2018–19 Los Angeles Lakers season


The 2018–19 Los Angeles Lakers season was the franchise's 71st season, its 70th season in the National Basketball Association, and its 59th in Los Angeles.
Following the signing of NBA superstar and 3-time champion LeBron James on July 1, 2018, the Lakers hoped to finish with a winning record and playoff appearance for the first time since the 2012–13 season. However, after an improved 20–14 start to the season, several injuries accumulated throughout the season including James, Rajon Rondo, Lonzo Ball, and Brandon Ingram, and the Lakers fell below.500 by the All-Star break. By March, the Lakers were eliminated from playoff contention, extending the team's postseason drought to a franchise record six seasons, and a sixth straight losing season, even after improving from their 2017–18 campaign by two games. It is the first time James missed the playoffs since 2005 and first time he did not appear in the NBA finals since 2010.
On April 9, the conclusion of the Lakers' season, Magic Johnson stepped down as president of basketball operations. Three days later, Luke Walton and the team agreed to part ways.

Draft

RoundPickPlayerPositionNationalitySchool / Club team
125Moritz WagnerPFGermanyMichigan
239SFGermany Frankfurt Skyliners
247SGUkraineKansas

Roster

Standings

Division

Conference

Game log

Preseason

Regular season

Player statistics

Transactions

Signing of LeBron James

On July 9, 2018, superstar LeBron James signed a four-year, $154 million contract with the Lakers after playing a second stint with his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers. He led the team to their first championship title in 2016, and led them to the NBA Finals 4 other times. This marked his second time leaving the Cavs, after controversially doing so in 2010 to join the Miami Heat, where he led the team to 4 NBA Finals appearances, winning back-to-back in 2012 and 2013. The signing also briefly intensified the Celtics-Lakers rivalry, as his former Cavs teammate Kyrie Irving was traded to the Boston Celtics the year before and when former Celtics star Rajon Rondo joined LeBron in Los Angeles. Irving played 2 seasons for the Celtics before signing with the Brooklyn Nets during the 2019 offseason.

Trades

Free agency

Re-signed

Additions

Subtractions