Preseason NBA Power Rankings: Philadelphia 76ers look like Eastern Elite

6. Los Angeles Lakers

After their own Process-esque rebuild left the team out of the playoffs for the better part of a decade it looks like the Los Angeles Lakers may be ready for Showtime once more.

At this point, all of Luke Walton‘s squads offseason moves have been pretty well publicized, from adding players like Rajon Rondo, Lance Stephenson, JaVale McGee, Michael Beasley, and oh yeah, LeBron James, to the team’s inability to make a trade for Kawhi Leonard, but regardless of how you feel about each move individually, it’s clear this isn’t last season’s Lakers squad.

Can this squad really double their win total from a year ago and be a serious player in the postseason? Absolutely.

LeBron James-lead teams have represented the Eastern Conference in the NBA finals for nine straight years, and while this trend has officially ended by joining the West, he’s still going to be a serious player in the postseason, even if it doesn’t result in a spot in the finals.

With a slew of talented players young and old already on the roster, and the potential to add even more at either the trade deadline, or in the buyout market, the Lakers are going to be good for a long time and could help to reshape the Western landscape as soon as this calendar year.

Are they as good as the Golden State Warriors right now? Probably not, but to think that the Lakers could somehow not makes the playoffs with LeBron running the show is a ludicrous idea to me, and one I will firmly contest. Los Angeles as a new star, and if history is of any indication, they typically shine just a bit brighter in Tinsel Town.