The Los Angeles Lakers enter the 2025-26 NBA season with championship ambitions led by Luka Doncic and LeBron James. After finishing last season with 50 wins and the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference, Los Angeles fell short in the playoffs, exiting in the first round to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The disappointment fueled an aggressive offseason, with the Lakers reshaping their roster and vowing to return as contenders. With Doncic coming off another elite campaign and James set for his 23rd NBA season, expectations within the organization remain high as they chase another title run under second-year head coach JJ Redick.
However, not everyone across the league shares the same optimism.
Despite the Lakers’ renewed push, NBA executives are not convinced. On Thursday, the league released its annual GM survey ahead of the 2025-26 season, and Los Angeles received zero votes to win the 2026 NBA Finals. GMs also projected the Lakers to finish seventh in the Western Conference, behind the Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets, Minnesota, Golden State Warriors, and Los Angeles Clippers.
The results came despite strong individual recognition for Doncic. General managers voted him the league’s best small forward, though he naturally plays guard, and ranked him fourth in MVP predictions–a drop from leading the poll last year.
Lakers receive 0 votes from NBA GMs to win 2026 NBA Finals: https://t.co/9KvahyiQDq
— Lakers Daily (@LakersDailyCom) October 9, 2025
Last year, Doncic averaged 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.5 assists in 28 games with the Lakers, giving the Purple and Gold faithful a glimpse of what to expect with him as the new face of the team.
The Lakers’ revamped roster includes center Deandre Ayton and guards Marcus Smart and Jake LaRavia, who all arrived in free agency and are expected to bring depth and defensive balance. Then there’s James, a four-time MVP, who proved he can still be a force to reckon with even in his 40s. James averaged 24.4 points, 8.2 assists and 7.8 rebounds in 70 games and finished sixth in MVP voting last season.
Yet, the survey suggests that league insiders still question whether the new lineup can contend with the West’s elite.
Los Angeles will open the season on Oct. 21 against the Warriors, a prime opportunity to prove the critics wrong.
Be the first to comment