In February, the Los Angeles Lakers made the biggest splash of the season when they acquired superstar point guard Luka Dončić from the Dallas Mavericks to pair him with LeBron James, dealing Anthony Davis to the Mavericks. The Utah Jazz were also involved in the deal, acquiring Jalen Hood-Schifino and second-round picks.
Things went well for James, Dončić, and the Lakers throughout the remainder of the regular season. They compiled a 50-32 record, tied with the Denver Nuggets for the third-best mark in the Western Conference.
The good times did not roll into the postseason as the Lakers were ousted from the playoffs in the first round by Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games.
How Will the Lakers’ Offseason Moves Impact Their Championship Window?
Although it was always going to be difficult for the Lakers to make any major moves since they are cap-strapped and have few assets, they have still managed to have an eventful offseason.
Some believe that James’ future in Los Angeles may be up in the air, but he still decided to opt in to his $52.6 million contract for the 2025-2026 season.
The Lakers did suffer a fairly significant loss as they were reportedly reluctant to offer Dorian Finney-Smith a long-term deal and he signed a four-year, $53 million contract with the Houston Rockets. They were able to sign Sacramento Kings sharpshooter Jake LaRavia to a two-year, $12 million contract to help replace him.
The most significant move of the offseason was signing former No. 1 overall pick Deandre Ayton to be their starting center, a position the Lakers desperately needed to upgrade.
What Does Shaquille O’Neal Expect from LeBron James and the Lakers?
Former Lakers star Shaquille O’Neal believes the Lakers should be one of the best teams in the Western Conference, rounding out his top four with the Rockets, defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder, and Denver Nuggets.
“That’s only because of age,” O’Neal told Casino Beats. “The Thunder are coming off the championship. They’re going to be high, they know what it takes to win the championship. Denver, they’re going to be making some noise.
“It’s about you get eight spots to make the playoffs, they’re going to have to be between one through eight,” O’Neal said. “I expect them to have some type of home court advantage.”
O’Neal, of course, knows exactly what it takes to win a championship in Los Angeles, as he led the Lakers to three consecutive championships from 2000 to 2002. He believes the addition of Ayton alongside Dončić and James has improved the Lakers, which is why the big fella still expects them to be a contender in the Western Conference.
“You got two premier players,” O’Neal said. “You got a big guy that can do certain things. Those three players should be able to get you to one through four. If they don’t have home court advantage, I’ll be very disappointed.”
The Lakers also have to be encouraged by the play of guard Austin Reaves last season. Although they may need to make a few more moves to become a legitimate contender, Reaves, Ayton, James, and Dončić certainly make them more than formidable foes.
