The Los Angeles Lakers may have improved drastically from last season, but that won’t automatically guarantee a playoff spot in 2019.
After a five-year hiatus from their usual level of greatness, the Los Angeles Lakers are back in the national spotlight after landing the biggest fish in free agency, LeBron James.
Despite 2018-19 being the inaugural run in a new era of Lakers basketball, expectations are now through the roof, with many fans believing their team has a shot at making a run at the title with the best player in the world donning their colors.
In order to even compete for the championship, L.A. first has to qualify for the postseason. While they certainly have better odds to accomplish such a feat compared to years past, it may not be the guarantee it’s been made out to be.
LeBron has dominated the Eastern Conference for almost a decade now, but the West is an entirely different beast. His team is certainly a talented bunch, but success isn’t just about gathering the best players available. The pieces have to fit in order to thrive.
They won’t be playing for ping-pong balls and the potential for greatness is easy to see, but it seems like Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka are focused more on next season, leaving quite a bit to be desired for this year.