Ranking the 5 teams most likely to win the 2019 NBA Finals

5. Los Angeles Lakers

I know, I know. I’m rolling my eyes too.

Unfortunately, since the Los Angeles Lakers could have two max contract slots to work with this summer, and since the weather in L.A. is as warm as Magic Johnson‘s smile, we can’t rule out a drastic offseason turnaround just yet.

We’ve all heard the rumors about LeBron James and Paul George, and considering all the Lakers’ prestigious history, they’d be the exact kind of franchise ready to bend its roster to the will of how a star like King James would tailor it. They have some great young players, but those players would have to grow up fast or find themselves on the chopping block considering James’ window is closing.

PG-13 makes more sense as a free agency signing, since he’s from L.A. and his first season with the Oklahoma City Thunder was tumultuous. Signing George alone doesn’t bump the Lakers into the contender category though; they’d have to land both superstar wings to get there, and there’d still be plenty more to do before that roster joined the ranks of the Warriors and Houston Rockets out West.

With all that being said, the Lakers’ youngsters are more than decent. DeMarcus Cousins is another name that keeps floating around, and any team armed with flexibility, tradition, Magic, cap space and the possibility of LeBron has to be in the conversation…however unlikely it is that they actually nail every single roster move this summer to build a legitimate contender.