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“LAKERS–MIA”
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Missing in Action…probably the best words to describe LA Lakers basketball…Again.

Hard to believe, a team with superstars Anthony Davis-LeBron James, are no different today than they were three years  ago, four winters back, 5-seasons later..

Struggling to get to the .500-mark.
Not to be confused  with being an elite franchise.
A mixed bag of players who just seem to be ill fitting.

GM-Rob Pelinka, for the third year in a row, sure seems to have alot of square pegs trying to fit into round holes.

Last year, after a series of off season deals, the Lakers blew up the roster at the trade deadline, rented a bunch of players, and got themselves to the NBA West finals before losing.  What worked with Rui Hachimura, the re-arrival of D’Angelo Russell, the growth of Jared Vanderbilt, in the back half of the schedule has not worked this season.

2-years ago (2022-23), the Lakers went thru the ‘veterans experience’ the arrival of Russell Westbrook, Patrick Beverly, Dennis Schroedeer, Malik Beasley.  None survived

3-years back, (2021-22)  they tried a combo of Carmleo Anthony, Trevor Ariza, Avery Bradley, Taylor Horton-Tucker and Rajon Rondo.  A year later they all exited.

4-years ago (2020-21) there was Alex Caruso, Andre Drummond, Marc Gasol, Montrzl Harrell, Wes Matthews and the fast developing Kyle Kuzma

5-years removed (2019-20) , you remember Kantavius Caldwell-Pope, JaVale McGee, Dwight Howard and more.

Since 2019-Pelinka keeps making trades, spending money, moving draft picks, and what we have now is no better than then, a .500-team buried in the standings, with no future assets and two aging superstars.

So you will have to tell me.  The franchise that gave us West-Baylor-Wilt…Kareem-Magic-Worthy…Kobe-Shaq now cannot find the right mix around King James-AD.

Is it the GM’s failures?  The incoming player’s failures?  Or is it AD-LeBron cannot play with other people?

Lakers tradition no longer carries clout.  The franchise seems MIA.

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