Despite loss in WCF, Los Angeles Lakers heading into offseason with momentum
Even after losing in the Western Conference Finals, the Los Angeles Lakers should feel great about their chances next season.
On Feb 10, more than halfway through the regular season, the Los Angeles Lakers had the fifth-worst record in the NBA. They were 13th overall in the Western Conference standings and it was looking more and more like, for the second-straight season, LeBron James and the Lakers were going to miss the playoffs.
Then, something happened. In part with the moves made at the NBA Trade Deadline by Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka, the Lakers began to click. Even with LeBron missing 13 of the team’s final 21 games of the regular season with an injury.
From Feb 10 to the end of the regular season, the Lakers went 18-8. That was the best record in the Western Conference over that span. Even then, that was only good enough for the Lakers to sneak into the Play-In Tournament (and eventually in the playoffs) as the 7th seed.
But it didn’t stop there.
The Lakers used their late-season regular-season momentum to pull off a first-round upset over the 2-seeded Memphis Grizzlies. And then used that momentum into dethroning the defending champions Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference semifinals in six games.
Unfortunately, just when it seemed as if the Lakers were emerging as a team of legacy, they ran into the buzzsaw that was the Denver Nuggets. But even after being swept by the Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals, the Lakers should feel good about their chances heading into the offseason.
The Los Angeles Lakers have momentum heading into the offseason
LeBron’s retirement talk aside, assuming that’s something that gets worked out and he returns for another season, the Lakers should feel good about their big 2, the likely re-signing of Austin Reaves, and adding another piece via trade.
That should be good enough to compete again in the Western Conference. And if the team is competitive from game 1 of the regular season, they’ll be even better equipped once the playoffs start.
The Lakers had to fight and claw for every opportunity they had in the playoffs. If the Lakers can head into next season with a deep AND top-tier talented roster, LeBron will have another great shot of winning a title next season.
Of course, that’s all easier said than done. The Lakers’ front office has to come through in the offseason. They have to sell LeBron in the next 1-2 years. They have to get Anthony Davis healthy. They have to re-sign Reaves. And they have to figure out how to acquire another star without completely blowing up this team’s depth.
Next. Los Angeles Lakers can retool with unexpected trade with Portland Trail Blazers. dark
The Lakers are in a good place heading into the offseason and the momentum of their playoff run could help this team emerge as a championship favorite next year.