In decades past, the Los Angeles Lakers were always among the top teams in the Western Conference. But after the Denver Nuggets eliminated them, NBA legend called on the franchise to improve if they want to contend in the West.
As it stands, the Lakers’ current iteration isn’t enough to defeat most contenders in the West, such as Nikola Jokic’s Denver Nuggets and Anthony Edwards’ Minnesota Timberwolves. Just recently, the defending champions dismantled them in Game 5 of their series to eliminate the Purple and Gold from the playoffs.
In that series, the trio of Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Michael Porter Jr. scorched Los Angeles on offense. Meanwhile, the All-Star duo of James and Anthony Davis weren’t enough to carry the Lakers due to a subpar backcourt and bench unit surrounding them. Add age and injuries to the mix, and LA doesn’t stand a chance against Denver in the playoffs.
But it isn’t just the Nuggets that are surging in the Western Conference. The recent regular season has shown that the Timberwolves and Oklahoma City Thunder have now arrived and ready to make to themselves known around the league for years to come. On the other hand, aging squads like the Lakers and Golden State Warriors are losing their touch and aren’t that dominant as before.
NBA Legend Magic Johnson Says Los Angeles Lakers Must Improve To Contend in the Western Conference
Among those who have noticed this trend is NBA legend Magic Johnson. In a tweet he posted on his official X account:
“Laker Nation, we have a problem. All the good teams in the West are young and talented: the Nuggets, the Timberwolves, the Thunder, and the Mavs. And the BIGGEST elephant in the room is the Spurs, who with Victor Wembanyama, will definitely be a playoff team next season. For the Lakers to compete with all these teams, the roster MUST improve,” Johnson tweeted.
Apart from the Timberwolves and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Thunder, the Spurs has the ability to become better if Victor Wembanyama is surrounded by a better team. If that happens, there’s going to be no more room for the Lakers at the top.
It remains to be seen whether the Lakers will heed Johnson’s call or it’s going to fall on deaf ears. In any case, Los Angeles will have a harder time if they don’t address their roster problems soon.
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