Los Angeles Lakers: 3 players that could earn a big payday in the playoffs
By Dalton Sell
The Los Angeles Lakers certainly find themselves in uncharted waters with the NBA’s 2020-21 regular season nearing a conclusion.
With four games left to play until the postseason, the Lakers currently sit at seventh place in the Western Conference standings with a 38-30 record. Their subpar record can be attributed to the fact that the team has been bombarded with injuries to their key pieces this season.
Adversity awaits down the stretch as the Los Angeles Lakers continue their pursuit to repeat as NBA Champions this season
If these standings stand pat over the final four games, Los Angeles would be fighting for the playoffs as they would square off against the eighth-seeded Golden State Warriors in the play-in tournament.
After winning the NBA title last season, missing the postseason entirely would be a massive step backward for the Lakers. While that doomsday scenario remains highly unlikely, nothing is impossible in today’s NBA. The Lakers would be best equipped to handle the play-in games, as there is no questioning that this team would be among the betting favorites to repeat as champions at full strength.
As previously mentioned, the only problem is that the team has been plagued by injuries all year, most notably to their top tandem. LeBron James has played in just 43 games this season due to an ankle sprain, and there is still some looming concern whether he can get back up to speed with the playoffs nearing.
Furthermore, big man Anthony Davis has been limited to just 33 games as he has battled through a barrage of injuries himself. However, after scoring 42 points and hauling in 12 rebounds in Monday’s win over the Phoenix Suns, it appears Davis is finding his footing just fine.
While the Lakers will need both James and Davis to go back-to-back as champions, the supporting cast has also been a hot topic of discussion this season. Several household names are in the market for big paydays in the offseason. Helping propel this Lakers team to another championship could undoubtedly help those individuals increase their value and earn a more lucrative deal this coming summer.
With that being said, here are three Lakers that could increase their value in the upcoming free agency with a top-notch effort in the coming weeks.