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Lakers News: LA Starter Still Believes In Team Despite Mounting Evidence To Contrary

Where does Los Angeles go from here?

Matt Levine

After another playoff exit at the hands of the Denver Nuggets, the Los Angeles Lakers will enter the offseason searching for answers. Despite leading for the majority of the series, Denver was able to make the big plays when the game was on the line.

Following the Game 5 loss to Denver, Lakers guard Austin Reaves gave his thoughts on the team. Despite all the evidence showing that this unit can't compete with the elite groups around the NBA, Reaves still doubled down on his belief in them.

“I just really enjoy being around these guys...Everybody on our team is a joy to be around. I’ve spoken about it a billion times, my relationship with DLo off the court…Bron and AD, as well. I consider them my friends. As long as I can play alongside one of them, if there’s anything I can do to help that be possible, that’s what I’ll do. Cause I believe in what we have.”

While it's great to see Reaves sticking up for his teammates, the reality of the situation is that the Lakers aren't good enough. They need to upgrade the roster greatly this offseason if they have any hope of competing for a title.

The front office is going to have a lot of work to do this summer, starting with the fate of star LeBron James. Reaves himself may even be used as trade bait, with Los Angeles potentially looking to grab another star-level player.

This summer will be one of the most crucial in recent memory for the Lakers. It will determine if the organization wants to truly compete for a title or if they are satisfied with just trying their best each season.

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Matt Levine
MATT LEVINE

Matt earned a Master of Science degree in Sport Management from Louisiana State University in 2021. He was born and raised in the Los Angeles area, covering all Southern California sports in his career.