Many fans consider the Oklahoma City Thunder or even the surging Denver Nuggets as the top contenders from the Western Conference. However, an anonymous general manager recently told Gilbert Arenas that the Los Angeles Lakers have the “highest ceiling” among all teams with a legitimate shot at claiming the 2025 NBA championship.
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While conversing with YouTuber, Legend of Winning, Arenas revealed that an anonymous GM expressed strong confidence in the potential of the All-Star duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The GM also shared his perspective on why the Thunder and Nuggets might fall short against the Lakers.
“He (anonymous GM) mentioned something like the Lakers probably have the best ceiling. He said because the two players know how to win. With LeBron and AD, they know how to win.
“Will you compare them to how everybody’s playing right now? He don’t think OKC is experienced enough to really win. Only team that stops Lakers from going far was Denver and they’re not the same team anymore,” Arenas said.
Apparently a GM told Gil that he believes the Lakers are still championship contenders…
Any guesses?
Are they right?(: @GilsArenaShow @LegendOfWinning) pic.twitter.com/UpSdI8iiEx
— Playback (@WatchPlayback) January 4, 2025
Arenas has long supported James, leading his co-hosts to playfully accuse him of fabricating this story. However, the Lakers’ recent performance lends some weight to his optimism. Boasting an 8-3 record since mid-December, JJ Redick’s squad has climbed to 5th in the standings with a .588 win percentage.
Despite their recent surge, Agent Zero maintains that LeBron James and his team need a traditional center to strengthen their chances of capturing the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
Arenas highlights the importance of a traditional center
After the D’Angelo Russell trade, Arenas suggested to Rob Pelinka and the Lakers front office to bolster their championship aspirations.
On his podcast, the Washington Wizards legend highlighted the legendary Detroit Pistons duo of Rasheed Wallace and Ben Wallace as an example, proposing that the Lakers could replicate a similar pairing with Anthony Davis and a reliable center.
This addition would not only help prevent dominant centers like Nikola Jokic from having scoring outbursts but also allow Davis to shift back to his natural position as a power forward, maximizing his effectiveness on both ends of the floor.
“Ben Wallace was a great defender, right, by himself. But what did he look like when you had Rasheed Wallace with him? Now he looks golden. What I’m saying is you need a five-man so sometimes he can go to four and be a help man,” Arenas explained.
Lakers Nation will watch closely, hoping the team makes key moves ahead of the February 6 trade deadline.
