The Los Angeles Lakers have let a lot of people down this season. After losing to the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night, they are now on a three-game losing streak that also includes losses to the Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns.
Fox Sports 1 commentator Shannon Sharpe is one of the many who are unimpressed by the Lakers extreme underachievement thus far. During Tuesday’s episode of Undisputed, Sharpe broke down where he felt the blame lands while going in on Los Angeles.
"80% goes to Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka for putting this team together. And 20% goes to LeBron James. … It's a shame. I'm so disappointed. I'm so upset with these Lakers. That was pathetic. I shouldn't have came into work." — @ShannonSharpe pic.twitter.com/ce368WKzQe
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) March 5, 2019
Giving 80 percent of the blame to the front office may be the right place to start. There was no shortage of doubt after Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka followed up landing LeBron James with lackluster signings. Surrounding James with Rajon Rondo, Michael Beasley, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, JaVale McGee, and Lance Stephenson never quite felt like a recipe for success- no matter how the front office framed it.
The Lakers currently sit at 30-34 and 5.5 games out of the playoffs and claim multiple statistical problems. This team is the third worst 3-point shooting team in the league and has the worst free throw percentage among all 30 teams. Despite hoping to pump the roster full of playmakers, they also average the third highest number of turnovers.
Sharpe went on to give the remaining 20 percent of the blame to the team’s star, LeBron James. While James’ play hasn’t been atrocious, he has never quite been the leader this team has needed all season. Despite having multiple opportunities to bolster the spirits of the team’s young players, especially amid moments of incessant trade rumors.
Regardless of where the blame lies, the Lakers have underperformed almost beyond belief.
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