“Big Game James” feels that the team’s lack of synergy led to L.A.’s first-round exit. Los Angeles Lakers legend James Worthy is still bothered by how the season ended for the Purple & Gold this year. The three-time champion thinks what happened to the Lakers this season should be an eye-opener for the organization that success in the regular season doesn’t necessarily translate into the postseason. It’s a reminder that when retooling the team in the offseason, sheer firepower isn’t going to be enough.
“It was sad and disappointing. In the back of my mind, we didn’t get Mark Williams in that trade. I knew we could be successful in the regular season, but as you know and have seen, when you get with a team for seven games, like what happened to Cleveland. A lot of teams that are favored don’t always happen,” said Worthy in a recent interview.
Building around Luka
Worthy pretty much hit the nail in the coffin about the Lakers’ flaws during the postseason and what they need if they have hopes of successfully building around LeBron James and Luka Doncic, which is depth. We saw how Los Angeles’s lack of rotation ended up forcing JJ Redick to live and die with his five best players, which he played for 24 straight minutes in the second half of Game 4 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, only for them to lose. Not even the heroic effort of both James and Doncic combined could save the Purple & Gold because they had many holes on their roster. One of the most significant voids, according to Worthy, was the team’s chemistry.
“I still don’t think the synergy was complete with Luka. A lot of things were absent, and so it was tough to see that. They couldn’t advance after making it to the third seed. That’s easy to do in the regular season, but playoffs is where it is,” James reiterated again.
In fairness to the Lakers, it’s difficult to build chemistry right off the bat, especially after making a blockbuster move in the middle of the season. Yes, they acquired one of the most lethal offensive players in the game in Doncic, but they also lost Anthony Davis, who was vital to them not just in the center position but also on defense. The “Lake Show’s” 18-10 regular season performance covered much of the gap that AD left until it was finally exposed in the playoffs. The Lakers need a center
Aside from adding depth, the Purple & Gold’s priority this season will include either signing or trading for a quality big man. Worthy hopes that they get the type of big that not just fits alongside the team’s dynamic duo, but one that thrives in the modern NBA offense.
“It’s a different type of big. It’s not the Kareem’s, the bigs of the past, not even the David Robinson’s per se. Strong, can run and shoot the three, that’s what we’re seeing with [Nikola] Jokic. I think he’s the one that really revised it all. A seven-foot Magic Johnson who can pass, shoot, and just control the game. So yeah, synergy is important and for us, defensively also.”
That big certainly wasn’t Jaxson Hayes, whom Redick had no trust in during the playoffs. It could’ve been Mark Williams minus the three-point shot, but that clearly didn’t work out. It’s going to be interesting to see how the Lakers attempt to solve their issues to make up for what Worthy thinks was a sad and disappointing exit this season.
