The Los Angeles Lakers have won the LeBron James sweepstakes and as a result, are now the second favorite to win the 2018-19 NBA Championship. After LeBron James declined his player option with the Cleveland Cavaliers a couple of days ago, the move to Los Angeles – which was presumed by many for a long time – became a formality.
Following the NBA Finals, the Lakers were posted at +2000 to win the 2018-19 championship. However, the addition of James has shot them up to +325. That puts them behind the Golden State Warriors (+110) and ahead of the Boston Celtics (+400), Philadelphia 76ers (+600) and Houston Rockets (+750).
James will join a roster that includes a number of young blue chip prospects like Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Moritz Wagner and Julius Randle, although Randle is still a restricted free agent. The Lakers were made a number of other signings after the James contract was announced, signing Lance Stephenson, JaVale McGee and bringing back Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
Speaking of contracts, James signed a four-year pact for $154 million. While James could have opted for shorter pacts, he’s fully committed to the Lakers with a four-year contract.
The Lakers next steps will be to acquire Kawhi Leonard or another star after whiffing on a couple of other key free agents. With the Oklahoma City Thunder bringing back Paul George and the Houston Rockets retaining Chris Paul, the Lakers will have to look further down their list. Leonard is their top target but it’s unclear whether they have the assets to make a deal with the San Antonio Spurs right now. Some other options via free agency could be centers DeMarcus Cousins and Clint Capela, although the latter is a restricted free agent. The Lakers have already held meetings with both. All sorts of rumors are flying, including names like Nerlens Noel and even Chris Bosh. The Lakers also need help with three-point shooting as James is known for his drive-and-kick ability. However, they ranked 29th in three-point field goal percentage last season.
At any rate, it will be interesting to see how good the Lakers will be next season and whether or not James can make the team a true contender as the odds suggest. They registered just 35 wins last season and while James was able to navigate the weak Eastern Conference regardless of how bad his teammates were, the Western Conference will be a different story. They’re probably about a 50-win team right now but will need Leonard – or another star – to truly become a championship contender.
