After Sunday's games, the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors are separated by five games in the Western Conference team standings, with the Lakers in No.4 at 20-10 and the Dubs at No.8 with their 16-16 record.
However, ESPN's Bobby Marks says that although their records say they are on opposite poles, they are not different when it comes to contender status. According to Marks, both the Warriors and Lakers are considered fringe contender teams that will likely not advance past the opening round of the playoffs.
"They're kind of in a similar situation as Golden State," said Marks . "The window is basically closed on these teams, and it's reality. So what do you do? You go out and try to move one or two picks, and you've got some expiring contracts, and you try to piecemeal this for the rest of the season."
"Or you can just let nature take its natural course and probably get in the play-in and probably maybe lose in the first round, or don't get in, and then you regroup in the offseason, and you try to reload with a roster that doesn't have LeBron on it. And I think I'm probably leaning more towards that," he added.
The Lakers upgraded during the offseason, but with $52 million owed to the soon-to-be 41-year-old LeBron James , they couldn't do much and had to settle for Deandre Ayton , Marcus Smart and Jake LaRavia . The three have been excellent additions to the Lake Show; however, neither has helped solve their defensive woes.
Los Angeles has one of the best offensive machines in the league, ranking 7th in offensive rating at 117.5 points per 100 possessions before Sunday's games. However, they are completely the opposite on defense, ranking 5th from the bottom at 118.1 points per 100 possessions allowed. With their three best players - Luka Doncic , Austin Reaves and LeBron James all liabilities on defense, the Lakers are in a challenging position right now.
"This is kind of who they are right now. They don't have athletes on this roster, the ability to guard, the ability to go downhill, the ability to get to the rim, and stuff like that. That's the challenge for this group," said Marks.
The good thing for the Lakers is that LeBron goes off their books after the season. It's unclear whether James even wants to play past this season, but if he does, it's unlikely that the Lakers will sign him, at least not at his current price. Most, however, expect them to move on from "King James" after the season, and for Marks, that is the best route to take.
The Lakers are currently linked to Sacramento Kings guard Keon Ellis , maybe because they like his two-way play at the backcourt position. However, as Marks said, moves like that would be a band-aid solution, and it won't guarantee a deep playoff run, much less winning an NBA championship. If the Lakers can hold on with their current lineup, they might not even make the playoffs, given their current free fall.
Marks isn't saying, though, that LeBron is a good riddance, because despite his age and decline, James is still producing better than most players in their prime. However, given the current situation in Los Angeles, they might be better without him. But because of his salary and no-trade clause, it might be difficult to move him during the season. So sadly, they might have to gut it out right now, just like the Warriors.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Dec 29, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
