NBA Rumors: Falling Out Of Play-In Tourney Could Be Lakers' Best-Case Scenario

The Los Angeles Lakers are primed to have a difficult offseason this year should they miss the postseason entirely, but it might be the best outcome for them.

Success has been hard to come by for the Lakers this season, mainly because of the absence of Anthony Davis due to injury, but also due to how this team looks overall compared to their title-winning team back in the 2020 NBA Orlando Bubble.

They lost key contributors such as Rajon Rondo, JaVale McGee, Danny Green, Markieff Morris and Alex Caruso over the past two years and replaced them with the likes of D.J. Augustin, Malik Monk, Wayne Ellington, Russell Westbrook and Carmelo Anthony.

Westbrook’s arrival was met with much fanfare by some observers, but it appeared as if the Lakers were too desperate to compete for their record-breaking 18th NBA title that they decided to forego team chemistry in favor of star power.

The 2016-17 NBA MVP was supposed to be the game-changing playmaker that will help lift the burden of responsibility placed on LeBron James and Anthony Davis as the star players.

However, it has become very evident that the Lakers were a lazily put together team of veterans signed to minimum contracts as the Westbrook trade severely depleted their bench depth.

Against the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday, March 29, the Lakers were forced to stare at their future and wonder what lies beyond as they lost 128-110, with the Mavericks putting up 82 points in the first half; the second-most allowed points by the Lakers since moving to Los Angeles.

This allowed the San Antonio Spurs to leapfrog them for 10th in the standings because the Gregg Popovich-led squad owns the tiebreaker over them.

With seven games left in the season, Lakers fans are hoping that this team can turn it around, but realistically speaking, it is almost an impossibility as the absence of both James and Davis puts them at a massive disadvantage even before the game begins.

Missing the playoffs altogether will be the reality check that this Lakers team needs as they have been blinded by the lights of success that they forgot the recipe to cook up a title.

Blame has been tossed around by multiple personalities within the organization from Westbrook to owner Jeanie Buss and even to head coach Frank Vogel, who is doing the best job that he can with the pieces afforded to him.

Seeing them booted out of the play-in tournament will have multiple fanbases celebrating their downfall, but at the same time, this gives the Lakers a ton of time to look at the mirror and to be honest with themselves.

Trading for Westbrook was the final nail in the coffin for the Lakers’ hopes of contending this year with both James and Davis having to realize that it was their fault, while the front office also needs to shoulder the blame for allowing Caruso to walk to the Chicago Bulls and help them become contenders.

Making the play-in tournament would have been one thing, but it would be a completely different conversation for them to even be seen as worthy contenders for the Western Conference title.

The Lakers have no one but themselves to blame and falling out of the playoffs should be a humbling experience for everyone involved.