AFTER A TRANSFORMATIVE and tumultuous season for the Los Angeles Lakers, one that landed the franchise superstar Luka Doncic but ended with a disappointing first-round playoff flameout, there were serious questions about how the team could rebound.
Could the Lakers find a starting center to play with Doncic, after they'd reneged on a trade-deadline deal to land Charlotte's Mark Williams and benched Jaxson Hayes in the playoffs? Would this be LeBron James' final summer? Could they find more two-way talent to keep pace with teams like this year's champion, the Oklahoma City Thunder?