Hollywood Hype Won't Save the Lakers From Themselves
Look, I get it. Sterling K. Brown is an actor, and a damn good one. He’s also a big Lakers fan, and when he says "anything is possible" for this team, you want to believe him. The guy won an Emmy for *This Is Us*, so he knows a thing or two about crafting a compelling narrative. But this isn't a TV show where the writers can just pivot the plotline. This is the NBA, and the Lakers, as currently constructed, are closer to a straight-to-DVD sequel than a championship contender.
Key Analysis
Thing is, "anything is possible" sounds nice, but what exactly are we talking about here? A play-in tournament spot? Sure, they finished 7th in the West last year before their playoff run. A surprise Western Conference Finals appearance? Maybe, if Anthony Davis plays like a top-five player for four straight series and LeBron James somehow turns back the clock to 2018. A championship? Please. The Denver Nuggets, who swept L.A. in the 2023 Western Conference Finals, are still largely intact and better. The Celtics just ran through the league, too. "Anything is possible" feels less like optimism and more like whistling past a very deep, very talented graveyard of Western Conference rivals.
**The Reality Check: Where the Lakers Actually Stand**
Breaking It Down
Let's be real about what the Lakers actually accomplished last season. They went 47-35, a decent record, but hardly dominant. They got bounced in five games by the Nuggets in the first round. LeBron, at 39, averaged 25.7 points, 7.3 boards, and 8.3 assists, which is still incredible, but he’s not getting younger. Davis put up 24.7 points and 12.6 rebounds, but his availability is always a question mark. He missed 26 games in 2022-23 and 40 in 2021-22. You can't build a consistent contender around "what if" scenarios.
The supporting cast is… fine. D'Angelo Russell had some good moments, but he’s not exactly a consistent two-way force. Austin Reaves is a solid player, no doubt, a real find, but he’s not going to carry you in a playoff series. Rui Hachimura showed flashes, particularly in the 2023 playoffs when he averaged 12.2 points on 55.7% shooting against Memphis. But the team’s overall depth and defensive consistency outside of Davis are real concerns. They allowed 115.5 points per game last season, which ranked 13th in the league. That's not a championship defense.
What This Means
And here’s my hot take: this team is too reliant on individual brilliance and not enough on a cohesive, modern offensive system. Darvin Ham's coaching seemed to wear thin, and the revolving door of assistant coaches doesn't inspire confidence. You can't just throw LeBron and AD on the court and expect magic every night anymore. The league has evolved past that. The Lakers often looked sluggish, disjointed, and prone to long scoring droughts, particularly against elite teams like the Clippers or Thunder. They lost to OKC by 10 points on December 21st, and the Clippers by 15 on January 23rd. Those are not the marks of a team with "anything is possible" in their future.
So, while Sterling K. Brown can dream big, the reality for the Lakers is a much tougher road. They are a good team, capable of making the playoffs, maybe even winning a round. But a championship? That's a Hollywood ending I just don't see playing out.
Looking Ahead
I predict the Lakers will finish as the 6th seed in the Western Conference and get eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.