After a loss to the Suns on Monday night, the Los Angeles Lakers are 13-17 on the season.
A record of 13-17 is not acceptable for a LeBron James-led team.
Now in his 20th season, James only cares about winning titles.
And with the star forward still playing at a high level, title contention should be the expectation in Laker Land.
It is looking like the Lakers will miss out on another opportunity to compete for a title with James.
Lakers Should Have Done More Over Offseason
The Lakers did not field a roster talented enough to compete for a title heading into the season.
They did some work around the edges but made no substantial upgrades.
And, most importantly, the Lakers chose to bring back Russell Westbrook.
Westbrook has adapted admirably to his new role coming off the bench.
However, it is still debatable whether he will be as impactful come playoff time.
Lineups featuring Westbrook, James, and Anthony Davis have only a +1.6-point differential across 492 possessions this year per Cleaning the Glass.
If the Lakers truly wanted to capitalize on this season, they should have done more over the offseason.
Only Time Will Tell
While the Lakers should have done more over the offseason, there is still time for things to change.
The answer to whether LA is wasting another season of LeBron James will not come until after the trade deadline.
After starting the season 2-10, James and the Lakers are 11-6 since.
The team seems to be figuring things out and has played much better as of late.
Sadly, the next month could determine if the Lakers decide to make a move.
Shams Charania reported the unfortunate news that Davis will miss at least a month because of a right foot injury.
Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis is expected to miss at least one month after suffering a right foot injury, multiple sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 18, 2022
Davis had been playing at an All-NBA level, averaging 27.4 points, 12.1 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game.
If LA can continue its winning ways, maybe the front office decides to go all in.
If they falter, it could be another season of James missing the playoffs.
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