NBA: 7 teams with questionable futures heading into the offseason

Los Angeles Lakers

What an absolute (expletive)show of a season. I mean, where do we even start? The botched coaching situation, the Anthony Davis trade fiasco, the lack of chemistry in the locker room, LeBron’s 18-game absence, all contributed to the Lakers missing the playoffs. And let’s not forget Magic Johnson‘s impeccably timed exit, essentially bailing on a four-year project he and LeBron James orchestrated last summer when the latter agreed to don the purple and gold.

All that, and of course, the basketball gods decide to grant them the fourth overall pick in this year’s draft. Crazy world, isn’t it? Anyways, that fourth pick and the max-contract slot they’ll have at their disposal this summer won’t mean anything if the star power of the greatest player of this generation can’t attract any of this year’s crop of free agents, which include the likes of the aforementioned Irving, Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, Jimmy Butler, and many others.

Contrary to what most seem to think, if GM Rob Pelinka and the Lakers cannot land a single top-level free agent this summer, LeBron’s move to LA won’t be a failed experiment yet. No, I’m not talking about an Anthony Davis trade, which at this point, is out of the question really. In a desperate effort to stay in championship contention, the Lakers could swing a trade for Blake Griffin, who could be a perfect fit as a small ball 5.

As I said, it’s a desperate quick fix, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility. Either way, LeBron James isn’t getting any younger, meaning the Lakeshow is in win-now mode.