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The LA Lakers were still the most talked about team in the NBA this season despite playing poorly and having underwhelming results. But with the Lakers officially done for the season, it might be the right time for the media to focus on the teams that made the playoffs and play-in tournament.
On the most recent episode of ESPN's First Take, former NBA player and current analyst Kendrick Perkins said that he is done talking about the Lakers. Perkins wants to move on from the "biggest disappointments in NBA history" and talk about the teams that still have a chance to win the title.
"I'm getting tired of talking about the Lakers, okay? They are 18 games under .500. Now it's time to move on. It's time to talk about other teams that need our attention. They are one of the biggest, if not the biggest disappointments, in NBA history... I'm just sick of the Lakers. I'm tired of it," Perkins said.
As disappointing as the LA Lakers were this season, Kendrick Perkins was one of many people fooled by the team. At the start of the season, Perkins even went as far as saying that the same Lakers team can win 70 games. With just one game left in their season, the Lakers could end up having a 50-loss season.
"You cannot tell me that you're about to have LeBron James, Russell Westbrook, Anthony Davis, Carmelo Anthony, Rajon Rondo, Dwight Howard, Trevor Ariza, all of these players and you're telling me that they're not going to have a 60-win season? Please. Matter of fact, I wouldn't be surprised if they scratch the surface of hitting the 70-win season. Just look at the lineup," Perkins said.
The one-time NBA champion did acknowledge that he was tricked by the LA Lakers this season. Perkins tweeted this out after the Lakers were eliminated by the Phoenix Suns last Tuesday night.
Lots of what-ifs for the LA Lakers this season
The 2021-22 LA Lakers will likely go down as one of the most disappointing teams in NBA history. They were put together to compete for a championship, but ended up failing on so many levels. Despite their disappointing season, there are a lot of what-ifs for the Lakers.
What if the Lakers didn't acquire Russell Westbrook? They will likely still have their best perimeter defenders in Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Alex Caruso. They could have also added DeMar DeRozan and Buddy Hield without compromising their depth.
What if the Anthony Davis played a full season? AD missed a good chunk of games this season due to injuries. He's not known for his durability, but the Lakers could have won more games if he was fully healthy, as well as LeBron James. However, injuries are common in the NBA, with many teams still making the playoffs despite injuries to their top players.
