IS THE LAKERS 0-6 PRESEASON CONCERNING?
This question does not have a legitimate answer yet. We don’t know for sure until the regular season’s over.
LeBron didn’t play very many minutes in preseason, so this could have a big affect. He only played a total of 83 minutes through the 6 games, and he didn’t play at all in the first two games. In those 83 minutes, he scored 18.7 points per game.
When LeBron James was on the court, they were a plus-5.7. In the regular season, LeBron James will be on the court a lot more.
Russell Westbrook also didn’t play the first two games.
Their competition was also really hard for a preseason schedule. They played the Nets, the Suns, the Warriors, the Suns again, and the Kings. That’s 5 out of 6 preseason games against serious title contending teams. They played the Nets without Russell Westbrook, LeBron James, and Carmelo Anthony.
The relationship between preseason record and regular season record is not very telling. For example, the Dallas Mavericks went 0-7 in 2015 in the preseason. That is the last time someone went 0-6 or worse. This Dallas Mavericks team went 50-32 in the regular season.
In conclusion, the Los Angeles Lakers should be fine in the regular season, despite having a bad preseason. They’ve got a great core, good defense, shooting, playmaking, and scoring. They should be a top-4 seed in the playoffs this year for the Western Conference.
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FANTASY BASKETBALL OUTLOOK FOR LAKERS PLAYERS
The addition of Russell Westbrook should have a huge impact on every Laker in fantasy basketball. You should be aware of this before drafting any Laker in fantasy basketball.
LeBron James is an early second round pick this year, which makes sense. However, there are some major concerns. He is 38 years old, and he is questionable a lot of games. He will also average a lot less assists as he is not the point anymore, but a small forward. The new point is Russell Westbrook, and Westbrook will get the playmaking keys.
Russell Westbrook should be about a fourth round pick. Last year, he was one of the best fantasy performers in the entire NBA. He averaged a triple double and broke out in the second half of the season. I can’t even see him averaging a triple-double this season. His production should be significantly lower. He should be a good fantasy player, but not as good as last year. He will get the playmaking keys, but will get less points, rebounds, and assists. He’s still terrible in category leagues.
Anthony Davis could be better actually than last year. He will be the center for their team so he will get more abounds and a lot of post touches. He is being drafted as a late second rounder and an early third rounder but he’s better than this. He should be a mid first round pick.
Carmelo Anthony could be a last round pick, but he’s borderline fantasy relevant at all. I don’t recommend drafting him.
All the other players should not be given a second look unless they prove themselves.