Tuesday Night’s loss to their Staples Center roommates the Los Angeles Clippers dug the metaphorical hole deeper for the Los Angeles Lakers.

According to ESPN’s BSI, the Lakers’ hopes for the postseason stands at <0.1%. Of course, anything’s possible, but it is safe to say LeBron James will experience something he has not felt since 2005: sitting at home for the playoffs.

When the season began, most did not expect the Lakers to contend. There was a general understanding that this team was a work in progress, but basic expectations were set: Make the playoffs, maybe win a series. Of course, everyone knows that the big, bad Golden State Warriors will roll through the West on their journey for their 3rd consecutive title. Nobody felt like this Lakers team would bring the Larry O’Brien trophy back to the City of Angels, and that was okay.

The first two months of the season matched the expectations. They were 20-14 heading into a key Christmas matchup against the Warriors. That is when everything went sour.

LeBron suffered a groin injury midway through the third quarter and did not play for 17 games. During that span, the team fell apart, going 6-11.

Then, with the trade deadline quickly approaching, Pelicans all-star Anthony Davis was seen as a potential target. The framework for sending Davis to LA was shaped, reshaped, and reshaped again. Nobody in the locker room was safe outside of James. Then the deadline passed and so did the New Orleans Pelicans, as no deal was reached.  

The immense drama that plagued this team flipped their dynamic completely. The public pointed their fingers at several people to pin the blame. It’s LeBron. It’s Magic Johnson. It’s Jeanie Buss. It’s Klutch Sports and agent Rich Paul. It’s Coach Luke Walton. Hell, it’s Jack Nicholson!  

The answer is simply not clear, but the problems with the Lakers are immense. Injuries to Kyle Kuzma, Brandon Ingram, Tyson Chandler, LeBron, and Lonzo Ball have jacked the flow throughout the season. An unfortunate cloud casted over a team with a young core. The trade rumors turned the team into America’s #1 reality show as did the shots of LeBron with his back turned to the huddle, and him sitting many seats away from the rest of the team. The overwhelming belief that coach Walton will be fired at the end of the season.

All these occurrences hurt, but the team’s main focus must be on July. Can LeBron and Magic recruit the Kevin Durant’s, Kawhi Leonard’s, or the Kyrie Irving’s of the basketball world? Time will tell if they can, and if this season will be a mere bump in the road on what will be a bright era in Laker basketball.