The Los Angeles Lakers had an offseason that featured a lot of criticism over the talent lost and the names they signed to replace them. Walker Kessler has been the most polarizing move due to giving up multiple first round draft picks in a trade for him. However, Lakers insider Jovan Buha claimed another move should be viewed negatively instead.
Buha revealed the following analysis of why he feels Collin Sexton was the one Lakers mistake:
“In a macro sense, I view this all as a successful offseason. I disagree partly with the direction they went post Kessler. They got Kessler. That is the piece that is locked in, and you could get off of Quentin Grimes or [Sandro Mamukelashvili] or whatever in the future if you need to, and like there’s some flexibility there.
I think the [Collin] Sexton room exception contract was the mistake here. Where if you look at both Marcus Smart and Kelly Oubre are making less money on two-year deals. And for two years, I would rather take the gamble that Marcus Smart stays healthy. I think Kelly Oubre honestly might have been the most appealing because he at least gives you some of that wing size.”
The big point raised by Buha is that the Lakers potentially overpaid Sexton and could have used that money elsewhere. Bringing back free agent Marcus Smart or signing Kelly Oubre to the same deal as Sexton were paths that he believes would have helped the team more.
Missing Out On Kelly Oubre Was Biggest Mistake
The Sexton contract is not bad when judged on its own, but the other names available at a similar price truly do make it look worse. Most Lakers fans feel they should have spent some of the extra money on a wing player.
Grimes and Sexton could be argued as “too small” for a team that already has Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves as their lead guards. The Lakers went all in on the new center via the Kessler trade and signed some talented scoring guards.
However, Oubre would have been the perfect player to team with Doncic. The open three pointers to come from Luka leading the offense would get the best out of Oubre. A relatively cheap deal with the Indiana Pacers shows how affordable Oubre was this offseason.
Why The Other Moves Were Praised By Lakers Insider
The Kessler trade is considered the most controversial move, but Buha factored in the desperate need for a great defensive center. Kessler’s younger age and athleticism do provide some hope after a few solid seasons with the Utah Jazz.
Buha also made sure to note that both Grimes and Mamukelashvili could easily be flipped during the season or next summer since the contracts are good. Sexton could become a bad deal that becomes hard to move in today’s NBA landscape for a smaller guard.
The real biggest mistakes made by the Lakers were losing LeBron James and good role players like Rui Hachimura and Luke Kennard. Unfortunately, some players became too expensive for the Lakers on the free agent market. James leaving Los Angeles was his decision to see the Lakers having no chance of remaining in the race for him.
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