If you think the 2022-23 Los Angeles Lakers are bad, then you may have no words for last year’s roster.
Russell Westbrook and Frank Vogel were often scapegoated and blamed for the team’s shortcomings, but it’s not like they had a lot to work with.
In fact, a recent graphic showed just how sad the Lakers’ reality was last season, as eight players from last year’s roster aren’t even in the league anymore: Dwight Howard, Kent Bazemore, Trevor Ariza, D.J. Augustin, Avery Bradley, Wayne Ellington, Stanley Johnson, and Carmelo Anthony.
8 players from the Lakers last season are no longer in the NBA 😭 pic.twitter.com/jGS6Z2BxzX
— Mink Flow (@currypistonn) January 19, 2023
Notably, the graphic was wrong about Stanley Johnson, who has played a lesser role with the San Antonio Spurs, but the point is pretty much the same.
One could make a case for Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard still being good enough to be in the league, as both still had some gas left in the tank.
As for the others, it’s evident that they didn’t have what it took to be consistent contributors last season, and that’s why no one around the league wants anything to do with them.
Once again, that speaks volumes as to how poorly Rob Pelinka has managed the roster lately.
He inherited a promising core from the Magic Johnson administration and broke it all up to get Westbrook in purple and gold.
This year’s roster has been marginally better, but it’s still a ways away from being enough to compete at the highest level.
But hey, if you don’t want to feel bad about the present, just take a look at the past.
NEXT: Lakers Head Coach Knows What His Team Needs