Lakers president Magic Johnson’s decisions last summer mostly backfired. (LeBron James signing with the Lakers was LeBron’s, not Johnson’s, decision.)
The Lakers let Julius Randle and Brook Lopez walk in free agency then signed Rajon Rondo, Lance Stephenson and Michael Beasley.
Randle is having a solid season for the Pelicans. Lopez is thriving with the Bucks.
Rondo, Stephenson and Beasley have collectively underwhelmed. The Lakers will almost certainly miss the playoffs.
The consequence in Los Angeles: Lakers coach Luke Walton will probably get fired after the season.
But maybe Walton tried to get himself a better roster.
Let’s assume this happened. Did the coaching staff have any unheeded roster advice that doesn’t look as good in hindsight? That probably won’t leak to the public. This is selective and self-serving.
NBA coaches generally must earn roster input. Walton hadn’t. The Lakers were bad last season with Walton coaching Lopez and Randle.
Though Randle seemingly made expected progress given his age, Lopez was really unlocked by Milwaukee coach Mike Budenholzer. That might not have happened with Walton in Los Angeles.
Nobody deserves more blame for the Lakers’ failures than Johnson, who assembled an ill-fitting roster abound LeBron. Johnson must do better this summer.
But listening more to Walton isn’t the simple answer.