The Los Angeles Lakers lost to the Miami Heat, 112-98, on Wednesday, marking their fifth loss in six games.
With a 14-21 record, their chances of making the playoffs or even the play-in tournament are rapidly dwindling. Unless they start winning games in bunches, it may get to the point where their players start getting truly desperate.
After the loss to Miami, LeBron James was asked about how he thinks about his career moving forward, especially given his upcoming 38th birthday on Dec. 30. He seemed poised and calm, but he made it clear that he has only one thing to play for at this point.
LeBron says he still wants to win championships: "I don't wanna finish my career playing at this level from a team aspect. I still want to compete for championships. I know what I can bring to any ball club with the right pieces."
— Lakers Daily (@LakersDailyCom) December 29, 2022
LeBron: "I wanna win and give myself a chance to win and still compete for championships. That's always been my passion…my goal. Once you get there and know how to get there, playing basketball at this level just to be playing basketball is just not in my DNA anymore."
— Lakers Daily (@LakersDailyCom) December 29, 2022
It is clear the Lakers, even with a healthy Anthony Davis, are not championship contenders. Perhaps they’re a playoff team if fully healthy, but Davis’ injury has thrown what was starting to look like a cautiously optimistic scenario into chaos.
When he suffered the stress injury in his foot nearly two weeks ago, the Lakers had won 10 of their previous 16 contests, including the one in which he got hurt.
Even worse, with a lack of attractive trade assets, the team may still fall well short of contender status next season.
James is under contract for next year, and he can opt into the 2024-25 season if he wants to. But doing so may mean dealing with more mediocrity and having no shot of winning his fifth NBA title.
