The Los Angeles Lakers have been rejuvenated by the most shocking trade in NBA history; instead of feeling out what the future holds for them in the post-LeBron James era, the Lakers have managed to secure a more concrete path to sustainable contention over the next decade or so, having secured the services of Luka Doncic in a swap that continues to confound the millions of people who follow the league.
Anthony Davis may have been a beloved player in Lakers colors, and as he should be, considering how well he played for the team throughout his five and a half years with the team, but trading an aging Davis for Doncic who is still entering the prime years of his career was a no-brainer — making the Purple and Gold's trade deadline a major success even if their other dealings did not go according to plan.
Doncic, as most people know, led the Dallas Mavericks to the NBA Finals last season at age 25, and he has proven himself to be one of the league's greatest performers in the playoffs. So for the Lakers to acquire him, and at such a cut-rate price, is a major win.
While a lot of the talk surrounding Doncic's impact for the Lakers revolves around the future, there is a chance that the Purple and Gold can make some noise in the playoffs as soon as this year — especially with 40-year-old LeBron James still playing at a high level.
Here are a few bold predictions for how the rest of the 2024-25 season will shake out for the Lakers.
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Luka Doncic takes a backseat for the Lakers, but Purple and Gold continue to roll
Luka Doncic did not have too big of an impact for the Lakers in his debut, and it was understandable as to why. He was coming off a calf injury, and the Lakers did not need to push him to make much more of an impact considering that it was the Utah Jazz that they were facing. Regardless, this might be a sneak peek of how the Lakers plan to utilize Doncic moving forward as he asserts himself as the team's alpha in a slow burn process.
The Lakers have been relying on Austin Reaves to create plenty of offense for them in recent weeks, and Reaves has been delivering for them in a big way — even scoring 45 in a win over the Indiana Pacers, stepping up amid the absences of both Doncic and LeBron James.
With Doncic having to play his way into better shape heading deeper into the season, it's likely that he will have to take a backseat during the ramp-up process. His numbers may go down a bit, but that will be for the greater good as the Lakers brace for a deep playoff run as a top seed in the Western Conference.
Lakers finish second in the West
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At the moment, the Lakers are fifth in the Western Conference standings with a 32-20 record, with the Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets and Memphis Grizzlies standing above them with a slight cushion. But with the Purple and Gold playing much better basketball as of late, there is a chance that their ascent atop the West continues.
Now, the Oklahoma City Thunder have been so dominant all year that it will be unlikely for any team to catch them. But a rejuvenated Lakers squad with Luka Doncic, as long as they take care of business, should be able to finish second in the standings — especially when they have a relatively easier schedule than the Nuggets and Grizzlies do from here on out.
They make it all the way to the Western Conference Finals (at least)
The Western Conference playoffs is always a crapshoot, and it should be no different this time around. But the Lakers have two of the greatest performers in the history of the playoffs in Luka Doncic and LeBron James, and that matters quite a lot in a seven-game series.
Of course, everything will depend on matchups; the Lakers will find a second-round matchup against the Nuggets to be a nightmare, as they don't appear to have the requisite personnel to slow down Nikola Jokic. But outside of the Nuggets and the Thunder, the Lakers will have to be the favorite in any playoff series out West due to the sheer star power they have on the top of their roster.
If the Lakers were able to finalize the Mark Williams trade, then they would be an even bigger threat to win it all. But even as things stand, they loom as a legitimate threat to win the Larry O'Brien trophy.
