Lakers Prediction Hot Takes: 2024-2025 Season

Discussion in 'Lakers Discussion' started by Barnstable, Sep 27, 2024.

  1. Barnstable

    Barnstable Supreme Fuzzler of Lakersball.com Staff Member

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    What prediction hot takes do you have for the upcoming season?

    This will be a nice spot for keeping track of receipts and “see I told you so” predictions.

    My prediction hot takes:

    1. Dalton will be in the conversation for Rookie of the year. I think JJ’s going to give him the minutes he needs as long as his defense isn’t atrocious.

    2. Austin will have a break out year. I think Austin will average around 20 per game and increase his assists drastically.

    3. I think the Lakers will finish 4th in the West IF we get Vando back early in the season and no long term injuries to AD during the season. If not we’re probably 7th or 8th.
     
  2. LTLakerFan

    LTLakerFan - Lakers Legend -

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    All that. :rock: …. and I think Bronny is going to surprise with how rapidly he’s improved since the combine and continues with that through the season. Hachimura improves and so does Max.
     
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  3. Slick2021

    Slick2021 - Lakers MVP -

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    https://www.facebook.com/share/bGtZmpvQtyMmE82u/?mibextid=xfxF2i

    Same roster, same starting 5, similar injury concerns heading into the season?

    I'm expecting similar results to last season out of the gate tbh.

    I do think, that we will be looking to trade several guys by December. Depending on the trade, and injury situation with Lebron and AD(lack of hopefully) we are going to end up in the Conference Finals.

    I seriously doubt that the squad, that starts this campaign, will be the same one that finishes it.
     
  4. ElginTheGreat

    ElginTheGreat - Lakers MVP -

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    I predict we will play our best guys and trust whatever the analytics show us.

    Hopefully that results in more wins and JJ ends up being a good hire.
     
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  5. KuzmoBall17

    KuzmoBall17 - Lakers Starter -

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    AD will be MVP averaging 35 + points 15 rebounds and 4 blocks , D-Lo will get to All-star game.
    Lakers will finish 1 in the NBA and will get 18 championship,JJ will win Coach of the Year
     
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  6. sirronstuff

    sirronstuff - Lakers Legend -

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    Athletic Trainer “Vanessa” gets caught in a compromised position with an oft injured athlete she bonded with leading to her dismissal mid year.

    :ShaqOh2:

    And it will be the most interesting Laker news of the whole year.
     
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  7. OX1947

    OX1947 - Lakers MVP -

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    What happened now with this trainer?
     
  8. Slick2021

    Slick2021 - Lakers MVP -

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    What's that crap?^^^^
     
  9. sirronstuff

    sirronstuff - Lakers Legend -

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    This is Laker Prediction Hot Takes

    I just got creative. Don’t hate.The product on floor doesn’t seem to be worth speculating about yet. Too many unknowns and very little change.
     
    Last edited: Sep 28, 2024
  10. pika1708

    pika1708 - Lakers Starter -

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    I think JHS becomes a regular playable option this year.
    AD will have his best season
    If we our starting 5 + plus Vando are generally healthy, we finish top6 and get to WCF
     
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  11. FrontOfJersey22

    FrontOfJersey22 - Lakers All Star -

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    Vando AND Gabe both play at least 65 games!
    See, I can be optimistic sometimes.

    Rob overpays for a big bruiser.

    JJ hits his stride as a coach, around game 35.

    Hayes gets his minutes taken away and given to Kokomo around game 15.
     
  12. LTLakerFan

    LTLakerFan - Lakers Legend -

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    :giggle: :clap:

    Similar to Bonga >>> Bongo on LB.
     
  13. Slick2021

    Slick2021 - Lakers MVP -

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    I was referring to the Russian bot's post. It looked like a dark web link..it got deleted.
     
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  14. SamsonMiodek

    SamsonMiodek - Lakers 6th Man -

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    Starting with the negatives...

    I expect a weaker season from Bron, especially on D. I'll be surprised if he plays 1 good defensive game out of 5. I also don't expect him to have another relatively healthy season and he'll probably miss more games.

    I don't think DAR will play as good a RS as last year. I also don't think he'll be much weaker, but overall I'm hoping for similar production at best.

    Injuries are already a concern at this stage. I'd like to believe that we'll pass the season with a reasonably full lineup, but experience teaches that this simply won't be the case. Let's hope Vando comes back as soon as possible and plays a full season.

    I am very concerned that the defense seems to be beyond the interest of the coaching staff, at least on the surface. If we once again base all the play on this side on AD, I'm not expecting anything special this season.

    On the optimistic side...

    I expect Reaves to make visible progress, including playing like a true No. 3 from the beginning of the season.

    AD will have another great season, and while he surlely won't shut the mouths of the haters, he will show once again why he is the best 2-way player in the league. He will get through the season once again without significant injuries.

    Rui, playing in a real system, will not only be more effective from the start, but will also make fewer mistakes. He will rebound and defend better than ever before.

    Knecht won't fight for RoY, but he will be one of the top 5-10 rookies of the season and help us win some games during the RS. By the time of the PO he will become an important part of the team.

    Max Christie will prove that he is worth the contract he received. He too will be helped by a clearly defined role in offense and defense.

    JJ will make better use of the strengths of the players on the roster on both defense and offense and, most importantly, implement at least a fairly consistent system on both sides of the court.

    Overall I expect a similar outcome of the regular season as the previous one and the Lakers to either advance to the PO as a 5-6 seed or go through the play-in tournament. Depending on the injuries, JJ's quality as a coach and Rob's ability to make an impact move, the PO may end very quickly, but I could even see our team go very far. A lot would have to go right for us for the later scenario to materialize though.
     
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  15. sirronstuff

    sirronstuff - Lakers Legend -

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    it's good to have realistic expectations this year

    If we exceed them, great, but I'm not expecting much. Hopefully we're entertaining like the rebuilding years. At least then we had young guys we hoped had a future. This is just a weird scenario. Hopefully JJ shows he's up for the task of coaching and learns the job quickly.
     
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  16. VincePT

    VincePT - Rookie -

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    play-in again and 1st round exit.
     
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  17. Pioneer10

    Pioneer10 - Lakers All Star -

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    play in team unless Knect has a bonker ROY campaign and Vando takes a leap. Lakers have a solid starting lineup but not a great finishing lineup beyond AD/Lebron/Reaves and that will continue to haunt them despite having elite top 3 talent. To be a true contender, you need Knecht/Vando to step up and also Max and Gabe to become playable as a rotation player to take some of the defensive burden off AR/Knecht/Dlo. Otherwise I'm not hoping for Reddish to finally develop an offensive game (Lakers have a lot bizarre player who show one way flashes but are not complete dudes or just shown some consistency. Reddish was a truly elite 1v1 defender for stretches last year but couldn't stop getting hurt and then regressing offensively)

    I think all 3 can do it (In terms of odds: its probably highest to lowest - Knecht, Vando, and Max) but it's also not something people are going to put a large wager on. Plus all 3 happening simultaneously is even less likely.

    Really hate that they didn't bring back Spencer and dump Gabe. Felt the best the Lakers looked before Ham messed the rotation up again is when they had a more set rotation with the same guys knowing they would all get 25-30 mpg
     
    Last edited: Sep 30, 2024
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  18. lakerjones

    lakerjones Moderator Staff Member

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    If Lebron and AD stay relatively healthy I’m thinking we can make the 6th or maybe 5th seed. Not sure about the playoffs. Hoping we can get back to the WCF somehow but I think it’ll take a trade for us to bolster this roster and get rid of some deadweight.
     
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  19. Juronimo

    Juronimo - Lakers Starter -

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    This has to be tongue in cheek, right?
     
  20. abeer3

    abeer3 - Lakers Legend -

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    samson and pioneer covered most of my thoughts.

    i think one of jhs or gabe will step up and help us get through the non-dlo minutes this year, and that should help.

    but i can't expect lebron and AD to be quite as healthy as last year, and with vando and wood already out and not much behind them, we're just not ready to come out of the gate and surprise people like i thought might be possible.

    we owe NO our pick, so we won't tank. i'm just hoping the season doesn't start as badly as the last three so that i'm not wishing we could have.
     
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