Put Some Respect On LA

Put Some Respect On LA

September 26th, 2018

Lately, I have been seeing a lot of analysts as well as NBA consumers feel that this new look Los Angeles Lakers team is not even a lock to make the playoffs. Let me clear the weariness up right now...the Lakers will in fact be playing in the 2019 Playoffs and will compete this season. 

Last year the running narrative was that LeBron James did not have help in the Cleveland Cavaliers quest for a 2018 NBA Finals Championship. It saturated the media and even Saturday Night Live got in on the action. Though I feel that that narrative was a bit of an exaggeration, this 2018-2019 season will be a solid one for LeBron and the Lakers and they should end with around 50 wins (give or take 4 or 5 games in either direction). 

The first and biggest reason why the Lakers will succeed this upcoming season is simply because they have LeBron. I know that some believe that because he is on a Western Conference team, he will not produce at a high level and that the Lakers will be disappointed. I would like to point those who think that to recap on the Cavs last few seasons. There has been strife, chemistry issues, trades, injuries and outrageous blowouts but when it comes down to it Bron finds ways to win. 

Last year, LeBron James was an inevitable MVP candidate and had arguably his best statistical year at the age of 33. Last year he averaged 27.5 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 9.1 APG with a block and a steal per contest. Year in and year out LeBron produces at a high level and this year will not be any different. With the young core of the Lakers added with the veterans they signed, there should not be any doubts of a playoff appearance. LeBron will be return to the MVP race and will put the team on his back when needed. My only real concern for LeBron heading into this season is how many minutes he will play every night. LeBron's career average is roughly 39 minutes per game.

I mentioned that young core and supporting pieces, lets talk about it. Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma and Brandon Ingram have all shown flashes of stardom and promise but we are expecting consistency heading into the year. 

Ingram is the one that needs to make that leap into blossoming into a star. Ingram has shown that he can score at times but his inconsistency is something to note. I image the former #2 overall pick will start this year alongside LeBron and it should help open things up for him to do more scoring damage against defenses as a second option. The ball in LeBron's hands should provide more open looks and the demand for him to create shots will not be as high. Ingram will be a key factor in the success in the team and I think he will hover around 18 point per game this year.  

The Lakers will also look for Kyle Kuzma to also alleviate some of the scoring load. Kuzma proved to be the steal of last year's draft from day one in the NBA Summer League. His shooting efficiency was something that left us all in awe. He then went on to average 16 PPG in his rookie year. Kuzma did have some tough outings and battled nagging injuries but his shooting ability is promising and he seemed to mesh well with the offense early. Kuzma appears to be the best sixth man option and he should flourish in that role.

Lonzo Ball is probably the most questionable figure between him, Ingram and Kuzma but it is still too early to give up on him. Despite the off the court attention, Zo put up 10, 7 & 7 in his rookie year which is very impressive for a rookie to do. I think that the media and NBA fans expected too much from Lonzo's offensive game and I think that clouded our judgement of him for a while. This offseason he tweaked him jumper, bulked up and has had multiple film sessions with Magic Johnson and newly acquired Rajon Rondo. Ball is a gifted passer and has a great feel for the game. I do not think he will ever be a sniper but look for him to be a better shooter which should open his game up more. 

Other young Laker players that appear to be talented enough to contribute include Josh Hart, Mortiz Wagner, Svi Mykhaiiluk and hopefully Ivica Zubac

The departure of Julius Randle will hurt the team but I think what they added in Rondo, Micheal Beasley, JaVale McGee and Lance Stevenson with the resigning of KCP will be a solid supplement to the young core and James. 

However, everything will not be 100% peachy throughout the season. There will be growing pains as do most of LeBron's teams. Also, there are a lot of strong personalities in the locker room so they have to learn to work together and build their team chemistry. The biggest concern for me is how young Head Coach Luke Walton will handle minutes and his rotation. The Lakers have about 10 to 11 very capable players on this roster that can make a case in deserving minutes. I imagine that there will be plenty of reports of players being dissatisfied with their role and it does have the potential to become a circus. 

The position battles to really focus on is of course at point guard with potentially Rondo and Ball battling all season but also the starters at the forward positions. Will Walton start Bron at PF the entire season to still start Brandon Ingram? Do you have Kuzma come off the bench? Do you start all three? Is Bron comfortable playing heavy PF minutes every night? Do you start all three and have Ingram run the 2? Managing minutes will be something to focus on the entire year.

Overall, the Lakers' are in a position to compete for a four or five seed in the West and will compete the entire season. I am not predicting a championship but I do think that they are a lock for the Western Conference Finals. The Lakers will fill up headlines win or lose all season and it will be a fun ride.