The Los Angeles Lakers have been in a funk as of late, suffering some blowout losses and most recently an overtime defeat to the Atlanta Hawks.
The Lakers lost to the Hawks due to some late-game turnovers that ultimately cost them a chance to salvage their four-game road trip and are now staring up at several teams in the Western Conference standings.
Los Angeles touted that it was committed to winning a title during the 2024-25 NBA season, but it’s looking more and more likely that it’ll be fighting just to make the postseason.
Despite strong seasons from Anthony Davis and LeBron James, the Lakers don’t have the requisite talent and depth to truly challenge the top of the league.
General manager Rob Pelinka now needs to decide whether to invest in the roster and make a deal, or stand pat and look toward the future.
One NBA analyst recently ripped the Lakers and declared they’re exactly where they’re supposed to be in relation to the rest of the NBA.
“What are their expectations?” Amin Elhassan said, via SiriusXM NBA Radio. “Are their expectations to not be a Play-In team, to maybe win a round of the playoffs, get to the second round, maybe we’ll get hot and make a little deep run? That’s fine. The problem is that their expectations are championship. … All these things tell me they’re right where they’re supposed to be.”
The LA Lakers lost a heartbreaker in overtime to the Atlanta Hawks last night, dropping their record to 12-11 as they sit 10th in the Western Conference.@DarthAmin tells @talkhoops this is exactly who the Lakers are. pic.twitter.com/BPi6muSWS0
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) December 7, 2024
Elhassan said there are several teams that are credible contenders before he gets to the Lakers, suggesting that L.A. is far off from actually competing.
It’s an unenviable spot to be in and a situation the Lakers will need to sort out at some point.
NEXT: LeBron James Became Sole Member Of Historic Club On Friday
