The Los Angeles Lakers entered the 2021-22 NBA season with championship aspirations. When it was all said and done, they couldn’t even qualify for the playoffs.
By any objective measure, this was a failed season in L.A.
Understandably, some of the Lakers’ Western Conference rivals are taking particular satisfaction in their disappointing run this past year.
Case in point: Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob.
During a recent interview with Tim Kawakami of The Athletic, Lacob couldn’t help but take a little shot at Los Angeles.
“There are a couple teams, I’m not going to say who, there’s some other teams that went all-in on older players,” he said.
“And older players do get injured. That’s the thing you have to remember. Suppose we had made a trade, traded away all our youth, for I don’t know, you name the guy, and they’re injured, out for the year. Anytime you’re over 30, 32, 35, these people get injured. It’s data.
“Having a Jordan Poole emerge at 22 and a Kuminga, who obviously is incredibly talented, isn’t playing so much so far yet in this series, but I think he will have his role … and (James) Wiseman coming back next year, (Moses) Moody … I just think we’re set up for the future. And yet we’re really good now.”
It’s hard to argue with that assessment. The Lakers’ age was seen as a big weakness for them coming into the year, and they didn’t do much to dispel those preconceived notions.
Now they’re talking about trading Anthony Davis, are desperately attempting to unload Russell Westbrook and can’t find a single coach who will have them.
That’s one way to do Easter.https://t.co/ivvH8MOlEA
— Game 7 (@game7__) April 18, 2022
A lot of this could have been avoided, had the Lakers not pursued this strategy of signing veterans past their prime.
Is Lacob taking a bit of extra joy rubbing salt in the Lakers’ wounds? Sure.
But are his points sound? Absolutely.
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Charles Kruger has been credentialed to cover two Super Bowls, four NBA Finals, and one World Series. A 20-year veteran in the sports world, he has sources spanning the NBA, MLB, NFL, UFC and NASCAR. Currently residing in Los Angeles, Calif., he is Game 7’s go-to source for rumors surrounding the Lakers, Clippers and Dodgers.
