The Los Angeles Lakers are currently 37-32 and sit ninth in the Western Conference.

At the moment, even if everything aligns for the team, all signs point to them needing to win two play-in games just to face off against the No. 1 seed in the West when the playoffs roll around.

Earlier in the year, there was optimism that maybe L.A. would make a big move at some point that would change the trajectory of their campaign. However, when the NBA Trade Deadline came and went with nothing actually occurring (aside from the one big swap that Darvin Ham vetoed), all the air got sucked out of the room.

As it turns out, there is a very good reason for the distinctive lack of big moves this year.

That reason? The Lakers’ executives have quietly already quit on this season.

“Some within the organization have even explained that the Lakers’ inactivity at the deadline was due in part to thinking this season was beyond salvation after [Jarred Vanderbilt’s] injury — which they considered season-ending at the time,” team insider Anthony Irwin wrote.

Well, that certainly explains it.

If the organization felt like the 2023-24 NBA season was a lost cause, then of course they wouldn’t go out and trade away draft capital.

While the decision is understandable, it does ignore the reality of time not being on LeBron James’ side. He is 39 years old and already not the player he once was.

 

At best, James has maybe one or two years of superstar basketball left in him.

To squander that in the way L.A. has this season is deeply troubling.

One way or another, it looks like a Lakers championship is out of the question in 2024 according to everyone – including the team’s executives themselves.