After a rough start to the season, the Los Angeles Lakers began to right the ship.
They went 2-10 in their first 12 games before winning eight of the next 10 to draw close to .500.
LA has since slipped to 12-16 but appears to be figuring some things out.
LeBron James and Anthony Davis continue to play at a high level.
.@stephenasmith is encouraged by the Lakers 👀
“Anthony Davis is clearly a league MVP candidate. … LeBron James is still that dude. And Russell Westbrook coming off the bench … I can’t say enough about the job that Russell Westbrook has been doing.” pic.twitter.com/GZ1Ws5vZ6R
— First Take (@FirstTake) December 6, 2022
And Russell Westbrook is adapting well to his role coming off the bench.
In order to capitalize on James while they still can, these two players should be on the Lakers’ radar.
1. Bojan Bogdanovic
First up is a player the Lakers have reportedly targeted since the offseason, Bojan Bogdanovic.
Bogdanovic was acquired via trade by the Detroit Pistons before the season began.
He was brought into to provide a veteran presence on a young team and shooting to help the development of their young star, Cade Cunningham.
Bogdanovic has been everything the Pistons could have hoped for, averaging 21.1 points per game while shooting 43% from three.
His high-volume shooting would be a welcome addition to the Lakers, one of the NBA’s worst three-point shooting teams.
Bojan has never been known for his defense, but his offensive skill set would greatly raise the Lakers’ ceiling on offense.
2. Myles Turner
Westbrook is reportedly no longer being actively shopped by the Lakers.
Thanks to his greatly improved play since coming off the bench, LA brass now sees him as a contributing member of a contender.
But for a player like Myles Turner, Westbrook should be put on the table.
As mentioned previously, the Lakers are among the worst three-point shooting teams in the league.
The 116.6 points per game they surrender also puts them in the bottom five in the league for defense.
Turner would just so happen to help in both of those categories.
Really liking what Myles Turner has done for the Pacers defensively. He hasn't been a defensive titan by rim dfg%, but he's led the league in rim contests for most of the season.
Indiana's entire D scheme revolves around funnelling players (preferably middle) to Turner pic.twitter.com/tjEvRyOKqp
— Lucas Burns (@nba_indepth) December 6, 2022
He is shooting a career-best 43.2% from deep on almost four attempts per game.
Turner is also blocking 2.3 shots per game, right in line with his career average.
Slotting Turner alongside Davis would significantly improve the Lakers’ defense without hindering the offense.
