The Lakers and Clippers both made some major roster adjustments this offseason with the Lakers bringing on Anthony Davis to the Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. With both Los Angeles teams now geared up for deep playoff runs in a wide-open Western Conference, the 2019-20 season should be an exciting battle at the Staples Center.
The two teams share a division (and building), meaning there will be no shortage of star-studded showdowns between them over the coming years. To add more fuel to the fire, Leonard spurned the Lakers for the Clippers in free agency. While there has never been much of a rivalry between the two teams (at least in the eyes of Laker fans), the Clippers now seem to be the West’s most daunting task for LeBron James and Anthony Davis to overcome.
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Lakers Tied With Clippers Atop Latest 2020 NBA Championship Odds
The Lakers and Clippers are now co-favorites to win the NBA championship next season after essentially rounding out their rosters.
With both the Lakers and Clippers listed at 7-2 odds to win the title, oddsmakers feel that the path to the Larry O’Brien Trophy runs through Staples Center. In fact, if their preseason odds are any indication, it seems oddsmakers feel that the Western Conference Finals could be an all LA affair.
While the Lakers had been the favorites prior to Leonard signing with the Clippers, Leonard’s decision helps to level the playing field a bit in terms of the competitive balance of the league.
Lakers Offseason Roster Additions
The Lakers did a fantastic job of filling in their roster despite the free agency pool having shrunk considerably while they waited for Leonard to make his decision. Bringing on Leonard’s longtime teammate Danny Green as well as former All-Star and All-NBAer DeMarcus Cousins, the Lakers have some talented new faces on the roster to complement their new pairing of James and Davis.
Along with big names like Green, Cousins, and Davis, the Lakers have brought on a number of new role players to help fill their needs. Jared Dudley should find himself seeing some quality minutes off the bench while sharpshooter Quinn Cook looks to be a useful addition to a lineup looking to surround LeBron and Davis with spot-up shooters. More recently, the Lakers added Avery Bradley who while not the world-class defender he once was, can still defend at a high level and knock down the deep ball at a league average clip.
Overall, the Lakers made major strides in both the shooting and defense departments while adding a second superstar to their roster. While much older than last year’s iteration, this Lakers team should be much better suited to not only contend for titles but withstand injuries to their lineup.
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Lakers Tied With Clippers Atop Latest 2020 NBA Championship Odds