The 2022 Los Angeles Lakers failed to make the NBA playoffs despite having four future Hall of Famers on their roster. Here's a detailed analysis of what went wrong:

LeBron James and the Lakers' Roster Construction:

• LeBron signed a 2-year, $85 million max contract ($41.18M in 2022)
• Team traded young talent for aging Russell Westbrook
• Created spacing issues with three ball-dominant stars (James, Westbrook, Davis)

Key Performance Issues:

• LeBron's highest Lakers usage rate but lowest assists (6.2 per game) since 2006-07
• Poor ball security with 3.5 turnovers per game (1.77 assist-to-turnover ratio)
• Team ranked near bottom of NBA in turnovers
• Stagnant isolation-heavy offense

Former Lakers Finding Success Elsewhere:

• Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
• Alex Caruso
• Kyle Kuzma All had strong seasons after leaving LA

Current State and Future Outlook:

• No clear path forward with limited assets
• Stuck with Westbrook's contract
• Anthony Davis health concerns
• LeBron potentially wanting out
• Limited flexibility for roster improvements

The Lakers' failure to make even the play-in tournament highlights how star power alone doesn't guarantee success, especially when the pieces don't complement each other effectively.

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