Former NBA guard Lance Stephenson believes the 2019-20 Los Angeles Lakers would have won the championship if LeBron James and Kyle Kuzma didn’t get hurt.
LeBron only played in 55 games in 2018-19, his first season with the Lakers. Meanwhile, Kuzma appeared in 70 games, Lonzo Ball suited up for 47 games and Brandon Ingram was available for 52 games.
The Lakers went 37-45 in 2018-19. However, they were 20-14 when LeBron hurt his groin on Christmas against the Golden State Warriors. The season went downhill after LeBron got injured.
Stephenson averaged 7.2 points and 3.2 rebounds for the Lakers in 68 games while shooting 42.6% from the field, 37.1% from beyond the arc and 68.5% from the free-throw line. He was 12th on the team in points per game.
The 32-year-old Stephenson has career averages of 8.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists with the Indiana Pacers, Charlotte Hornets, Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, New Orleans Pelicans, Minnesota Timberwolves and Hawks. He last played in the NBA in 2021-22 with the Hawks.
The Lakers traded Ball, Ingram and Josh Hart to the Pelicans in the summer of 2019 in the blockbuster Anthony Davis trade and won the 2020 championship over the Miami Heat in six games at the Walt Disney World bubble. Los Angeles lost to the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the 2021 playoffs, missed the 2022 postseason and lost to the Denver Nuggets in the 2023 Western Conference Finals.
This summer, the Lakers re-signed D’Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura, guaranteed Jarred Vanderbilt’s 2023-24 salary and signed Gabe Vincent, Taurean Prince, Cam Reddish and Jaxson Hayes in free agency. General manager Rob Pelinka said during Summer League in Las Vegas that LeBron and Davis have recovered from the respective foot ailments they suffered and played through last season.
LeBron missed 13 straight games from late February until late March because of a torn tendon in his right foot. Meanwhile, Davis missed 20 straight games from mid-December until late January with a bone spur and stress reaction in his right foot. Neither LeBron nor Davis underwent surgery.
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