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Deciding how good the Lakers are tends to be a tricky thing for people to do.
Whether Lakers exceptionalism is taking place or there is some bias against the franchise’s popularity, it seems that whatever side you’re on with the Lakers, plenty of people will join you.
That’s how we end up with general managers thinking Luka is an MVP candidate, and still have the Lakers as a projected play-in-team.
It doesn’t help that last year was definitely a glass-half-full, half-empty campaign for the purple and gold.
Yes, they won 50 games and earned the No. 3 seed, but they were also bounced out of the opening round in five games. So, however good or bad you thought the Lakers actually were last year, you have enough evidence to make a compelling case.
With most of the 2024-25 core returning along with the additions of Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart, and Jake LaRavia, is that enough to make them competitive in a Western Conference where the Thunder are still the champs, the Nuggets are very good and teams like the Rockets, Warriors, and Clippers all got better on paper?
Well, we’re about to find out.
For our SB Nation Reacts survey this week, we ask you to put down a win-total range for the Lakers.
There are multiple ways the Lakers can go from the best-case to the worst-case scenario.
Let’s start with the best one first. If LeBron James returns from his sciatica issue and is good to go afterward, along with the rest of the team, then 54 plus wins is on the table.
In this reality, Luka goes on his revenge tour and turns it into an MVP season. With the Lakers healthy and other teams dealing with injuries, Los Angeles takes advantage and has the most wins they’ve had since the 2010-11 season when they won 57 games.
If you find that to be closer to delusion than a projection, then 50-53 wins could be the way to go. That places the Lakers right around where they were last year. Considering how brutal the West is, staying at the 50-win mark would not be plateauing but maintaining a high standard.
In the worst-case scenario, the Lakers are a combination of flawed and unlucky. LeBron’s injury is just one of a plethora of key players missing action.
Even average teams constantly expose their defensive weak spots. Los Angeles isn’t dreaming about homecourt. Instead, they are hoping to avoid the play-in. With 46-49 wins, they’ll be in the discussion for the play-in, but at least they will likely be above it instead of fighting to get into it.
If they do even worse than that, 42-45 wins is the way to go. Injuries dominating the season would make this win total understandable. However, if it’s because the roster is a disaster, then you can expect this to be the last year for many of the players donning the purple and gold.
Which side are you on? Will the Lakers be near the top of the West once again, or is this a year where they take a step back in the win column?
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.
