Fansided

NBA Season Preview 2018-19: Preseason power rankings

By Ian Levy

LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 29: Stephen Curry #30 and Kevin Durant #35 of the Golden State Warriors laugh in the hallway before the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on November 29, 2017 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 29: Stephen Curry #30 and Kevin Durant #35 of the Golden State Warriors laugh in the hallway before the game against the Los Angeles Lakers on November 29, 2017 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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SAN JOSE, CA – OCTOBER 12: Kyle Kuzma #0 and LeBron James #23 talk to Brandon Ingram #14 of the Los Angeles Lakers during a pre-season game against the Golden State Warriors on October 12, 2018 at the SAP Center in San Jose, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
SAN JOSE, CA – OCTOBER 12: Kyle Kuzma #0 and LeBron James #23 talk to Brandon Ingram #14 of the Los Angeles Lakers during a pre-season game against the Golden State Warriors on October 12, 2018 at the SAP Center in San Jose, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /

. . Previous: . Los Angeles Lakers. 14. team. 20

A lot of outcomes are in play for the Los Angeles Lakers. LeBron James, as a rule, does not miss the playoffs and he certainly has the potential to carry this Lakers roster to homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs. However, that may take an enormous surplus of effort as ranking this roster as better than the one he played with the past two years in Cleveland requires a very optimistic assessment of Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball.

There is a chance the young players develop rapidly, coalesce around LeBron and his directed style of play and appear ready to push their way to the front of the line in the West. There seems to be just as large a chance that the young players continue to play like young players, the high-risk, medium-reward veterans don’t pan out and LeBron’s best efforts carry the Lakers to an eight seed and an ignominious playoff loss.