Former Los Angeles Lakers forward Robert Horry believes the franchise’s summer priorities are clear: assemble a roster built to topple the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder, the two clubs currently setting the pace in the Western Conference.
Speaking on ESPN LA Radio, Horry pointed to San Antonio’s seven-game victory over the defending champion Thunder as proof that Los Angeles must tailor its personnel to match up with those contenders.
“You realize who you are and you look at the teams that are dominating,” Horry said. “The Lakers have to build to beat OKC and San Antonio.”
The challenge at the top of the West
The Spurs, led by forward Victor Wembanyama, outlasted two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Oklahoma City in the conference finals. Both rosters feature deep, youthful cores that project to stay intact for years.
With Luka Doncic entrenched as the Lakers’ franchise cornerstone, the club now faces an offseason defined by free-agency decisions and the uncertain status of LeBron James. Horry emphasized the need for a defensively versatile big man capable of challenging the 7-foot-4 Wembanyama.
Depth a pressing concern
Head coach JJ Redick has already underscored the importance of bolstering depth after injuries sapped the rotation late last season. San Antonio and Oklahoma City routinely rolled out athletic, multifaceted lineups—an edge Los Angeles hopes to narrow before training camp.
The Lakers enter the summer with a lengthy list of free agents and a mandate, echoed by Horry, to construct a squad specifically designed to navigate the Western Conference’s two “big dogs.”
Source: Lakers Nation
