Los Angeles Lakers: Reaching the Finals next year is possible
By Jason Reed
The Los Angeles Lakers were a fairly big disappointment in 2019, missing the NBA Playoffs for the sixth year in a row in LeBron’s first season in LA.
It is safe to say that nearly every fan of the Los Angeles Lakers is disappointed and frustrated with their team after the 2018-2019 season.
The Lakers entered the season with high hopes after signing LeBron James in the offseason. The roster really started to mesh towards the end of last season and LeBron was coming off arguably the most impressive year of his career in which he willed the Cleveland Cavaliers to the NBA Finals.
The Lakers had an all-around more talented roster without LeBron than the Cavaliers did so it seem like a lock that the Lakers would make the playoffs. Making it as far as the Western Conference Finals was even a legitimate discussion.
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That obviously is not what happened. The Lakers battled various injuries to several key players and the team last saw a complete product on Christmas day. After that, it was always a team that was less than 100 percent.
As the Lakers’ playoff hopes faded so did LeBron’s effort on the defensive end and before you knew it, the Lakers were clinched out of the playoffs for the sixth year in a row.
After all of this, the expectations for the team this offseason and next season have taken a complete 180 from last year, and for the right reasons. It can be hard to trust in Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka and LeBron was already not loved in the Lakers’ fanbase.
And while we do not want to set lofty expectations to once again get let down, there is a legitimate chance that the Lakers could be in the NBA Finals as early as next year. It is crazy, I know, but hear it out.
As we said, the Lakers never really saw a complete product for an extended amount of time. The Lakers were 15-8 when LeBron, Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram played, which is a 53-win pace. If the Lakers can get all three of them healthy next year the team can easily win 50 games.
You could make the case that LeBron is going to regress and he is not the same player from even 2017 but as he slightly regresses the young players are exponentially getting better. Brandon Ingram showed all-star-caliber flashes this season and Lonzo Ball could be voted on the NBA All-Defensive Team as early as next year.
Not only are the Lakers going to make improvements just over time but the team is also going to get something this summer. It might not be Anthony Davis but the Lakers will get better. While it is not a favored move, the team is still more talented with Jimmy Butler or DeMarcus Cousins than they would be without them.
And finally, the Western Conference is not going to be as challenging and might see itself turn into the Eastern Conference that we have grown to love. Just look at the East now, it is deep and boasts the best team in basketball, record-wise.
As for the rest, there is a chance that the Warriors regress seriously without Kevin Durant and Draymond Green knowing that his time with the team is coming to a close. The Rockets are getting older, the Thunder have never really put it all together, the Trailblazers have never broken through that proverbial wall, etc.
It all depends on what happens this season but the Lakers might be the only Western Conference team that gets legitimately better in the offseason.
Next. Ivica Zubac trade gave us an offseason hint. dark
If Ingram plays like an all-star, Ball like an All-Defensive player, LeBron is his usual self and the team adds another all-star then it is very hard to count the Los Angeles Lakers out in 2019.