Bleacher Report recently listed the best-case and worst-case scenario for each team in the NBA. What was the best-case scenario for the Lakers?
The Los Angeles Lakers are expected to be a much better team in the 2018-19 season after a strong offseason. With the addition of LeBron James, the Lakers are a much better team than last season.
With so much change this offseason, it is hard to predict what the Lakers will exactly be. There have been different opinions varying from them fighting just to make the playoffs to some believing they can contend for the NBA Finals.
Whether or not they can actually contend this season remains to be seen. However, they are certainly an improved team from last year with the addition of James, and they do have an upside with the best player in the world on their team.
Recently, Bleacher Report talked about the best case scenario for the Lakers in the 2018-19 season. Here’s what they had to say.
"Life with the King is good—not “crashing the Finals” good, but still “ending the playoff drought and battling for a top-four seed” good. James finally collects his fifth MVP and—more surprisingly—picks up his first scoring title since 2007-08.Luke Walton is Coach of the Year. Brandon Ingram is an All-Star reserve. Moritz Wagner earns All-Rookie second team. Josh Hart lands just outside the top three in Most Improved Player voting."
What Bleacher Report mentions is certainly within the realm of possibilities and also would make Lakers fans very happy. With the young core of the Lakers around him, James is in a good position to win MVP this season. If the Lakers improve, like they should, James will receive a lot of credit for it, and that will help him secure the MVP.
In addition to James winning the MVP, the young core taking a step forward is also ideal for the Lakers. Brandon Ingram emerging as an All-Star in his third season would be a great sign that the Lakers’ young core is getting closer to competing for a championship. Also, seeing Hart build off his momentum from the Summer League and being in the running for the Most Improved Player Award would be a welcomed sight.
Overall, if this is the best–case scenario for the Lakers, they would have had a very good season. Competing with the Warriors is going to be very challenging this season, but there are a lot of things the Lakers can achieve that will make this a successful season.