February 20th’s matchup versus the crosstown rival Clippers marked the first time all season that the Los Angeles Lakers trotted out a fully healthy squad. Although injuries are synonymous with an 82-game schedule, it is eye-catching that a team’s first game healthy took place after the All Star Break, more than halfway through the season.
Now at full strength, how far can they go this season?
Given their top-heavy roster construction, the best way to determine the Lakers’ ceiling is by first evaluating their big three of guards Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves and forward Lebron James. In the 13 games they have played together out of a possible 57, the LakeShow have gone a modest 8-5.
When looking at who they have lost to, a glaring flaw is revealed. Los Angeles has suffered double-digit losses to the Suns, Spurs, Rockets, Celtics and just lost a nail-biter to the Orlando Magic. All of those teams currently have winning records and sit in a play-in seed at minimum, exposing an inability to compete with playoff-caliber opponents.
During these contests, the trio has been playing poor, to say the least. Dončić, James and Reaves have posted an offensive rating of 106.7, defensive rating of 115.1 and a net rating of -8.4. Those would rank dead last, 18th, and 29th in the league, respectively. When a team’s top three players are performing at this level, winning a championship, or even making it past the first round of the playoffs becomes wishful thinking.
LA’s bench hasn’t been playing hot either. The bench ranks 29th in scoring, highlighting a clear lack of support for their starters. Some concerns that have persisted are inconsistency from rotational figures like forward Rui Hachimura, an abundance of one-way players like forward Jarred Vanderbilt, an over-reliance on serviceable members like forward Jake LaRavia and a lack of nightly effort from heavy-minutes pieces like center Deandre Ayton.
The trade deadline provided the Lakers with an opportunity to strengthen their squad for a postseason run. However, only one transaction was made as the Lakers acquired guard Luke Kennard from the Atlanta Hawks. The ninth-year sharpshooter, who leads the league in three-point percentage at 49.1%, will help address LA’s mediocre shooting from behind the arc (17th in three-point percentage this season). Regardless, his below-average defense fails to move the needle for a Lakers team in desperate need of consistent stops on a nightly basis.
Despite these glaring issues, the Lakers are in a relatively favorable position to close out the season strong. With 25 games left, they currently sit in sixth place in the Western Conference, only one-and-a-half games back of the three seed and two games ahead of the seventh seed (a.k.a the first Play-In spot). Given their struggles defensively (24th in defensive rating), LA will be reliant on their offensive starpower, courtesy of their big three, in hopes of making a run down the stretch.
So, being healthy fails to change anything?
Yes. Given their current seeding, securing a top-three finish is just as obtainable as falling into the Play-In Tournament. A lackluster supporting cast complimenting an inefficient trio of stars is not a championship-contending formula. Realistically, this Lakers squad will be a second-round exit, at best.
The storied franchise will most likely be focused on this summer as James’ hefty salary will potentially be coming off the books, clearing a path to pursue a superstar like forward Giannis Antetokounmpo and improve the roster as a whole.