NOW WHAT LOS ANGELES LAKERS FANS?

One thing is sure: the Los Angeles Lakers, who were just bounced by the Denver Nuggets in five games in the first round of the NBA playoffs, will have a turbulent off-season. 

Let’s start with the things that are most likely to happen.

The time has come for Davin Ham to move on. Sure, he coached the Lakers to the Western Conference Finals in 2023 and won the inaugural In-Season Tournament, but if you go back and watch the Lakers season, it becomes pretty clear that Darvin Ham is not working out.

From his self-inflicted mid-season starting line-up shakeup to the fact that the Lakers did not have any timeouts left at the end of game five vs. the Nuggets, the probability is high that Ham will be moved out.

The reality for Ham is that his players tuned him out at times during the regular season. Expect a move from the Lakers on Ham’s future sooner rather than later. 

LeBron James Rumors. You can expect a hefty dose of rumors about James during the off-season. Let’s start with the rumor that James is on a bus out of town. Outside of James winning a new franchise in Las Vegas that starts play in the fall, you can expect James to sign up for another two-year tour of duty with the Lakers.

It’s hard to imagine James leaving the Lakers for another franchise at this stage of his career. However, you can expect the ‘rumor mill’ will print highly entertaining, sensational stories about James heading to the 76ers, Suns, Knicks, and Cavs. 

Last month, we reported that James wanted a no-trade clause in his next contract, which, for the Lakers, should not be a sticking point.  Plus, expect James to enter the next NBA regular season not nearly as refreshed as he would have been if he had not played for USA Basketball at the Olympics in Paris this summer.

WHAT ABOUT BRONNY JAMES?
If you are a Lakers fan, get ready. The probability is high that James and Klutch Sports will orchestrate Bronny becoming a member of the Lakers. Ultimately, the question of when Bronny is prepared to be a full-time NBA player is being thrown out the door. For now, getting him to the Lakers will be one of the priorities for the Lakers front office. 

ANTHONY DAVIS
Prepare yourself for a barrage of anti-Anthony Davis rhetoric during the offseason. The majority of the AD bashing that is to come is actually not justified. Consider his numbers from the regular season: 24.7 points a game, 12.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 2.3 blocks per game. Without AD, the Lakers would have been hanging with the Utah Jazz at the end of the season, with some 20 games under 500.


BY DLO?
It's safe to say that D’Angelo Russell will not be with the Lakers next year unless he is saved by whoever the new head coach will be. 

Other Likely Roster Moves
Say goodbye to Jarred Vanderbilt, Gabe Vincent, Taurean Prince, Cam Reddish, Max Christie, Christian Wood and Spencer Dinwiddie.

THE UNDERRATED OPINION
The Lakers' season ended quickly in the first round of the playoffs because Darvin Ham and his coaching staff made mistake after mistake during the regular season, which resulted in the Lakers having to play the Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs. This Los Angeles Lakers team would have most likely beaten the rest of the West, with the exception of the Minnesota Timberwolves, in an alternative universe first-round matchup. 

As we all know, matchups matter, and the Lakers did not have an answer for Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr., Aaron Gorden, and ‘The Joker.’

What may have been for the Lakers this year wasn’t to be, and now it is time to blow up at least half of the roster and go hunt down a coach who can handle the pressure of being in the Los Angeles Lakers spotlight.