Honestly, usually this sub is pretty fair and reasonable. Users concede that better teams are better and coped with the Lakers’ WCF loss to the Nuggets with grace.

However, LAL fans have really overvalued and overrated this Lakers’ squad:

– We are led by two MVP-level stars. Both are injury prone. One’s turning 39 and has carefully managed minutes (but he’s arguably the GOAT and is still playing like a Top 10 player). The other is brilliant defensively, but can’t put up big offensive numbers every game.

– We lack a bonafide center and bonafide backup centers.

– Austin Reaves is not overrated. Afain, he’s a very important piece of the puzzle and has earned his praise. However, he is a borderline starter and feels more like a 6MOTY candidate. He’s not great defensively and is not a maestro at 1-on-1 ball or creating his own shot. He’s a tenacious, “big heart” dude and solid shooter. But he’s not Kyrie Irving. If he’s our 3rd best player, then LAL is not deep. He would not start on most contending teams. Hell, he would simply not start on most teams.

– The Lakers aren’t “deep” if they’re full of question marks and reclamation projects, thereby making it difficult to figure out our starting lineup or closing lineup.

For deep teams, one can’t figure out lineups because there are too many players who should play/start.

With LAL, we jave a different issue. We don’t know who to start because we don’t know how good/bad anyone is.

On paper, our best lineup is probably D-lo, Gabe (but he has to shoot lights out and continue the good D), Bron, AD, Wood.

But we’ve been trying D-lo, AR, Bron, Prince (Vando if healthy?), AD.

Ideally, we’d trade D-lo and have 1 - a reliable PG who can shoot and make plays 2 - a knockdown shooter and defender 3 - Bron 4 - AD 5 - a resurgent Wood or a legit center 6 - AR as the “sparkplug” and heart.

I am ready for the downvotes. Begin!