When the Los Angeles Lakers have all of their main stars fit and firing, they really are a force.
That may not come as a surprise, as that tends to be the case with most sporting organisations, but with LeBron James and Anthony Davis they really can hurt any opposition. James remains a popular fan choice for the greatest of all-time, and Davis has been unstoppable this season when fit.
The Lakers remain one of the biggest names in NBA, which means they're a dream destination for many stars even if they've dipped since winning the Championship in 2020. With the trade window now open they're once again linked with some huge names, and it's been rumoured that they could piece together a better side than the 'death line-up' Golden State Warriors enjoyed.
James remains at the top of his game despite reaching the age of 37, and Davis has recently dropped high scoring games, with 44 and 55-point hauls coming in back-to-back games at the start of December. Russell Westbrook was meant to link it all together when he joined in 2021, but it hasn't exactly gone to plan.
The Lakers should be challenging for the title, but they run the risk of not making the play-offs for a second consecutive season. With James eager to taste NBA success again, he's not going to stick around and wait for something to happen, which could force the Lakers to go big.
According to The Athletic, the Lakers have a big list of names they're looking to pursue with Bojan Bogdanovic, Evan Fournier and Cam Reddish the most recent to be linked. DeMar DeRozan, Kyle Kuzma, Myles Turner, Buddy Hield, Kyrie Irving and Doug McDermott have also been floated, but the Lakers do have a pipe dream.
The Lakers also have an interest in trading for one of Kevin Durant, Damian Lillard and Bradley Beal if any of the three stars were to become available, and it could form a title-winning partnership. The Lakers are currently 11-16, but after starting the season 2-10, they've since gained momentum.
With a huge injection of class there's no reason they couldn't mount a huge push, and it could even tower over the Warriors' famous 'death line-up' of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Harrison Barnes, Andre Iguodala, and Draymond Green. With four Championship wins since 2015, the Warriors know the formula for success, something that the Lakers are no strangers too either.
And with a Durant or a Beal, they could perhaps make an unlikely push, although it of course comes down to their availability. Durant would perhaps be the best option, with the Brooklyn Nets star putting in a trade request as recently as the previous off-season.
Durant has been holding the Nets afloat this season, with Irving dealing with off-court drama once more, and both Seth Curry and Ben Simmons nursing injuries. Although things have calmed, he could still be tempted by an exit.
The Nets star has also been accused of previously joining the Warriors to pick up a 'cheap title' while they were at full strength, but the Lakers situation is very different. If he joined and went on to turn things around, it would certainly gain respect.
