As of February 27th, 2019, The Lakers are 3 games back from the Spurs who control the 8th and final spot for the Western Conference playoffs. With only 22 out of 82 games left in the 2018-2019 season, it has become a very real possibility that LeBron James not leading a team to a playoff berth. ESPN gives the Lakers just a 3.4% chance of making it to the postseason. This is so shockingly low, that Los Angeles actually has a better chance (7.2%) of getting a top 3 pick in the upcoming draft.
This would feel all too weird to not have the best player in the NBA not even in the playoffs, as most fans have grown accustomed to seeing him always in the finals. LeBron has led his team to the NBA Finals in 8 straight seasons starting all the way back in 2011. The last time that James was on a team that missed the playoffs was all the way back in 2004 during his first stint with the Cavaliers in his second season.
Most people who follow the NBA thought that there would definitely be an adjustment period when James left the Eastern conference to head out west, which has known to be a tougher conference from top to bottom. NBA fans knew that there would also be some growing pains when James joined the young core of the Lakers, which consists of Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart, Kyle Kuzma, and Brandon Ingram. However, we have seen James carry teams that have looked worse than this roster, without even having to go far back, LeBron had to shoulder the load in carrying the scrappy Cavs to the Finals last season before being swept by the Warriors.
Even with the odds stacked against the Lakers, LeBron can make a lot out of a little, but the key is him being at 100 percent. This has not been the case this season as James has missed 18 games between Christmas and early February with a groin injury, the last time James missed 20 games in a season was back in 2011-2012 when he played just 62 out of the 82-game schedule.
The young core of the Lakers was expected to progress and grow around LeBron, but statistics seems to point to a regression with the exception of Kyle Kuzma out of the 4 players. Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart have been struggling staying healthy this season which could contribute to their lack of growth on the court. Another contributing factor is the team morale after the trade rumors surrounding the core of the Lakers being dealt to the Pelicans for superstar Anthony Davis.
Personally, I was ready to see the Lakers become relevant again, especially in the playoff picture. The main reason why the Lakers are still relevant at this point in the season is because of LeBron James, if he wasn't leading this team then I would imagine that they would be written off completely.