All through the summer, the Lakers were touted as the favored destination for Kawhi Leonard. But as it turned out, the unpredictability of the free agency window became apparent again as Leonard signed with the Clippers instead. This was definitely a big blow for the Lakers, but they will have many more such issues to face on the court in the upcoming NBA season.
Free agent forward Kawhi Leonard has informed runners-up teams of his plans: He's signing with the Clippers, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 6, 2019
LA Lakers failed to acquire the third big star player
Los Angeles Lakers do, however, deserve credit for their quick action when they knew Kawhi Leonard was out of reach. Wasting no time, the signed several players on to their roster. However, it remains to be seen if these replacements could contribute anywhere near what Leonard would’ve done.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst did predict this whole situation unfurling as Lakers were not being able to land Leonard. Eventually, they have struggled to build a roster as most of the free agents were already off the board because of how late in the window it was.
Absence of a good Point Guard
Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports believes that the Lakers plan to put James in the point guard role along with new player Danny Green. For LA Lakers, it seems, they know that they lack a well-rounded point guard.
King James, of course, can play as a point guard- he has won championships playing in that position. But his best seasons have come as a small forward, and that is undoubtedly his best position.
Yahoo Sources: Los Angeles Lakers intend to move LeBron James to the starting point guard position. https://t.co/is6BPo5W0q
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) July 8, 2019
“Father Time” to catch up with LeBron James?
This is one aspect that isn’t being talked about as much- LeBron James is now almost 35, and “Father Time” is a concept that may apply to him. Father Time refers to a player’s skills deteriorating when he reaches his mid-30s.
Despite not having a particularly good summer, the team could still perform well enough to contend for the championship. They have the quality, it is a matter of fitting it well into a team.
