This Lakers team will not make the playoffs

Going into the season, I was very excited to see what this Lakers team would do despite all the criticism and letdowns of last season. After all their injuries and complications, I was vocal about the Lakers having a redemption arc this season. However, after watching the Los Angeles Lakers lose four games in a row, I can't lie. My confidence is enervated. 

I love the Lakers, but I can't sit here and make excuses anymore for this squad as a team. They must come together and figure this out. The disappointing part is this team shows flashes of potential but overall, without some roster adjustments, this team's championship aspersions may be cut short sooner than we think.

Lakers Shooting

The biggest problem the Los Angles Lakers have this season is the lack of floor spacing which has contributed to this team shooting a disappointing 22 percent from three. The worst part is that this team is taking great shots, but they have shown no signs of improving their efficiency through four games.

The Lakers' struggles behind the arc are also no secret to other teams, making it easy for them to game plan against LA. Teams know exactly how to beat them; the first step is to build a wall in the paint to make it difficult for LeBron James to penetrate and force him to attempt a contested bucket at the rim or cause James to kick it to the open man for three.

In any other circumstance, a James-led drive-and-kick offense is lethal, but with this roster's inability to consistently hit from behind the arc, it's a perk that other teams like the Nuggets will continue to use until we show signs of improvement.

How Can We Improve

The truth is that there is an easy way to fix the Lakers. From an outsider's perspective, a trade must be made before things worsen. And while I agree a trade has to be made, social media plays a part in providing false expectations for Lakers fans. Too many times, we hear reports of trades that could have happened with the Lakers that, honestly, we can't confirm true. Then when we see these players perform well on their new teams, it makes us feel some type of way toward our organization.

While I can't confirm nor deny that any of these trade rumors have been or will be real, we probably won't know until something comes out officially. So for me, Rob Palinka has a choice: Do you want to throw away a prime season of James to protect our future of two 18-year-old kids that may or may not become great players? Or do we find the right deal involving one or two of these picks now and fix this season before it's too late?

As constructed, this team cannot win a championship. If they can't hit open shots in the regular season, there's no way they will be able to hit those shots in the playoffs, let alone make the playoffs. In my opinion, the only way to fix this team is to look around the league and find a team willing to take on Russell Westbrook's contract and trade compensation to get back quality role players that can shoot the ball.

 I know it is hard to keep faith Lakers Nation but trust me, sometimes things don't start the way we picture it in our heads. The most important thing to remember is that we will make it through these losses and learn from them. I look forward to seeing this team improve as we continue our quest for 18.