Everything is on the line for LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Lakers this NBA season

The stakes for the Los Angeles Lakers' season were set late in the summer.

The Lakers were one of three teams, along with the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers, that did not sign or trade a player via free agency this offseason.

Despite signs that LeBron James and Anthony Davis wanted to improve the roster, and James even offered to take a significant discount to sign several free agents, the Lakers failed to attract experienced decision-makers and ultimately stalled. Los Angeles returns 13 of 15 players from last season's group, who won 47 games – seeded No. 8 after the regular season but secured the No. 7 seed through the play-in tournament – and in five Lost games against the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs.

The main difference between then and now is JJ Redick, who the Lakers see as their long-term solution as head coach after going through three coaches in four seasons. There is optimism that the 40-year-old debut coach and his staff can extract every ounce of potential from a squad that finished the regular season 23-10 after finally reaching its best lineups.

Redick hasn't coached a regular-season game yet, but he's already impressing his players and reaping much of the low-hanging fruit the team struggled with last season. There was a different atmosphere in training camp and the preseason. Redick and his new staff earned rave reviews from players about detailed film sessions and drills, clear communication and expectations regarding roles, playing time and substitution patterns.

While the Lakers are optimistic that Redick will make them a serious playoff threat — along with the fifth-best continuity in the league, sharp-shooting rookie Dalton Knecht and improved health of their supporting cast — that opinion isn't shared by those on the outside. According to BetMGM, Los Angeles is tied with the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets for the ninth-highest projected over-under (43.5 games) in the Western Conference.

In some ways there is a dissonance between internal and external expectations. And therein lies the fascination of the Lakers’ season.

Only one result is possible.

The Lakers will either exceed expectations or not. Either they will make a good deal or they won't. They either make it to the playoffs or they don’t. They either make it past the first round or they don’t.

And how their season unfolds could have a significant impact on how the partnership between James and Davis is remembered and how it ultimately ends. James and Davis will always have the 2020 championship, a badge of honor for the franchise and James and Davis. But another first-round exit — or worse, a missed postseason — marks four out of six years in which the two superstars failed to make it out of the first round together.

That's why there's so much at stake in the big bet on Redick, continuity and health.

James has a history of voicing his opinion, directly or indirectly, when his team is not at the level he believes it should be. And the possible consequences of Davis' dissatisfaction, such as The athleteAs Sam Amick detailed, he has been a key factor in the Lakers' decision-making of late. James made it clear during media day how important it was for him to play in the Olympics on a team with legitimate stakes – something that has only happened twice during his six-year tenure with the Lakers (2020 and 2023).

“It felt great to play meaningful basketball,” James said. “Literally playing at the highest level.”

James and Davis have held up their end of the bargain as players worth investing in. They were both healthy and earned All-NBA honors last season. They are still firmly in the conversation for top 10 players. They are arguably the best duo in the league, as they proved with Team USA when they routinely closed out games, including the gold medal game against France.

LeBron James and Anthony Davis celebrate after the U.S. men's basketball team defeated France at the Paris Olympics. (Kyle Terada/Imagn Images)

But as things stand, the Lakers are remaining patient on the trade market. Trades rarely happen at this point in the season. Los Angeles will be intentional with its two tradeable first-round picks (2029 and 2031), mid-sized contracts, as well as multiple pick swaps and second-round picks.

Barring an unforeseen development, the most realistic outcome if the Lakers ultimately make a trade would be completing a deal in January or even closer to the February 6th trade deadline. Rob Pelinka, the Lakers' vice president of basketball operations and general manager, said at his and Redick's media day that the Lakers will reevaluate the roster after about 30 games – around early 2025 – to determine whether an upgrade is worth it.

The Lakers still need a two-way wing who combines the best traits of Rui Hachimura and Jarred Vanderbilt and a steadier, defensive-minded center who can balance the offensive-minded natures of Jaxson Hayes and Christian Wood. Maybe they'll split the difference by finding a big player who has room on the floor (so that player can either start next to Davis or play alongside him in bench units). However, these players are rare and will almost certainly cost at least a first-round pick.

At times in recent months, the Lakers have seemed more worried about the post-James future than the present. There has been a greater emphasis on youth and player development for a group that should, in theory, be in win-now mode given the timeline of its two superstars. James has fended off Father Time better than any NBA player ever, but at some point his greatness will come to an end. The Lakers likely have time to compete with him this season and next.

As currently constructed, their squad probably isn't good enough to get out of the brutal West. They can win one round, and maybe even two if the playoff round goes in their favor, but they're not at the level of the conference's top four teams (Oklahoma City, Denver, Dallas and Minnesota, in any order).

Whether Redick's potential, internal improvements, a midseason move, or some combination can close that gap remains to be seen. That result could make the next two seasons a happy farewell for one of the game's greats – or highlight an offseason misjudgment that leads to bigger changes.

(Photo of Davis and James: Adam Pantozzi / NBAE via Getty Images)