Nuggets vs. Lakers: Game 7 Proves L.A. Must Make Offseason Changes

As a franchise, the Los Angeles Lakers are at a crossroads of where they are headed in the future.

Tough decisions on what future Lakers' teams will look like are going to have to be made by general manager Mitch Kupchak, and a Game 7 win Saturday night against the Denver Nuggets shouldn't impact his decision one bit.

Simply being taken to seven games by the younger and more athletic Denver Nuggets is a glaring sign that the Lakers need to make major offseason moves.

The Nuggets has exposed something in Los Angeles, and that's the fact that they aren't very athletic. To compete in the future, Kupchak must make that a focal point in the offseason. Even if the Lakers win against Denver and advance to the second round, there's a younger and more athletic team awaiting them in the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Oklahoma City will also expose major weaknesses in the Lakers, and if not, there are ultra athletic teams like the Miami Heat that will do the job for them.

Even Lakers legend Magic Johnson feels changes are needed.

During ESPN's NBA broadcast on Friday, Magic Johnson claimed that Mike Brown's job was in jeopardy if the Lakers lost Game 7. According to Mark Medina from latimes.com, Johnson said:

"They're going to run Mike Brown first out of town," Johnson said as an ESPN analyst Friday. "Then second will be [Andrew] Bynum. Then third will be [Pau] Gasol."

"Mike Brown will not be coaching the Lakers if they lose this game," Johnson said. "There would be so much pressure on Jim Buss and the Laker organization to get rid of him." 

While Magic is speculating on what the Lakers will do, there's not much doubting that change is in order.



In fact, with an eye on competing in the future, changes should be made even if the Lakers win tonight and advance to the second round.

Their window is closing fast with the current group, and t...

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