The Los Angeles Lakers have been very active this offseason in building a team that can return to the NBA Finals. After winning championship no. 17 in 2020, the Lakers were eliminated in the first round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs.
Granted, the main reason why the Lakers lost was injuries but that was still enough for the team to go into overdrive this offseason. The goal was obviously to improve the team and add more star power and that is what the Lakers have done.
First, the Lakers traded for former MVP point guard Russell Westbrook. Yes, the fit is wonky and the playstyles may clash but the talent is there. If there is anyone I trust to figure it out it is LeBron James.
The team followed it up with a slew of signings, mostly via the veteran minimum, surprising a lot of NBA pundits with who they were able to bring to LA.
One thing is now clear, the Los Angeles Lakers are miles ahead of any team in the Western Conference.
According to WynnBET, the Los Angeles Lakers have +375 odds to win the NBA Championship. That is better than the +400 odds they had before making the moves, although they are not the best NBA Title odds. The Brooklyn Nets are still the prohibited favorite at +225.
The Nets would certainly be a challenge if the Lakers do indeed square off against them in the NBA Finals, which, as long as the team stays healthy, should be a no-brainer.
Here are the three main reasons why the Los Angeles Lakers will blow any other Western Conference team out of the water.