Lakers biggest needs to be contender

[Nike D'Antoni]

What do the Lakers need to be a contender?
They have won vs Top four in west at least once ( Memphis, Denver, Pelicans, Kings). They beat the Bucks too.

[Spurs m8]

They need LeShrivel to actually show up in the 4th...especially the last 5 mins


This guy disappears like clockwork

[1987_Lakers]

Keep dominating like LeBron did tonight.

[Lee]

Size & Shooting. Many teams pack the paint and ignore our shooters.

[NBAGOAT]

Any of the above. They just need some starter level players. They had 8 guys who played minutes tonight and 6 of them aren’t close to being starters on any other team. Could be shooting on the wing a big etc doesn’t really matter

[bison]

The grizz double teamed Lebron a lot tonight. It would be nice to be able to make teams pay for that by having shooters.

[ArbitraryWater]

gotta get heathy again, thats a.

[ImKobe]

Rim protection & consistent 1st option scoring aka MVP DPOY Davis

[Phoenix]

Rim protection & consistent 1st option scoring aka MVP DPOY Davis

Interesting that you attach those accolades to him, when he's won neither award.

[RRR3]

Interesting that you attach those accolades to him, when he's won neither award.
Also interesting they have a better record when he doesn’t play since he’s supposedly the MVP

[Manny98]

I genuinely believe this Lakers team can seriously contend if AD can stay healthy and they used a 1st to get Buddy Hield

[ShawkFactory]

Depth. They have rotation players that literally wouldn't get minutes on any other playoff team.

And shooting.

[AussieSteve]

They honestly just need to be fully healthy come playoffs.

If LeBron and AD are both close to 100% they are contenders. Possibly even favourites IMO to beat anyone in the West except Denver and the Warriors (if they are also fully fit)

[bladefd]

SG like Gary Trent would be perfect fit. He is a decent 3pt shooter, good FT shooting, has size for SG, good perimeter defender, and can be considered a wing defender too. I would trade Beverley/Nunn/2029 FRP for Gary Trent.

And ofc a rim-protector. Bryant is good on offense but horrendous on defense. Gabriel is undersized unfortunately. AD's return would help with this. I don't know the right move for this because of AD's return on the horizon.