Los Angeles Lakers bold predictions after 2024-25 season schedule release

With the 2024-25 NBA season schedule released last week, many eyes will be on the Los Angeles Lakers as they begin their first season with JJ Redick at the helm. Ahead of the start of the season, we will be making our Lakers bold predictions.

It was an offseason of change for the Lakers as they fired Darvin Ham after two seasons and hired Redick as their new head coach. Following a failed attempt to lure UConn men’s basketball head coach Dan Hurley, the Lakers turned to Redick to help lead the a franchise coming off a tough first round playoff exit.

While the Lakers lost in five games to the Denver Nuggets in the first round, the argument can be made that those games were very close and the outcome could have conceivably gone the other way with a different bounce here or there or an extra possession or two.

The fact remains that with LeBron James and Anthony Davis on the roster, a championship is still the goal. Both players showed at the Olympics that they’re still playing at an elite level. But with the Lakers failing to make any trades or free agent signings this offseason, they’re going to be banking on internal development and chemistry to achieve that goal. With that said, let’s move on to our Lakers 2024-25 NBA season bold predictions.

LeBron James will be in the MVP race

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LeBron James is the player who continues to defy father time. He’s fresh off an Olympic gold medal and being named the Olympics MVP. He will be entering his 22nd season in the NBA and will turn 40 before the playoffs. And he’s shown no signs of a drop-off in play.

But with the Western Conference as strong as it’s ever been in recent seasons with plenty of good, young teams looking to make their mark, the Lakers are going to need another superhuman effort from James to stay competitive. But he looks like he’s up for the challenge.

If the Lakers can be in contention for a top 5-6 seed in the West, James is going to be a legitimate MVP candidate. He’s coming off a season where he averaged 25.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 8.3 assists and 1.3 steals with splits of 54 percent shooting from the field, 41.0 percent shooting from the three-point line and 75 percent shooting from the free-throw line. His three-point percentage was actually a career-high.

Until James actually shows signs of slowing down, there’s no reason to doubt him continuing to play at an elite level. He knows his shot at more rings slip away with each passing season. Expect a determined and motivated James this season.

Anthony Davis will win Defensive Player of the Year

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It seems like Anthony Davis has been knocking on the door for Defensive Player of the Year for a little while now, well this is the year he finally breaks through. Davis was brilliant defensively last season and one of his only criticisms is that he can’t slow down Nikola Jokic. Well, 28 other teams don’t have answer for him either.

Davis has finished in the top 10 in the DPOY race in six of his of 12 seasons in the NBA with the 2019-20 season being his highest finish at No. 2. One of the big reasons why Davis is going to be a legitimate DPOY candidate is his health. One of the big knocks on Davis throughout his career has been his seeming inability to stay healthy.

This past season though, Davis played in 76 games, the most he’s played since the 2017-18 season. He hadn’t played in more than 62 games since that year. He’s one of the best interior defensive anchors in the league, right up there with Rudy Gobert and Joel Embiid. The Lakers being so low in the standings though could also have an effect on Davis’ perception among voters.

But if James has an MVP caliber year leading the Lakers to a top 5 seed, expect Davis to get more consideration for the league’s top defensive honor.

JJ Redick will be in the Coach of the Year discussion

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Perhaps the biggest question mark coming into the season for the Lakers is how will JJ Redick fair as a rookie head coach. Going straight to the coaching ranks without any previous experience has kind of had mixed success. Steve Kerr and Jason Kidd are some examples of success. Steve Nash and Derek Fisher not so much.

But lost in all the chatter was the fact that the Lakers actually weren’t the first team to be mentioned with a level in interest in Redick as a head coach. That would be the Charlotte Hornets. There was obviously some level of intrigue in NBA circles in terms of Redick as a coach.

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He was clearly one of the best analysts of the game as a commentator on ESPN and his podcasts ‘The Old Man And The Three,’ and his joint effort with James, ‘Mind the Game,’ showed a deep understanding of the game’s X’s and O’s.

But if the Lakers are in contention for a top 5-6 seed in the West, with largely the same roster that Darvin Ham had, Redick will get looks from the voters for the NBA’s Coach of the Year Award.

Max Christie will explode as one of the NBA’s best role players

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One of the biggest criticisms from Lakers fans was that Darvin Ham didn’t properly utilize Max Christie. The second-year wing was often buried on the bench after a promising rookie year and a standout 2023 summer league performance.

The Lakers re-signed Christie in the offseason to a four-year contract, so the front office is clearly invested in his development. And that’s exactly what the Lakers need if they want to stay afloat in the West. They need an infusion of youth and talent. Christie brings a skill-set the Lakers rotation needs, a wing who can handle the ball, create off the dribble and knock down the three-point shot consistently.

He should begin the season firmly in the Lakers rotation and if Redick gives him consistent minutes, he’ll be among the NBA’s best role players.