The unraveling of the Los Angeles Lakers’ 25/26 season is becoming more apparent with each passing game. The Purple and Gold started the year as one of the surprise contenders in the West. It seemed that whenever LeBron James was in the picture, the King added a dynamic that could make them a dark horse. But as the season wore on, the Lakers’ issues from a year ago began to resurface.s
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Their lack of defense, regardless of how much scoring they can generate, remains a liability that cannot be trusted. And as LeBron has shown, he is now more human than ever, and Luka Doncic’s stretches of high-effort defense have faded, so too has the Lakers’ record. They are now on a three-game losing streak, one that has J.J. Redick telling the press that everyone is responsible.
Analyst and commentator Bobby Marks has seen enough. He believes this is simply who the Lakers are right now and stated on a recent edition of SiriusXM NBA Radio that, similar to the Warriors, the Lakers must face the reality that their championship window has closed.
“They’re kind of in a similar situation to Golden State,” Marks said. “The window has basically closed on these teams. It’s a hard reality. So what do you do? Do you go out and try to move, maybe one or two picks…Or do you just let nature take its course?”
“Probably get to the Play-In, and probably lose in the first round, or don’t get in. Then you regroup in the offseason, and you try to reload with a roster that doesn’t have LeBron on it. I’m probably leaning more toward that. This is who they are right now,” he added.
“This is who they are right now.”@BobbyMarks42 tells @BGeltzNBA and @SamMitchellNBA the Lakers aren’t good enough to compete for a championship this season. pic.twitter.com/B7dua5yCA0
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) December 27, 2025
While Marks does make some good points, this is becoming a broader trend among sports analysts. The Lakers are still fourth in the West, behind the Nuggets, Spurs, and Thunder, and while this team is far from being on the same level as those three, they can realistically finish where they currently sit. Teams go on streaks, rotations get adjusted, and changes are made in order to win.
That’s not to say that Marks doesn’t make sense. “They don’t have athletes on this roster. The ability to guard. The ability for guys to get downhill. The ability to get to the rim and stuff like that. That’s the challenge for this group,” he added.
It is honestly one of the saddest parts of watching LeBron’s age catch up to him. The King was once one of the most feared on-ball defenders in his prime. Now, it often looks like he struggles to guard anyone.
But should he be blamed? No one expected the 41-year-old legend to still be playing at such a high level a year ago. Eventually, Father Time beats us all. And while the Lakers’ additions, like Marcus Smart and Deandre Ayton, have not been immediate game-changers, this team can still compete.
The immediate doom mentality that kicks in whenever a team hits a rough streak needs to end. There is enough magic between Luka and Reaves to make you wonder if LA can still be the dark horse contender they showed they could be at the start of the season. Maybe the All-Star break will give them the time they need to truly figure things out. Otherwise, Marks’ prediction will come true, and the historic franchise will have to build a new identity next season.
