NBA Playoffs or not, Los Angeles Lakers should run it back next season

Whether the Los Angeles Lakers make the NBA Playoffs or not, there’s no question that this team should run it back next season. 

The next few weeks will go a long way in determining how this season ends up being remembered for the Los Angeles Lakers. If they do end up making the NBA Playoffs, it will be viewed as somewhat of a salvaging of the season. If they don’t make the playoffs, this will be another year of disappointment for the team in the LeBron James era.

Nevertheless, no matter what happens between now and the end of the season (whenever that ends up being for the Lakers, there can’t be much mystery for the team heading into the offseason. This summer, the Lakers should do what it takes to ensure the team running it back next season.

While there’s a sense that the Lakers could pursue a big-name free agent, perhaps even Kyrie Irving. At this point, after the moves that they made at the NBA Trade Deadline, that seems highly unlikely.

It’s going to be extremely difficult for the Lakers to pursue a big name via free agency. To create the necessary cap space, they have to basically give up on the moves that they made at the NBA Trade Deadline. Considering how patient they were if finding the right moves, I find it hard to believe that the Lakers would explore such an option.

And running it back is not the terrible idea as it often gets labeled as. IT wouldn’t be considering how much better the Lakers have played this season with their retooled roster. Their recent play looks even better considering the majority of the games have been without LeBron James in the lineup.

The new-look Los Angeles Lakers have been…better than expected?

Since the moves made at the NBA Trade Deadline, the Lakers are 11-6. They have the best defense in the NBA and a top-10 net rating. Again, LeBron only played in three of those games. That’s really good. You’d have to assume that with a healthy LeBron, this Lakers team would be able to raise their 22nd-ranked defense and would be even better overall.

No matter how this team looks in the playoffs, if they get there, this is a team that has to roll the dice on this roster heading into next season.

Under the assumption that LeBron will be healthy, this is, at the very least, a dark horse threat in the Western Conference. The Lakers should run it back next season. That shouldn’t be a shock, nor considered a disappointing option for the team.

With as much uncertainty that revolves around this team moving forward, there shouldn’t be much mystery surrounding this team heading into the offseason. “Run it back” should be the motto for the Lakers heading into the summer.