Could the Lakers really play their way out of the play-in games?

After a wild, tumultuous season, the Lakers could still end the season without taking part in the play-in game.

After a great first week for our mailbag episode, we had even more questions this time around and on even more topics, Lakers- and NBA-related both.

Let’s dive into what you guys want to talk about this week.

It wasn’t until Saturday that I even believed the Lakers could actually be out of the 9-10 play-in game. It felt like it was going to require a volume of winning that I wasn’t sure the Lakers had in them.

I am happy to be wrong about that, and at this point, it doesn’t feel impossible that they could even play their way out of the play-in game. It would almost certainly require the Lakers to run the table over the final five games and get a little bit of help along the way.

However, the Lakers need to just be within a game of the Pelicans to pass them, potentially, with a win on the final day. And they are only a game-and-a-half back of the Suns for the sixth seed with Phoenix still having a gauntlet of a schedule to finish the year.

Realistically, I’d say they finish in the 7-8 play-in game given their current form and, hopefully, don’t play the Kings in any more games this season. But the six seed will be a very real possibility with a win Sunday night against the Wolves.

I think a very simple and realistic change the NBA should make next season is to make the IST championship supersede any other tiebreakers. The Lakers are in a three-way tie for the sixth seed? Well, they won the In-Season Tournament, so they’re the six seed.

The NBA may be best served to add some small bonuses to winning the IST rather than any more big bonuses. I think you’re further increasing how much teams try in this if they know winning it guarantees them a tiebreaker advantage.

As for a 3-way tiebreaker with the Suns and Kings, it would come down to head-to-head records. The Lakers are 3-6 against the two teams, Phoenix is 4-5 and Sacramento is 6-2. So, yes, even though the Kings and Suns play each other once more, they’ve clinched that specific tiebreaker.

Honestly, this is something the Lakers should perhaps consider. Last year, the Lakers got very surprising and unexpected production from Tristan Thompson in the final game of their season.

But what I think is important to remember is that is probably the exception to the rule. And it probably was more of a one-off, which isn’t to demean Thompson in any way. A one-off in the playoffs is meaningful and can win you a game.

The Lakers’ biggest need right now is a big man. Unfortunately, Bismack Biyombo isn’t a free agent as he’s on the Thunder, so he doesn’t fit here. And looking at the available centers, it’s bleak. Part of what made the situation with Thompson work is that he had played last season and was in game shape.

This year, guys like Nerlens Noel or Dewayne Dedmon, two of the top centers available, haven’t played this season. And would you really trust either to make an impact against someone like Nikola Jokic?

Perhaps a different name is available that this under the radar, but then you have to ask who you’re cutting. First, to the multiple people replying to this question in the comment section saying to cut Taurean Prince, that is certifiable insanity and Saturday proved that.

The two names that make the most sense to me right now are either Christian Wood or Cam Reddish. The former is injured and hasn’t even been available as the Lakers have gone on their win streak. The latter has struggled to get healthy and his role is greatly reduced with Gabe Vincent’s return.

The problem with both of those players is each has a player option for next season. The only player set to be an unrestricted free agent next year is Spencer Dinwiddie, and he isn’t getting cut. Two-way contracts can only be offered to players with fewer than four years of experience, so that isn’t an option either.

In short, the situation is different this year, but with the Lakers roster and salary cap situation and with the players available. I don’t think the Lakers shuffle things around at the end of the regular season this year, but I could be wrong!

With all due respect to Bronny James, I think there’s no chance he’s entering the draft this year.

Don’t confuse declaring for the draft as a guarantee he’s leaving college. Declaring for the draft just allows the players to work out for teams, potentially take part in the combine and, most importantly, talk to NBA teams to get feedback on their game.

All of that is valuable for any player and that is the process Bronny is going to go through. Once he does that, he’ll return to college — and I wouldn’t be surprised if he lands at Duquesne — and will play out next year.

On the very off chance he stays in the draft, he’s going to be a second round pick at best and likely undrafted. And no, the Lakers — or any other NBA team — are not making roster moves to acquire him. He is very far from being an impactful NBA player.

I think he can still have a future as an impactful NBA player. But he’s less than a year removed from a very, very serious health scare. A lot changed for him in that moment and it derailed his basketball plans. Let him get those back on track in college before there’s any more talk about him in the NBA.

A fun question to end the mailbag on. There are a couple of dunks that come to mind. If you’re talking most impactful, I don’t think there’s any other argument than “Bryant to Shaq.”

One dunk I think about far too often is Xavier Henry’s poster dunk on Jeff Withey. Man, I bought so, so much Henry stock that just completely went to waste.

Larry Nance has had some great poster dunks of his own throughout the years. The one over Kevin Durant was great, but I’m partial to his crazy dunk over Brook Lopez.

LeBron has had a lot of really great dunks in his relatively short time with the franchise. Again, my preference is his dunk in the bubble over Russell Westbrook and the Rockets.

Ultimately, there’s one person I circle back to on this question, and it’s Kobe. To me, the dunk I always think about with Kobe and the one that still boggles my mind how he did it is his dunk against the Nuggets.

The fluidity with which he goes behind the back, never loses rhythm and adds an incredible reverse poster dunk just is not something my brain can comprehend.

Share your favorite dunks in the comments below and be sure to bring your questions for next week’s mailbag!

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude.