The full schedule for the 2024-25 NBA season has been released, and the Los Angeles Lakers have at least one title to distinguish themselves: They will once again lead the league in national television appearances.
Between ESPN, TNT, ABC and NBA TV, the Lakers will have 39 of their 82 games (48%) broadcast nationally, via Brett Siegel of ClutchPointsRight behind them are the Golden State Warriors with 36, then the reigning champions Boston Celtics and New York Knicks with 34 each.
The Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns follow with 30. Meanwhile, the Detroit Pistons, Portland Trail Blazers and Toronto Raptors are tied for last place, with four games each.
One last order: the same list but ordered by the number of games televised nationally, including NBA TV.
LAL: 39
Bullet wound: 36
BOS: 34
New York: 34
DAL: 30
PHX: 30
GUARD: 29
Thousand: 27
FIL: 27
MINIMUM: 25
Oklahoma City: 25
LAC: 21
SAS: 21
MEM: 17
CLE: 16
IND: 14
Missing in action: 13
NOP: 13
Bag: 12
HOME: 11
ENT: 9
ATL: 8
FACE: 7… https://t.co/igejprP4Nf—Brett Siegel (@BrettSiegelNBA) August 15, 2024
If this sounds familiar, it’s because the Lakers have ranked first or second in the NBA in nationally televised games since LeBron James came to town for the 2019-2020 season. However, this is the first time they’ve topped the list since 2021-22, as the Warriors had surpassed them in each of the past two years.
Obviously, this isn’t a reflection of meritocracy. The Lakers haven’t won a title since 2020 and are coming off a first-round humiliation at the hands of the Denver Nuggets in last year’s playoffs. Television networks want good teams on their schedule, but they especially want big names, which is why the Warriors being ranked second after failing to make the playoffs makes a lot more sense when you replace his name with Stephen Curry’s.
The Lakers aren’t without some intrigue for next season, either, thanks to the addition of James’ son Bronny and the hiring of his podcast partner JJ Redick as head coach. LeBron and Bronny will become the first on-court father-son duo in NBA history when Bronny steps on the court, and you can bet the television networks want to air that moment.
The actual core of the team hasn’t changed much this offseason, though, so the networks could be primed for more of the same results as last year unless Redick turns out to be much better than Darvin Ham.