The Los Angeles Lakers must have not been happy being bounced in the first round this postseason.
This was a season removed from winning the NBA championship.
The 2021 season was marred by injuries that decimated their team chemistry.
In their first-round series, they looked like the defending champions for the first three games.
However, Anthony Davis got hurt once again, and they lost in six games.
Free agency has been in full motion and the Lakers are making the biggest splash.
They traded for Russell Westbrook before the draft.
Free agency begins and they grab Dwight Howard, Malik Monk, Kendrick Nunn, Trevor Ariza, and Kent Bazemore.
They were also able to obtain one of LeBron James‘ best friends, Carmelo Anthony.
Breaking: Carmelo Anthony has agreed to a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, his manager tells @wojespn. pic.twitter.com/a6FXEGJAcd
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) August 3, 2021
The Lakers are ready to compete next season, but their age might be a problem.
Several of their new additions are past their prime.
They are mostly in their 30s and are on the cusp of retirement.
Lakers age:
37 — Carmelo Anthony
36 — LeBron James
36 — Marc Gasol
36 — Trevor Ariza
36 — Jared Dudley*
35 — Dwight Howard
34 — Wes Matthews*
33 — Wayne Ellington
32 — Russell Westbrook
32 — Kent Bazemore(Submitted by @iKnowYuwanto) pic.twitter.com/HAQ7k6OlRK
— StatMuse (@statmuse) August 3, 2021
Fans should be worried about the age of this team, as they are trying to win a title.
Wear And Tear
The biggest issue the Lakers faced last season were injuries.
We saw Davis get hurt, but we also saw the indestructible James get injured.
That hurt any chances for them repeating as champions.
Next season might have that same issue appear.
Westbrook has had a problem with injuries in the last couple of years.
Howard has back issues that has taken away his productivity at times.
Anthony will turn 38 years old during the season as well.
The season is also going back to 82 games.
This season will be longer and the Lakers might have troubles with keeping everyone fresh.
Other contenders have some issues with wear and tear, but the Lakers are facing it the most.
Davis tends to get hurt every season and James is entering his 19th season.
Resting is going to be super important for a roster with this many older players.
Can They Hang With The Young Kids?
When you look at the accolades that the Lakers players have in total, it can be intimidating.
Lakers now have a combined:
5x MVP
4x DPOY
55x All-Star
46x All-NBA
17x All-Defense
4x Scoring Champion
5x Rebounding Leader
4x Assists Leader
5x Blocks Leader pic.twitter.com/K4BI0epYcV— StatMuse (@statmuse) August 3, 2021
This team has several players that know how to win.
They are veterans for a reason.
However, the league might be getting a lot younger.
We just saw the Phoenix Suns and Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA Finals.
Chris Paul was one of the best players in the series, but the two best were young talents.
Luka Doncic is ready to dominate the Western Conference.
The Suns should not be going anywhere.
Nikola Jokic is the MVP of the league.
The Lakers have James and Davis, but their bodies might not be able to hold up.
The NBA has so much young talent sprinkled around the league.
Maybe the Lakers can still win it all.
However, it should not be easy.
They have the ability, but they might not be able to run with the young teams and superstars of the NBA.
Do not be surprised to see them get tested and even lose in the playoffs.
NEXT: Ideal Lakers Starting Lineup with Russell Westbrook In Town