Lakers and NBA 2024-25 predictions

The NBA offseason is over and the 2024-25 season is just around the corner as the Los Angeles Lakers host the Minnesota Timberwolves on opening night on Tuesday.

It should be an entertaining NBA season as parity across the league is at an all-time high, making it difficult to predict where the Lakers will end up and how the season will pan out overall.

However, in keeping with tradition, our staff went on record and predicted who would win the 2024-25 NBA Championship, along with all the major awards and LA predictions, in the latest Lakers Nation Roundtable:

Trevor Lane (@Trevor_Lane):

NBA Finals: Thunder over Knicks

MVP: Luka Doncic, Mavericks

It's finally his year to win the title after the big boys have struggled for it in recent years.

DPOY: Anthony Davis, Lakers

It's long overdue.

ROY: Zach Edey, Grizzlies

With the starting spot secured in Memphis, he will have the opportunities he needs to put up impressive numbers and make a difference for a really good Grizzlies team.

MIP: Jalen Johnson, Rockets

He missed part of last season due to injury, but in the 56 games Johnson played for the Hawks he was electric, posting 16 points, 9 points and 4 assists. He is about to make a name for himself.

6MOY: Malik Monk, Kings

He will be a key weapon for the Kings and will score a ton of points, which is usually a requirement to land the 6th man.

COY: Ime Udoka, Rockets

This award typically goes to the coach of a team that significantly exceeds expectations, and the Rockets may be poised to do just that.

Lakers record: 48-34

Daniel Starkand (@DStarkand):

NBA Finals: Nuggets over Celtics

Picking a champion is harder than ever this year, but in my opinion these are still the two best teams and I think Nikola Jokic will come back for revenge.

MVP: Luka Doncic, Mavericks

It feels like it's finally time for Doncic to break through and win MVP after being a contender for the last few years.

DPOY: Victor Wembanyama, Spurs

Anthony Davis should have won this award multiple times, but ultimately it's up to the media to vote for him and they never do. Most media outlets seem to have already concluded that Wembanyama will lose in its second season.

ROY: Dalton Knecht, Lakers

He'll get rotation minutes right out of the gate and we all know he's capable of big scoring numbers. In a subpar rookie class, that could be enough to take home ROY.

MIP: Keyonte George, jazz

I'm a big fan of George's game and if the Jazz give him the keys to their offense, he could make a big jump in his second season.

6MOY: Malik Monk, Kings

Monk is starting to develop into a modern-day Jamal Crawford or Lou Williams: an undersized guard who comes off the bench and just gets buckets. We definitely miss him in Lakerland!

COY: Mike Budenholzer, Suns

I think the Suns will be better than people expect this season, and if that's the case, Budenholzer will get a lot of credit in his first season at the helm.

Lakers record: 46-36

The Lakers have the same roster, so they will look to JJ Redick to be an upgrade over Darvin Ham so the team can improve. The problem is that the Western Conference is loaded, so I expect them to end up in a similar spot to last year unless there is a significant move to improve the roster.

Matthew Peralta (@_MatthewPeralta):

NBA Finals: Knicks over Timberwolves

Why not give New York a chance to double the basketball title? I prefer the Knicks over the Timberwolves because we hate the Celtics here at LakersNation.com and because their roster is legitimately very good. Also the KAT Revenge title series?!

MVP: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder

Let's take Gilgeous-Alexander, because he got a taste of the playoffs last year and is ready to take another step with an even better supporting cast around him.

DPOY: Bam Adebayo, heat

A bit against the grain, but I'll take Adebayo over Victor Wembanyama. Adebayo had a strong run at the Olympics and should receive even more support next season.

ROY: Reed Sheppard, Rockets

As much as I would like to pick Dalton Knecht, I would pick Sheppard from the Rockets. He already appears ready to play and should have a role for an up-and-coming Rockets team.

MIP: Jalen Johnson, Hawks

Johnson will have a good year, and with Dejounte Murray gone he should have more opportunities to contribute.

6MOY: Malik Monk, Kings

MP: Let's continue with our old friend Monk, who should once again become a spark plug scorer off the bench for the Sacramento Kings.

COY: Tom Thibodeau, Knicks

Sticking with the Knicks title race, I think Thibodeau is the winner of this award if he gets his team to reach its full potential.

Lakers record: 47-25

The oddsmakers may be fixated on the Lakers, but not “The Optimist”! I think that with better coaching and a lot of luck with injuries, the Lakers will be around 47-35 after the regular season.

Matthew Valento (@matthewvalento):

NBA Finals: Thunder over Celtics

It goes without saying that the Thunder are the best team in the Western Conference with former Lakers Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein. Additionally, Gilgeous-Alexander continued to score 30 points per game while Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren continued to make progress. Boston is the reigning champion and while the Eastern Conference has a little more competition at the top, unfortunately the Celtics are still the best team.

MVP: Luka Doncic, Mavericks

After an unexpected Finals appearance, Doncic is ready to be at the center of the MVP conversation. That was my choice last year and I'm sticking with it because it's only a matter of time before he gets this award. For Doncic to be considered, Dallas must be in the top five in a highly competitive conference.

DPOY: Victor Wembanyama, Spurs

As much as I want to mention Anthony Davis here, Wembanyama almost won this award last season because of his absurd defensive stats. After averaging 3.6 blocks and 1.2 steals last year, it seems crazy to me to say those numbers could go up. I believe the Spurs big man will only get better and his confidence should be extremely high heading into his second year.

ROY: Dalton Knecht, Lakers

This will be my first choice for a home run. Knecht impressed me with his 35-point performance against the Phoenix Suns in the penultimate preseason game. LA really got a bargain with Knecht and head coach JJ Redick has turned him into a scorer, the sky's the limit. If Knecht manages to get started, this award should be easy for him.

MIP: Cam Thomas, Nets

Even though the Brooklyn Nets could find themselves at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, Thomas will be a name I'm watching as the team's No. 1 option. Although he is a goalscorer at times, I think he can thrive even more with the ball in his hands because once he gets hot he can put up some crazy goal numbers.

6MOY: Bobby Portis, Bucks

Portis has been in the running for this award in recent seasons, finishing third last year. I expect Malik Monk and Naz Reid to be back in the mix, but Portis could push Milwaukee into the top half of the Eastern Conference. After averaging 13.8 points last season, I think it's reasonable for him to average 15 or more this year.

COY: Jamahl Mosley, magic

The Orlando Magic were one of the surprising teams last year when they entered the postseason as the fifth seed. Mosley has his young team playing hard, especially on defense, and it wouldn't surprise me to see them fighting for a top-three spot in the East.

Lakers record: 50-32

Last season was considered a disappointment and yet the Lakers were able to win 47 games despite Darvin Ham's mistakes. He's pushing all the right buttons so far in signing Redick, particularly by announcing his starting lineup before training camp. There will be some bumps along the way, but Redick looks promising with his plans, especially on offense.

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