Is running it back a sound option for the Lakers?

[levon]

Yea probably. I'm not sure its good enough to win it all but they are definitely a contender with a full season of the current roster if Lebron and AD stay healthy.

Theyre not a contender. They faced 1 contender and got swept. If they drew Nuggets in the first round instead of a disheveled Grizzlies, are they still considered a contender?

This season, there was the Nuggets in the West, and then there were like 7-9 teams in the same tier. Lakers broke through those teams to be the Nuggets foe, but theyre not clearly better than those 7-9 teams, imo. Theyre just one of the guys

So there's only one contender in the league now?

Let's pump the brakes on Denver and stop being prisoners of the moment. The last team that repeated was the KD Warriors, and before that the Heatles. No one's three-peated since Kobe and Shaq.

[PistolPeteJR]

Memphis was a mess this year. Golden State was a bad road team. Lakers got swept as soon as they matched up with a real top seed. I guess they can run it back, but I question whether they were ever serious contenders.

I wonder what that says about Denver who beat a Timberwolves team who lost to the Lakers and were without one of their best defenders.

Then they beat a Suns team against whom all you had to do was wait for KD and Booker to get tired because of how thin their supporting cast was and how little time they played together.

Then they beat a fraud 43 win Lakers team who were the 7th seed and only beat fraud teams like Memphis and Warriors. All 4 games were close too.

Now they face a 44 win 8th seeded team in the finals who lost to the Hawks and then almost lost to the Bulls in the elimination game.

I guess this is the year of the frauds.

This isn't the best attitude to have

The Lakers were largely healthy in the playoffs and had their guys at full strength.

The warriors aren't going to run it back, they will improve. The Grizz will improve their roster or at least attempt to.
The Nuggets are still sitting at the top and the Lakers got swept soundly by them.

Diminishing other teams as reason to not improve and to bring the same team back doesn't really help the team and it's just arguing to argue.

The Lakers need to improve if their goal is the finals. Standing pat while everyone else improves is not the path to the finals. Lebron will be a year older, AD is a constant injury risk, and the roleplayers are at risk of being poached.

What do you mean they were largely healthy and had their guys at full strength? LeBron was playing through a Grade 2 torn tendon. Now, if you're going to argue that it was a cover-up, we'll just agree to disagree.

[Drakeem]

They should. No reason not to. Had pretty good success considering the lack of time together and Brons foot which took 7 doctors to clear.

AD has to be more consistent though. It's up to him. He needs to be 28-30 each game, dominating both ends.

[Lunartic]

I wonder what that says about Denver who beat a Timberwolves team who lost to the Lakers and were without one of their best defenders.

Then they beat a Suns team against whom all you had to do was wait for KD and Booker to get tired because of how thin their supporting cast was and how little time they played together.

Then they beat a fraud 43 win Lakers team who were the 7th seed and only beat fraud teams like Memphis and Warriors. All 4 games were close too.

Now they face a 44 win 8th seeded team in the finals who lost to the Hawks and then almost lost to the Bulls in the elimination game.

I guess this is the year of the frauds.

This isn't the best attitude to have

The Lakers were largely healthy in the playoffs and had their guys at full strength.

The warriors aren't going to run it back, they will improve. The Grizz will improve their roster or at least attempt to.
The Nuggets are still sitting at the top and the Lakers got swept soundly by them.

Diminishing other teams as reason to not improve and to bring the same team back doesn't really help the team and it's just arguing to argue.

The Lakers need to improve if their goal is the finals. Standing pat while everyone else improves is not the path to the finals. Lebron will be a year older, AD is a constant injury risk, and the roleplayers are at risk of being poached.

What do you mean they were largely healthy and had their guys at full strength? LeBron was playing through a Grade 2 torn tendon. Now, if you're going to argue that it was a cover-up, we'll just agree to disagree.

He was healthy enough to average 24/10/6 on .584TS - the injury wasn't so bad it compromised him unless you expected 55 year old Bron to average better than elite numbers. He played the most playoff mpg since 2017. I'm sure he was hurting but he gave an incredibly valiant performance for his age. The Lakers just aren't better than the Jokic's.

[PistolPeteJR]

So wild how Beasley is disrespected. That’s currently the only player on the roster players feared shooting open shots. After that, it was Druss.

You’ll live with anyone else shooting on that roster.

He had his chance, multiple times. Also, Reaves shot 39.8% from deep this year, so not sure what you're talking about.

[PistolPeteJR]

This isn't the best attitude to have

The Lakers were largely healthy in the playoffs and had their guys at full strength.

The warriors aren't going to run it back, they will improve. The Grizz will improve their roster or at least attempt to.
The Nuggets are still sitting at the top and the Lakers got swept soundly by them.

Diminishing other teams as reason to not improve and to bring the same team back doesn't really help the team and it's just arguing to argue.

The Lakers need to improve if their goal is the finals. Standing pat while everyone else improves is not the path to the finals. Lebron will be a year older, AD is a constant injury risk, and the roleplayers are at risk of being poached.

What do you mean they were largely healthy and had their guys at full strength? LeBron was playing through a Grade 2 torn tendon. Now, if you're going to argue that it was a cover-up, we'll just agree to disagree.

He was healthy enough to average 24/10/6 on .584TS - the injury wasn't so bad it compromised him unless you expected 55 year old Bron to average better than elite numbers. He played the most playoff mpg since 2017. I'm sure he was hurting but he gave an incredibly valiant performance for his age. The Lakers just aren't better than the Jokic's.

He absolutely gave a great effort, but the injury is what it is. Averaging numbers playing one way is not the same as averaging similar numbers while playing a different way and dominating the game differently.
Also, it prevented him from really dialing in for 48 minutes. Take Game 4 vs DEN for example, absolutely elite in the first half and in the second half ran out of gas. Sure, part of that has to do with age, but there is for sure a good portion of that chalked up to the injury.

[lebootz21]

Keep everyone but trade Lebron for another guard (plus fillers) that wants to be on a championship contender ... Lillard, Beale, Darius Garland, Kyrie, etc.... maybe even Ja if the Grizzlies want him out. Keep DLo as backup. He would be solid running the second unit ... just not starter material.

[CraftylikeaFox]

I mean they pretty much beat the Nuggets and made the finals so I don't see why not

[jehosafats]

I mean they pretty much beat the Nuggets and made the finals so I don't see why not

[narmerguy]

Lakers just don't have the pieces to win. AD and Lebron are not good enough to beat other top teams. The "run" they went on at the end of the season was beating up injured or bottom-feeder teams. It's always hard in the moment for people to accept that the run is over, but the run for this Lakers team is over. When people look back, it'll be "obvious".

[C3H6N6O6]

This isn't the best attitude to have

The Lakers were largely healthy in the playoffs and had their guys at full strength.

The warriors aren't going to run it back, they will improve. The Grizz will improve their roster or at least attempt to.
The Nuggets are still sitting at the top and the Lakers got swept soundly by them.

Diminishing other teams as reason to not improve and to bring the same team back doesn't really help the team and it's just arguing to argue.

The Lakers need to improve if their goal is the finals. Standing pat while everyone else improves is not the path to the finals. Lebron will be a year older, AD is a constant injury risk, and the roleplayers are at risk of being poached.

What do you mean they were largely healthy and had their guys at full strength? LeBron was playing through a Grade 2 torn tendon. Now, if you're going to argue that it was a cover-up, we'll just agree to disagree.

He was healthy enough to average 24/10/6 on .584TS - the injury wasn't so bad it compromised him unless you expected 55 year old Bron to average better than elite numbers. He played the most playoff mpg since 2017. I'm sure he was hurting but he gave an incredibly valiant performance for his age. The Lakers just aren't better than the Jokic's.

If he was playing like he was in January then he would have easily averaged 30+ for the playoffs given that only Jaren Jackson Jr was a good enough defender to stop him from driving to the rim. He would have scored a lot against Nuggets and Warriors.

I might agree with you if you say that chances of him being injured are higher because of age but he clearly was injured and only blind haters believe otherwise seeing how Warriors and Nuggets play defense.

[NUMBERICA]

It's a sound option if Lebron isn't using his potential retirement as leverage. Otherwise, you just do what he says. If you don't do what he says, you're betting that he's bluffing with the retirement ****. I don't think you can make that bet.

I also think the Lakers can get Kyrie with their best (sub-max) offer if Kyrie is remotely as above it all as he is dying to convince everyone that he is. They won't have that best offer if they are tied up with Reaves and Hachimura.

[NCHeels2008]

It's a sound option if Lebron isn't using his potential retirement as leverage. Otherwise, you just do what he says. If you don't do what he says, you're betting that he's bluffing with the retirement ****. I don't think you can make that bet.

I also think the Lakers can get Kyrie with their best (sub-max) offer if Kyrie is remotely as above it all as he is dying to convince everyone that he is. They won't have that best offer if they are tied up with Reaves and Hachimura.

I'd rather have Reaves and Rui than Kyrie.

[Slink]

It's a sound option if Lebron isn't using his potential retirement as leverage. Otherwise, you just do what he says. If you don't do what he says, you're betting that he's bluffing with the retirement ****. I don't think you can make that bet.

I also think the Lakers can get Kyrie with their best (sub-max) offer if Kyrie is remotely as above it all as he is dying to convince everyone that he is. They won't have that best offer if they are tied up with Reaves and Hachimura.

He's not retiring, he's said how much he's looking forward to playing with his son. And he's tried his LeGM bull**** with Westbrook already.

[In-N-Out 247]

What do you guys think a draft day trade of #17 along with Mo Bamba and/or Malik Beasley get the Lakers?

[DorianRo]

Yea I think they should. I bet they don't even make the playoffs cause AD will have his timely "injuries" again

[DrCoach]

Yes, they didnt have a full training camp. Add a piece or 2 and cut dad weight

[Joe Kleazy]

I love pulling up to read definitive comments about my lakers and their chances of winning it all from fans of teams that are consistently mid…. Leaving me to wonder if they even understand what a solid team looks like LOL. Good times!

[John Murdoch]

I think so , few tweaks here and there. AD dissapearing did concern me but i mean he was amazing the other two series...just stay in position and keep an eye out for another ripoff trade from rob

[Statlanta]

Yes they were competitive with Denver and didn’t have chemistry like other teams did