Lakers NEED to win the title this year...

[shut_the_gate]

Because if they don't, they very much could have thrown away their future with the Davis trade.

It is very obvious that the Lakers front office have been bad-average over the last decade and they have only improved because LeBron chose to move there, simply because he wants to live and retire in LA. But the Lakers have allowed LeBron to bully them into contending immediately and giving away all their assets in trade for Anthony Davis...when it was obvious to all that the Clutch Sport client was going there as a free agent anyway. Thus if they don't win the league this season they have given away all their picks, Ingram and Ball for no reason. This Lakers team construction is terrible with players like JR Smith, KCP and Rondo getting big minutes when they are washed as important role players on a championship team.

FA
Davis
James
Ingram
Ball

Kuzma
Caruso
KCP
Hart

This would have been a perfect starting point for a true contender, with all their picks available to trade for the right pieces to balance the team.

[Neurotic Guy]

Won't cry for them -- they'll still contend with LBJ and AD for a couple years, and then LBJ moves on and Lakers create cap space and sign another superstar.  It's what they do.  Watching them win another title is / will be as painful as always.  Hope they get bounced. 

[liam]

Won't cry for them -- they'll still contend with LBJ and AD for a couple years, and then LBJ moves on and Lakers create cap space and sign another superstar.  It's what they do.  Watching them win another title is / will be as painful as always.  Hope they get bounced.

Unless Davis leaves for Golden State or The Clips.

[SparzWizard]

Won't cry for them -- they'll still contend with LBJ and AD for a couple years, and then LBJ moves on and Lakers create cap space and sign another superstar.  It's what they do.  Watching them win another title is / will be as painful as always.  Hope they get bounced.

They'll probably try to pry Giannis, and eventually Zion Williamson, Jayson Tatum, or Luka Doncic because it's LA. 

[gouki88]

Won't cry for them -- they'll still contend with LBJ and AD for a couple years, and then LBJ moves on and Lakers create cap space and sign another superstar.  It's what they do.  Watching them win another title is / will be as painful as always.  Hope they get bounced.

They'll probably try to pry Giannis, and eventually Zion Williamson, Jayson Tatum, or Luka Doncic because it's LA. 

Just like they tried and failed with Kawhi, Paul George, Damian Lillard, etc etc

[BASS_THUMPER]

Todays Lakers could not beat this 2008 squad...










*chillin*

[staticcc]

Has been the Lakers MO ever since. If they win, all is well. If they don’t, they’ll push to get another superstar in the future.

With or without Lebron, they would have pushed for another star so no there was no bullying. They love stars. They did it with Shaq and Gasol. They tried with Dwight. They never build teams for the future. We’re all used to it.

LA still has 11 rings. We have 17.

[Big333223]

Lebron turns 36 next season. He's been an other-worldy physical specimen but it can't go on forever. He's got one more year, at most, of playing at this level.