries that James and Davis suffered also made it difficult to develop chemistry and cohesion as the three were rarely on the court together.
From the beginning, the roster construction strategy that was put into place created a lot of skepticism. There is a tried and true formula that comes to building a team around James that has worked for nearly two decades. Why Pelinka attempted to fix something that wasn’t broken, as the Lakers won a title two years ago in the Orlando Bubble, is anyone’s guess.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: 3 Bold Trade Ideas To Send Kyrie Irving To Los Angeles Lakers
But, this offseason they should get back to what works. For a LeBron James team to succeed, he needs to be surrounded by shooters offensively that will benefit from his playmaking skills. The team needs more versatile defenders as well and help in the frontcourt.
Hitting on all of those needs will be difficult as Los Angeles is limited in assets they have. But, one player that they should keep tabs on is Coby White of the Chicago Bulls.
The Chicago Bulls had a good season, going 46-36 and earning the No. 6 seed. But, with Zach LaVine’s future with the team now up in the air, they could look to make some changes this offseason to the roster themselves.
If they are looking to make another splash, Davis is someone that they could call about. In that scenario, White is someone that the Los Angeles Lakers should hold out to have included in the deal. The North Carolina product is a perfect fit for what Los Angeles needs.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: 3 Bold Trade Ideas To Send Kyrie Irving To Los Angeles Lakers
Coby White stands 6’5”, possessing the size to play both backcourt spots. He could have a similar impact in that regard as Alex Caruso. While Caruso made his bread and butter on the defensive end, White would provide his biggest impact offensively as a very good 3-point shooter and scorer.
He has some playmaking chops, which would help take a little pressure off of LeBron James, who shouldn’t need to carry the load offensively by himself any longer. Only 22-years old, White is only scratching the surface of his potential as a playmaker.
If Davis isn’t on the table, could the Lakers work out a deal centered around White for something like Talen Horton-Tucker, Kendrick Nunn, and draft picks? That is about as good as the Lakers can do when it comes to building a trade package as they are lacking tradable assets and draft compensation.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: 3 Bold Trade Ideas To Send Kyrie Irving To Los Angeles Lakers
Seeing how things went with Horton-Tucker last season, that is likely a deal that Los Angeles would make. Nunn missed the entire season with what was called a bone bruise in his knee, so the Los Angeles Lakers would certainly include him in a deal if he is needed to help match salary.
Coby White isn’t likely someone that the Chicago Bulls will be actively looking to trade. If Zach LaVine does depart in free agency, his role is going to expand greatly during the 2022-23 season. Given the injury concerns of Caruso and Lonzo Ball this season, White is an excellent insurance policy given his skill set to play either guard spot.
