The Los Angeles Lakers have struggled mightily to start the 2023-24 season. They currently rank 11th in the Western Conference standings with a 3-5 record, and they own the fourth-worst net rating in the NBA with a -7.2 mark. Their current three-game losing streak certainly hasn’t helped.
Soon to be 39 years old, LeBron James is one of just three Lakers with a positive plus-minus this season. His +29 mark may not reflect the team’s record, but the all-time great is doing everything in his power to keep the team afloat. In contrast, running mate Anthony Davis has posted a -44 plus-minus.
Davis already missed a game due to hip spasms, and he remains questionable for the Lakers’ next outing. The eight-time All-Star has a well-documented injury history that the L.A. medical staff will need to keep in mind as Davis enters his 12th year in the league.
On NBA Today, ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins argued that the Lakers need to add a third star to the roster.
“They need a third star,” Perkins said. “We thought it was gonna be Austin Reaves. Let’s keep it real. The run that Austin Reaves had [in] the last part of the season and in the postseason … We didn’t say he was ‘him,’ he said he was ‘him.’”
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Unfortunately, Austin Reaves deserves some of the criticism he has received. After he put together an electric playoff run and averaged the second-most points for Team USA this summer, Reaves seemed primed for a breakout campaign.
Through eight contests, Reaves has put up averages of 13.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.0 assists. The 25-year-old shooting guard is shooting 41.6% from the field and 27.8% from downtown. In his most recent game, Reaves scored seven points on 2/9 shooting with a team-worst plus-minus of -28. The Lakers lost that game in Houston by 34 points.
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Simply put, the Lakers could use some scoring help. The team ranks 28th in offensive rating and 21st in points per game. While D’Angelo Russell has provided Los Angeles with a much-needed scoring punch, he lacks the consistency of a true third star. In half of his games this season, D-Lo has shot below 40% from the field.
As the Western Conference becomes more and more competitive, another star player might be just what the Lakers need to get back on track.
