SAN ANTONIO — After the Lakers' playoff hopes were dashed by the Nuggets in their opening-round playoff series, Los Angeles legend Magic Johnson took to X to plead for his team to make changes as soon as possible.
Among his reasons is that he believes the San Antonio Spurs, with Victor Wembanyama in uniform, will be a serious threat to the Lakers next season.
"Laker Nation, we have a problem. All the good teams in the West are young and talented: the Nuggets, the Timberwolves, the Thunder, and the Mavs. And the BIGGEST elephant in the room is the Spurs, who with Victor Wembanyama, will definitely be a playoff team next season. For the Lakers to compete with all these teams, the roster MUST improve," Johnson shared on social media.
Coming from Magic, that is high praise, but can the Spurs be a playoff team as quickly as next season?
The Spurs finished their season with 22 wins, avoiding the worst record in franchise history.
To be a playoff team, the Spurs would have to have a massive turnaround and reach nearly 40 wins to sniff the Play-In Tournament and play for a seventh or eighth postseason spot.
Making it one of the top six West teams next season would be an even bigger reach.
Denver, Dallas, Oklahoma City, and Minnesota will likely be powerhouse teams next season. Ja Morant's return to the Grizzlies will also be an obstacle, and Sacramento is still in the mix for a postseason berth.
Of course, the Spurs can speed up their rebuild with the assets they own from multiple first—and second-round draft picks, their financial cap flexibility, and even current roster players they could trade for star players.
However, the team has expressed that they will not skip steps, and if they stay that course, the Spurs may not be playoff contenders next season.
What do you have to say, Spurs fans? Do you agree with Magic that the Spurs will be a playoff team next season? Let us know on X at KENS 5 and JeffGSpursKENS5.