After the Los Angeles Lakers’ highly disastrous 2021-22 season, one would likely expect the oddsmakers to give them very long odds to win next season’s NBA championship.
After all, it would make sense, given how both Anthony Davis and LeBron James suffered multiple injuries, James’ advanced mileage, the awkward fit of Russell Westbrook, the complications involved in potentially trading him and the team’s lack of viable role players.
This offseason will likely be a fork in the road for L.A., as it could either return to championship contention or sag further towards long-term mediocrity.
But one oddsmaker has the Lakers in the top 10 as far as the highest odds to win it all next year.
Via Lakers Daily:
“Even though the Los Angeles Lakers failed to reach the playoffs in the 2021-22 season, at least one sportsbook isn’t writing them off when it comes to next year’s NBA title.”
The favorites to win the 2023 NBA Championship?
The Golden State Warriors.
(+550, per @BetMGM) pic.twitter.com/UhFFst4s2t
— The Athletic NBA (@TheAthleticNBA) June 17, 2022
The fact is, despite the team’s troubles, it still possesses arguably the NBA’s best duo, at least when healthy, as well as a very good player in Westbrook, and two complementary players in Talen Horton-Tucker and Kendrick Nunn.
One or two deft trades could potentially allow the Lakers to be competitive against almost any team in the league if they have better fortune when it comes to injuries next season.
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