The Luka Doncic trade changed everything for the Los Angeles Lakers. For many, one of the biggest things it changed was whether the Lakers could actually compete for a championship in the 2024-25 NBA season.
The initial consensus was probably not. The Lakers needed time to get their roster situated properly around Doncic, and the blockbuster meant that they would be giving up on this campaign to pursue the next. That notion was quickly dismissed after the Lakers started winning, a lot.
Los Angeles was quickly elevated to contender status before a recent dip in their results forced the NBA community to reevaluate once more. Everyone will continue to debate about how real the opportunity to win a title is this season for the Lakers. In the midst of that, there is one key thing that fans can come back to as a point of optimism for the team's chances.
Lakers are still figuring it out, and that's a good thing
The move to acquire Doncic forced the Lakers to pivot on the fly. The team's offense continues to undergo a massive makeover. The Lakers briefly found an identity as a high-energy defensive unit, before having that challenged in a recent slump.
While JJ Redick and his group continue to figure things out, it is important to take a step back and think about what that truly means for the Lakers.
The negative mindset here would say that is a bad thing. It puts the Lakers at risk of not having the pieces put together before their looming playoff run.
However, the positive outlook on the situation is to remind oneself that this team is still scratching the surface of what they can be. Redick and his staff have adapted pretty quickly, providing hope for the upside that will continue to exist as they get closer to the end goal of what they want this team to be.
Jason Timpf said it well on an episode of Hoops Tonight. These Lakers are still early in the process.
"It's such a stylistic shift going away from Anthony Davis," Timpf said on his podcast. "That means, this is training camp. This is where you're becoming the team, ... this is where they're learning each other. ... They're in like the November, December phase that all the other top tier championship contenders were in."
Timpf shared similar feelings to that of what was written above in relation to what that means for this group as the season winds down. The clock is certainly ticking for the Lakers, but the upside in what they can accomplish remains enormous.
The need for establishing a baseline of effort and energy on the defensive end was identified by Timpf as important for the Lakers to succeed with help and recover situations. Continuing to build the offense with Doncic and LeBron James was also pointed out as necessary, coupled with the overall execution.
The Lakers' championship hopes in 2024-25 largely rest with how quickly this all comes together for everyone involved. If the answer is sooner, rather than later, banner number 18 is certainly not out of the question for the legendary franchise.
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