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Los Angeles Lakers: Five burning questions that will be answered this offseason

By Jason Reed

EL SEGUNDO, CA - SEPTEMBER 25: Earvin 'Magic' Johnson, president of basketball operations of the Los Angeles Lakers, speaks during media day September 25, 2017, in El Segundo, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
EL SEGUNDO, CA - SEPTEMBER 25: Earvin 'Magic' Johnson, president of basketball operations of the Los Angeles Lakers, speaks during media day September 25, 2017, in El Segundo, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

5. Does the Lakers front office really think the team is ready to compete for a title?

This fifth and final question has a piece of the previous four questions all tied into it. At the end of the offseason, when the dust is settled and players find their new homes, we will safely be able to say whether or not the Lakers front office thinks the team is ready to compete for a title as early as next year.

There are several different routes the Lakers could go down this offseason, but really, only one signals that the front office thinks the team is ready to dethrone the Warriors and Rockets in the West.

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First, we will start with the offseason scenarios that show that the Lakers are not ready to contend for a title yet.

First is the boring route; the route that sees the Lakers take on a bunch of contracts to continue to build up the young core. In this scenario, the Lakers could even bring back Brook Lopez and Isaiah Thomas on one-year deals. If that is the case, LA may be able to sneak in as an eighth-seed and get much-needed playoff experience.

The second route the Lakers can take is to go out and get just Paul George. This is the most likely scenario for the Lakers this season; just adding George and some depth pieces.

This would propel the Lakers into the top-five in the West but still won’t be enough to realistically contend for a title. That would come in another two or three years.

Finally, if the Lakers are set on winning as early as 2019, it would mean that the front office would bring in both LeBron James and Paul George. Those two alone are enough to make a team a title contender. With the rest of the young pieces on the roster, this becomes a dynasty in the making.

By the time October rolls around, we will have a much better grip on the Lakers’ identity moving forward. For now, that is all up in the air.

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