After 20 years, you’d think people would learn to NOT bet against LeBron James. After all, he is, undeniably, the best basketball player the NBA has seen since some guy named Michael Jordan. One could even argue, better than Jordan. Let’s not start that conversation already, but I’m sure it’ll be had no less than 200 times throughout the season. Instead, let’s talk about the 2023-24 Los Angeles Lakers. What are the best Lakers NBA futures picks and predictions for this season? Let’s dive straight into our Los Angeles Lakers season preview.
So, dear reader, if you want to know what markets I’m backing the Lakers on … buckle up, because I have some #Takes. Let’s do the darn thing.
Los Angeles Lakers Season Preview: Futures Odds, Picks & Predictions for 2023-24
Los Angeles Futures Odds: Championship, Conference, Division & Win Total
Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook
NBA Championship: +1300
Western Conference: +750
Pacific Division: +370
Win Total: 46.5 -106/-114
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Los Angeles Lakers Season Preview
LeBron James and Co. are coming off a 2022-23 season where they embarrassed the Golden State Warriors — Sorry, Steph Curry — and were the only team that could compete with the NBA Champion Denver Nuggets. Not only did LeBron prove he could still turn up at age 38, but we also saw the return of good Anthony Davis. You know, the top-10 NBA player Anthony Davis who we’ve all been clamoring about since about 2015-16.
The arrival of Austin Reaves, who still is him, by the way, as a true playoff contributor was incredible to see and gave the Lakers an added dimension they were missing. On top of that, the fighting LeBrons added a crucial piece they lacked in Gabe Vincent in the offseason.
So, they added a key contributing piece, and then made one of the most underrated moves of the offseason, by signing veteran guard D’Angelo Russell to a friendly — and I mean like, borderline heavy petting kinda friendly — two-year, $36 million contract. Why is this deal important? Because it’s tradeable. This deal gives the Lakers immense flexibility to trade Russell, which I’m almost assuming is a certainty, at some point this season to bolster their roster with another piece.
Possibly even … Kyrie Irving? It’s Los Angeles. He’s already been cryptic about it. As my guy JP from Angels in the Outfield once said, “Hey, it could happen!”
NBA Futures Picks for 2023-24
Before we get too spicy, let’s start by looking at the Los Angeles Lakers win total. FanDuel has the Lakers’ total set at 46.5 wins, which I snap bet. I couldn’t get my money down fast enough on this number. The Lakers finished with 43 wins last year, and that was with LeBron missing 27 games and Davis missing 26. Now, do we expect these guys to be iron men and play all 82? No. Not only no, but hell no. Should we expect they each play around 60 to 65 games barring any type of major injury? Yes.
So we’re taking a team from last year, adding a better version of Austin Reaves, AND giving them more time to gel with pieces like Gabe Vincent, Jared Vanderbilt, Taurean Prince and Cam Reddish? Yes, I left off Christian Wood on purpose because there’s about a 39% chance LeBron has him released or traded by December.
With all the additions and incredible depth they’ve constructed, I love the Lakers to go over this number.
I can hear you internet goblins now: “BuT wHaT aBoUt PhOeNix?!? ArEn’T yOu AfRaId Of ThE sUnS?!?”
In short, no, I’m not. The Lakers’ odds of winning the Pacific Division seem off in relation to the Suns. I get it, respect to Kevin Durant and Devin Booker — I love ’em both. But I think they got worse, and the Lakers, irrefutably, got better. Adding Bradley Beal doesn’t solve Phoenix’s biggest problem: getting stops. I’ve waxed poetic about all the great Laker acquisitions already, but you can’t fight facts. It feels like there will be a bit of a feeling-out process with a trio of ball-dominant players, and I fully believe the Suns might take a while to figure it out. Thus, the Lakers could be in the driver’s seat for the Pacific Division.
If we think the Lakers are live to have a better record than the Phoenix Suns, we have to at least sprinkle on the Lakers being the No. 1 Western Conference Playoff seed. Looking at the FanDuel odds, Phoenix is the current favorite to be the No. 1 seed in the West (+230), with Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets right behind them at +260.
You’ll never hear me say a bad word about Jokic and the Nuggets, but losing Bruce Brown is probably a bigger issue than most people think. They’re likely looking at 7 truly playable guys, with Christian Braun being the X-factor. When it boils down to it, I think Denver cared a lot about its record and piling up some wins last year. After winning a title, they’ll likely have only one thing on their mind: how to repeat. Not seeding.
There, I said it! Give me the Lakers at +850 to be the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference Playoffs!
Los Angeles Lakers Win Total Pick: Over 46.5 Wins -106 at FanDuel
Pacific Division Pick: Lakers +370 at FanDuel
Western Conference No. 1 Seed: Lakers +850 at FanDuel
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