The LA Lakers have made some trade moves during the window but Chandler Parsons has revealed they still need more to truly challenge.
JJ Redick’s side has lost their last three games, including a heavy defeat to the Dallas Mavericks that the side copped some heat for.
Upon the return of LeBron James the side’s fortunes started to pick up, but despite the arrival of Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton, the team has regressed.
Former NBA star Patrick Beverley went as far as saying the Nets got a better trade deal by signing D’Angelo Russell, and Chandler Parsons has urged the Lakers to add more firepower to their side.
While the Lakers still possess two of the best players in the NBA in the form of LeBron and Anthony Davis they need support around them.
Austin Reaves has shown his worth this season, but his displays are inconsistent and the Lakers need a regular contributor.
LeBron, at the age of 40, is still breaking records for fun, but at this stage in his career, he shouldn’t still be having to put in the hard yards night after night.
The King recently spoke about the Lakers roster, something that Parsons has urged the Lakers to improve if they are to be contenders this season.
Speaking on Fan Duel’s Run It Back he said: “Everybody knows they’re [Lakers] still a star piece away from being that contending team.
“They need a Donovan Mitchell name from last year, they need someone of that calibre I think to put themselves in as a contender as early as this year because the West is very good.
“There’s all these new young teams like the Houston Rockets, the Grizzlies, the Spurs, there’s so many good teams and I just think they’re in the middle of the pack towards the bottom and it’s where we thought they’d be.”
The du of LeBron and AD is comfortably one of the best in the NBA right now but the pair cannot be expected to go and carry the team night after night.
LeBron is averaging 23-7-8 while AD is also impressing with 25-11-3 but they need other Lakers players to chip in.
Carmelo Anthony believes that Jimmy Butler would be a good trade signing for the Lakers and it is clear to see that they need reinforcements.
Parsons spoke about how it is unfair to expect so much of LeBron in the latter stages of his career, he said: “LeBron James, you can’t expect him to carry the load, he shouldn’t even be a part of the big two or big three at this point of his career, it’s not fair to anybody.”
He also went on to highlight how Davis is a physical player who will miss the odd game through injury: “Anthony Davis, you have to factor in is going to miss some games, he’s going to be banged up sometimes but when he’s on the court he’s been great.”
The Lakers need to find a formula that works and perhaps look to the future where they can no longer rely on the brilliance of LeBron.
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