LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers are headed into a completely stressful season. Over the last couple of years, the purple and gold have been struggling to maintain pace. For the most part, injuries hindered their ability to compete at a high level. However, there were a couple of poor acquisitions that also crippled the Lakers in many aspects. On the bright side, LA looks fresh and more determined to rise to the top.
But it all started last season when general manager Rob Pelinka realized that the Lakers needed change. And this change meant that Rob needed to make heartwrenching trades. While the NBA is primarily a business, the Lakers have always been one team that’s always driven by success. Based on their history of winning and accommodating legends of the game, owner Jeanie Buss’ main aim for this season is to host the NBA Finals games once again.
Jeanie Buss aims to bring the Lakers back to championship status
During the 2019-20 season, the Lakers played exceptionally well. Unfortunately, we never got to witness an authentic post-season run due to the pandemic. Several players were coming off serious rust and not all teams were doing as great as they were during the regular season. The NBA Bubble had its side effects that crippled several players. But the Lakers managed to stay strong.
“From the fans perspective, they don’t like to be patient. Fans want to see the continuity/growth. Laker fans have been spoiled as they should be, but it’s been a long time since we’ve hoisted an NBA Finals in our arena, so we want to get back there.”
— Jeanie Buss, via LA Times pic.twitter.com/IQnDly5MyO
— 🎗NBA•Fan🎗 (@Klutch_23) November 18, 2023
It has been four years since their bubble championship run. Buss claims that she wants the Lakers to get back to the finals soon. She told the LA Times, “From the fans’ perspective, they don’t like to be patient. Fans want to see the continuity/growth. Laker fans have been spoiled as they should be, but it’s been a long time since we’ve hoisted an NBA Finals in our arena, so we want to get back there.” The Lakers are on a great path at the moment. But she urges fans to give them some to recalibrate.
Will the Lakers be able to build on their postseason run last season?
LeBron James and Co. did not have a great 2022-23 season. They finished with a record of 43 wins and 39 losses. For the most part, the Lakers lingered around the 11th and 10th seed before managing to clip through the play-in tournament. After securing the 7th seed they went on to push for the NBA Championship gold. LA defeated the Golden State Warriors, who were defending their title at the time. And they reached the Western Conference Finals.
Unfortunately, the Denver Nuggets were too powerful to overcome. The Lakers were swept, leaving all its players disgruntled. Pelinka made great use of the free agency market and acquired a bunch of top-tier role players such as Taurean Prince, Cam Reddish, Jaxson Hayes, and Christian Wood. So far, they’ve played well and currently stand as the 7th seed in the West. The Lakers are 7-6 with 69 games left to get through.