(02-24-2025, 07:38 PM)F Gump Wrote: I know there are lots of if's and question marks with the Mavs, but I just think people are glossing over the Lakers issues, which to me seem more likely to keep them from a title.
I don't think the Lakers have any real shot this season. Too small, not enough depth, the overlap between Luka and Lebron is too clunky. And going forward, with LA there's BOTH a question of Luka's durability and ceiling (due to an inability to withstand the rigors of 82 games plus an extended playoff time), and also Lebron's limited shelf life. And they're not going to have a lot of roster-building flexibility anytime soon - right now their contracts for next year put them over Apron 1, limiting their choices considerably.
If I am picking who has the best chance this season, I think a HEALTHY Mavs team has a much higher ceiling than LA, although until we see them play for a stretch, it's hard to be sure how high that ceiling goes. Going forward, I think the likelihood of DAL getting healthy is greater than the likelihood of LA getting better. Obviously neither team goes far with injured players and broken down players. How it plays out, we won't know until we get there.
The Lakers face the same fit and continuity concerns as the Mavs, probably more so. Its also important to note that the Lakers were a play-in team last season while the Mavs went to the finals. They have a lot bigger hill to climb, and they don't have a ton of assets to do it with. Its a shame for Luka, who had a lot better chance of eventually winning a title with the Mavs than he does now.