NBA Rumors: LeBron’s Lakers ‘Need More Than’ Zion Williamson To Become A Title Contender, Says Paul Pierce
Despite having the best basketball player on the planet, LeBron James, on their roster, the Los Angeles Lakers are still unable to end their playoff drought in the 2018-19 NBA season. Failing to compete in the postseason comes with some incentives, including the chance to acquire a lottery pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. Though there is only a minimal possibility for the Lakers to land the No. 1 overall pick, some people can’t help themselves but think what the duo of James and Zion Williamson can accomplish together in Los Angeles.
Most basketball fans will surely love to see LeBron James and the player who could become the next face of the NBA – Zion Williamson – play together on one team. However, in a recent interview with TMZ Sports, future NBA Hall of Famer Paul Pierce doesn’t think that the acquisition of Williamson could turn the Lakers into a legitimate title contender. Pierce admitted that Williamson has the potential to become an NBA superstar, but the Lakers need more than him to turn things around in the 2019-20 NBA season.
“Zion is not the savior, but he’s very good,” Pierce said. “But y’all need more than that!”
With the emergence of numerous superteams, the Lakers will definitely need more than a player of Zion Williamson’s caliber. Instead of adding another young and promising talent on their roster, the Lakers should prioritize surrounding LeBron James with quality players who have lots of NBA experience.
Zion Williamson is just one of many NBA-caliber players in the Sweet 16. https://t.co/qJpnXebWfF
— USA TODAY NBA (@usatodaynba) March 28, 2019
The Lakers have plenty of ways to improve their roster in the 2019 NBA offseason. Lakers President of Basketball Operations Magic Johnson and General Manager Rob Pelinka purposely filled their roster with one-year contracts to maintain their salary cap flexibility in the summer of 2019 where they could chase the likes of Kyrie Irving, Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, Kemba Walker, Jimmy Butler, and DeMarcus Cousins. Aside from having the money to spend in the 2019 NBA free agency, the Lakers also have a plethora of trade assets to engage in a blockbuster deal.
Despite failing to secure a deal before the February NBA trade deadline, the Lakers are still expected to resume their trade negotiation with the New Orleans Pelicans involving All-Star center Anthony Davis. If the basketball gods handed the Lakers the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, the Lakers have a strong chance of beating whatever type of trade package that the Boston Celtics are planning to offer for Davis. The Pelicans decided to wait for the summer of 2019 to deal Davis not just for the Celtics but also to know which NBA team will acquire the top selection in the upcoming draft.
