The Los Angeles Lakers' struggles in the NBA Playoffs could have a huge negative long-term impact on the franchise.
The Los Angeles Lakers are not doing a great job of selling Luka Doncic on the future of the franchise.
When the Lakers entered the NBA Playoffs as the third seed in the Western Conference, the questions surrounding the team weren't centered on whether they would win a first-round playoff series. Instead, they revolved around whether they'd be able to make a deep playoff run or not. However, that may have been a huge mistake. Because right now, the Lakers are in a dogfight with the Minnesota Timberwolves in their first-round playoff series.
Down 2-1 with Game 4 on the road, the Lakers are not in a great spot. They've struggled on both ends of the floor against the Wolves, and unless something drastically changes in the next couple of games, the Lakers are in grave danger of losing this series. But there may be more at stake for the Lakers during this playoff run than an embarrassing end to their season. I'd suggest that if the Lakers lose in the first round, the chances of them being able to re-sign Luka to a long-term deal drop dramatically.
The Luka Doncic era in Los Angeles has been...disappointing?
No one will probably admit it just yet, but the Luka era in Los Angeles has left a bit to be desired. Sure, the Lakers have managed to keep stacking regular-season wins, but we haven't seen peak Luka yet during his short time with the Lakers. And admittedly so, it's been an extremely small sample size. But there is still some awkwardness that's evident when watching him play.
And that has been clear as day in the NBA Playoffs. Despite Luka taking his game to another level in the postseason, the rest of the supporting cast has left much to be desired. Aside from LeBron James and Austin Reaves, the rest of the Lakers' supporting cast has disappointed. That's a big reason why the Lakers find themselves down 2-1 in the series against the Wolves.
But, overall, the Lakers are not doing a great job of selling Luka on a future in Los Angeles. All throughout his career, despite the talent level around him, Luka has constantly had playoff success. Over the past three years in Dallas, Luka made the NBA Finals once and the Western Conference Finals twice.
If the Lakers were to lose in the first round against the Wolves, against a less talented team, it would only plant more seeds of uncertainty regarding Luka's future. As the Lakers head into a pivotal Game 4 against Minnesota, it's certainly one more thing to think about. There is so much more on the line for Los Angeles than just a series win.