The Lakers' Next Steps: Building a Championship Team

The Lakers have a big decision to make. They just missed out on the playoffs in the first round. This isn't the end of the world, but it's a wake-up call. They have two superstars, Luka Dončić and LeBron James. Both are amazing players, but they're not getting any younger. Dončić is 26, and James will turn 41 in December. The Lakers need to think about the future. The Lakers have a tough job ahead. They need to build a team that can win a championship. This isn't easy, especially with the salary cap rules. But the Lakers have always found a way to win. They've won at least one championship in every decade except the 1960s and 1990s. They moved to L. A. in the 1960s and reached the NBA Finals in 1991. The Lakers have a big decision to make about Austin Reaves. He's their most valuable trade asset. He's a 26-year-old guard who can create off the dribble, shoot from distance, and draw fouls. He's also one of the friendliest salaries in the league, at $14 million next season and a $15 million option for the following season. Reaves has a bright future in the NBA. He went from undrafted to a solid starter. The Lakers have managed to keep him, even from being included in the Dončić deal with Dallas. This was a big point of contention among Mavericks fans and league observers. The Lakers' GM, Rob Pelinka, will need to be super-creative if he plans to keep Reaves and add major talent. The Lakers need to add quality size. They don't have a reliable center. They have Jaxson Hayes, but he's not the answer. They could have kept Mark Williams, an athletic 7-footer with a high ceiling, in a midseason trade with the Hornets. But he reportedly failed his physical, causing Pelinka to get cold feet and rescind the deal. The Lakers are back to square one in their search for a rebounder and rim protector to replace Anthony Davis, who was sacrificed in the Dončić deal. A top-shelf center will cost them Reaves at least. If Reaves stays put, then the Lakers might hunt for centers with a limited shelf life, including veterans Brook Lopez and Clint Capela. The Lakers desperately crave a big man, and based on Redick’s playoff rotation, one they trust isn’t currently on the roster. The Lakers have a few options. They could trade Reaves for a quality center. They could stick with player development. They could hope for a "disgruntled star. " They could also choose not to place any urgency on winning with James. If the Lakers are all-in for Dončić and the future and nothing else, then they’ll ignore any urge to quicken the process to salvage James’ last season or two. That means keeping and extending Reaves and then adding pieces gradually, over the next few years, whether James is still active or not. The Lakers have a good problem to have, juggle and address. In these restrictive money times, hoarding two superstars — let alone three — is difficult. When a team possesses two, they’re instantly a title contender, provided the rest of the rotation is productive.