The Lakers suffered a losing streak, losing all but their only win against the Spurs, who are bottom of the West.
Although their opponents are not very good, the Lakers have not taken advantage. The midseason tournament has taken a toll on the Lakers, and their fitness and vitality are not as good as before.
The Lakers now have a 15-13 record and are getting further and further away from the playoffs. After the heavy loss to the Bulls, the Lakers can't put the blame on one player or coach, and the whole team should be held accountable.
However, from a management perspective, change is a must. In the extremely fierce competition in the west, the slightest carelessness will fall behind.
The Lakers have shown a far cry from championship contenders in the past period, and they need a player who can take the burden off James and Bushy Eyebrows in the regular season. They can't expect James and Bushy Brow to still have to give their all to win the game after the mid-season tournament is over.
There is a growing belief that the Lakers will make a trade and that the core chip will be D'Angelo Russell. There is a clear connection between the Bulls and the Lakers, and it looks like the two sides will strike a deal this season that will satisfy both of them.
Although the Lakers have expressed interest in DeRozan or Caruso, they would prefer to get LaVine.
Whether it's the players the Lakers want or which players the Bulls and Lakers will trade around, Russell is the Lakers' core bargaining chip.
Over time, the Lakers came to realize Russell's essence. They were able to trade Russell without paying too much for it and changed the team's fortune with the deal, but now they've seen how bad Russell's value can be.
Beasley has been dropped, Vanderbilt's offense has been targeted, and Russell has struggled in key battles and has a porous defense. Although Russell's base stats are good, averaging 15 per game3 points 62 assists and 38 three-point shooting2%, but in reality, he became a burden when it mattered, with inefficient offense and porous defense.
He can barely be trusted in the face of adversity, and unless the Lakers rely on James and Bushy Eyebrows to take the lead, it will be difficult for Russell to contribute to the team. The Lakers had high expectations for Russell, believing him to be the best choice for the Big Three.
However, over time, the Lakers gradually lost trust in him. Although he still sits in the starting lineup, he is actually not in the same position as substitutes Reeves and Vincent.
It was only a matter of time before the Lakers parted ways with Russell. In recent games, it can be clearly felt that Russell's form has been affected, he can't even hit some open positions, the offensive end has completely lost confidence, and even the basket has to be transferred again.