Last season, the LA Lakers made a franchise-altering move when they acquired Luka Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks. Though they continue to make alterations to the roster, one former NBA star isn’t confident in their ability to contend in 2026.
Despite making a massive in-season trade, the Lakers still managed to finish last season as the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference. Their postseason run ended up being brief though, getting upset by Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves in round one. With teams in the West also stockpiling talent, the Lakers have far from an easy path to finishing in the top three again.
Since free agency got underway Monday, LA has brought in a pair of new faces. First, they signed forward Jake LaRavia to a two-year deal. The Lakers then nabbed former No. 1 pick Deandre Ayton after he was bought out of his contract with the Portland Trail Blazers.
While on FS1’s “Speak” earlier this week, Boston Celtics legend Paul Pierce gave his thoughts on where the Lakers stand in the West right now. Looking at the teams around them, he envisions them being a play-in team next season.
“I’m gonna give them the play-in, seven,” Pierce said regarding the Lakers’ spot in the standings. “That’s what it’s looking like…Clippers, Golden State. They’re not better than OKC, Houston, Denver, Minny.”
.@paulpierce34 believes the Lakers will finish as the 7th seed in the Western conference next season. 👀 pic.twitter.com/4eoe77eQeu
— Speak (@SpeakOnFS1) July 3, 2025
Though the Lakers have an elite star duo of Doncic and LeBron James, contending in the West will be no small feat for LA. There are multiple teams loaded with depth at the top. Meanwhile, the Lakers are still trying to fill the voids left in their roster by departing players.
With Doncic being a top superstar in his prime, the Lakers are going to be competitive on a nightly basis. That said, they’ll need consistent high-level play from their key pieces if they’re going to avoid being back in the play-in next season.
