Where Do the New-Look Lakers Stand Now?

The Los Angeles Lakers put the league on notice with their acquisition of All-NBA forward Anthony “The Brow” Davis, back in mid-June. The 6x all-star will be joining LeBron James and Kyle Kuzma on what was last season, quite a disappointing Lakers squad. However, things are different now. The Lakers know that LeBron James will be 35 years old soon. They know that their championship window is not going to be open for long, which is why their in a win-now mode. By the end of the season, looking at themselves, being the Lakers, the almighty Los Angeles Lakers, and at their pile of assets after a 37 win season, the Lakers saw an opportunity to trade for a top 5 talent in Anthony Davis. This is someone they have been coveting for years now and someone who reciprocates those same feelings back to the Lakers franchise. Davis shares an agent with and has a great relationship with their best player, AND to acquire Davis they didn’t have to forfeit EITHER of their 2 best assets. This AD trade for the Lakers was a no-brainer. Now, they stand today with LeBron James and Anthony Davis, two of the leagues top 5 talents, friends ready to go to war not just with one another, but for one another. With rookie-sensation and one of the biggest recent draft surprises, 23-year-old Kyle Kuzma as their 3rd option.

The Lakers have recently signed 2x NBA champion, 2017 all-defensive guard, Danny Green to a 2 year $30 million contract.. As one of the league’s premier 3 point specialists and defenders for numerous years now, he is the perfect guard to pair with the bevy of star forwards on the roster. Green will likely be a seamless fit into the star-powered Lakers roster.

The Lakers also recently signed 2x All-NBA big man DeMarcus Cousins to a 1-year vet-minimum contract. Before his unfortunate achilles and quad injuries, DeMarcus “boogie” Cousins was of the leagues top bigs. People are quick to forget what this guy is capable of, putting up a stellar 25.2 points per game and 12.9 rebounds per game, along with a career-high 5.4 assists per game when he was last fully-healthy with the New Orleans Pelicans. Another thing to consider: his teammate when putting up those otherworldly numbers, playing the best basketball of his career, and appearing to be the happiest he has been in a long time, was none other than an Anthony Davis. Funny how that works out, huh? Boogie Cousins will join Davis, as well as former Pelicans teammate Rajon Rondo on the Lakers this season, bringing back together the 2017 New Orleans “big 3”, hungrier than ever to hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy, and ready to join LeBron James and cast in bringing an NBA championship to the city of Los Angeles.

The Lakers this year will feature a big 4 of LeBron James, Kyle Kuzma, and former teammates “Boogie & the Brow”. Not bad when considering where the 37-win Lakers were just a few months ago, with the resignation of Magic Johnson as president of basketball operations, and the entire franchise seemingly up in flames. This has been quite the offseason for a legendary Lakers franchise, coming off of what can be described as, well, anything but a legendary past couple of years. What’s ahead for this Lakers squad is uncertain. But what can fairly be said, is that this team, this franchise, is headed in the right direction, and whatever lies ahead has got to be better than what lies in the past for the Los Angeles Lakers.

– By Zack Weiss