Lakers expected to be a bottom-tier playoff team next season, says NBA insider

The Los Angeles Lakers are not expected to be a title contender next season, unless they make a blockbuster offseason move.

This is what Jovan Buha of The Athletic says, adding that the Lakers will be a bottom-tier playoff team if they keep Russell Westbrook.

“No, I don’t believe the Lakers, as currently constructed, can win a championship.

I think they can certainly make the playoffs, but I expect them to be a bottom-tier playoff team if [Russell] Westbrook is on the roster and playing (somewhere in the No. 6 to No. 9-seed range). If we compare their supporting cast to other top West teams, they fall significantly short,” Buha said.

The 17-time NBA champions signed Lonnie Walker, Thomas Bryant and Juan Toscano-Anderson in the offseason and aim to part ways with Westbrook and land another superstar.

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At the same time, the franchise hopes LeBron James and Anthony Davis will remain healthy and will help the Lakers have a deep playoff run.

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