Fansided

NBA Power Rankings: One reason every team can be optimistic

By Ian Levy

BROOKLYN, NY - DECEMBER 3: Collin Sexton #2 of the Cleveland Cavaliers handles the ball against the Brooklyn Nets on December 3, 2018 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. 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 Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
BROOKLYN, NY - DECEMBER 3: Collin Sexton #2 of the Cleveland Cavaliers handles the ball against the Brooklyn Nets on December 3, 2018 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. 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 Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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WASHINGTON, DC – DECEMBER 16: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena on December 16, 2018 in Washington, DC. 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. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – DECEMBER 16: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena on December 16, 2018 in Washington, DC. 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. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /

. 18-12. Previous: 9th. Los Angeles Lakers. 9. team. 20

It was a no-brainer that LeBron James would dramatically improve the Lakers this season but for Los Angeles, just being good enough is probably not enough. The question was whether the Lakers could reach the level of championship content in the loaded West before (if?) LeBron began to decline.

LeBron has played in eight consecutive Finals, a streak that’s likely to be broken this season but the Lakers are way ahead of where I thought they’d be at this point and the leap to championship contender doesn’t feel like that much of a stretch. Kyle Kuzma, Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram don’t look like surefire second-stars but they are all finding a rhythm around LeBron and a key free agent signing, or a trade that flips one of those young players for a more established star could have them taking a big leap.

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