http://www.tankathon.com
Lakers are back to 7th worst team. Looking much better as the bad teams with records worse than lakers got some wins. If they can continue, then the lakers are in trouble
Why are the Lakers in trouble? They were never going to make the playoffs. Pretty much everyone had them 10th or 11th worst in the West which is where they are likely to finish. With the Clippers and Grizzlies injuries, they may end up doing a bit better.
They are in trouble because, barring a huge FA splash (yes Lebron and PG would make a difference), this is really it for them. They have young players that they hope continue to improve, but they don't have their pick this year and probably won't have another high pick for years to come. They have basically been on the same trajectory as the Cs with their draft pick selections, but don't have Kyrie, Horford, and Hayward.
Also, having the Lakers finish at 10th or 11th is a pretty optimistic view of their situation (apparently you think 12th/13th is a possibility with the Clips and Grizz faltering). They should get pummeled in December and hopefully fall back into the bottom 5 range. If not, it's not the end of the world; Cs fans just want to see the Lakers do poorly - with or without the pick conveying.