The Los Angeles Lakers are firmly in the mix as a contender, though a few small details remain to be ironed out. These are also some of the last guaranteed months of LeBron James’s career, and he is with a team in contention — just as he wanted this past summer.
“LeBron wants to compete for a championship,” James’ agent Rich Paul told ESPN. “He knows the Lakers are building for the future. He understands that, but he values a realistic chance of winning it all. We are very appreciative of the partnership that we’ve had for eight years with Jeanie [Buss] and Rob [Pelinka] and consider the Lakers as a critical part of his career.”
Luka Doncic, meanwhile, is on a more manageable timeline with the Lakers and shares James’ competitive mindset.
“Dončić being just 26 gives the Lakers a far longer timeline to build a championship-contending team, but that doesn’t mean they can slow down and take their time. Dončić told Lakers president Rob Pelinka and coach JJ Redick in May that he’s not interested in taking the slow approach in building a contender,” CBS Sports’ Jasmyn Wimbish wrote.
As the second half of the season begins, Lakers head coach JJ Redick made a decisive move by starting Marcus Smart, a call that appears to be his best adjustment of the season.
“The Lakers need Smart’s energy and infectiousness on the floor with their stars. The 6’3 wing can help keep the ball moving and will have them bought in on defense. He is the perfect fit in nearly any unit, but even more so when Los Angeles needs exactly what he’s known for. Hachimura and LeBron have overlapping skills that make them far from the ideal fit. Smart was always the superior answer. It just took coach Redick a bit of time to figure it out. Thankfully, he got there to start the stretch run. The Lakers certainly need all the help they can get to make a deep postseason run,” Lake Show Life’s Tyler Watts wrote. Smart is a veteran who gives maximum effort, particularly on defense. Pairing him with guards like Austin Reaves, Doncic, and James opens up numerous possibilities on both ends of the court.
The Lakers know they can compete with anyone; the key is putting the right lineups on the floor. With Smart alongside some of the league’s best scorers, Los Angeles has a combination that could make a significant impact down the stretch.
