Lakers still a finals contender team despite of what happen last season. They still have the great players in the league so provably that things may came different in their side when regular season came in.
No they aren't a finals contender. I beg to disagree with this unfortunately.
AD just played his best season where he played a career-high 76 games, and Lebron also played his one of his best seasons, and yet they didn't even win a single series. Aside from both of them, who do you think can be a good role player for the Lakers? Reaves? Hachimura? Russell? They can't even help them win a single series. I don't want to compare the Lakers last season with the Nuggets when they won a title, but since you said that they are a finals contender, I should be, and the Lakers' roster aren't even close to that of the Nuggets. Even their role players are far better.
They aren't a finals contender. They are just a mediocre team that will not win a title unless they will get better role players and maybe another all-star.
Also on Warriors side even if Klay left in their team they also had a great replacement. They had Hield and Melton which provably can contribute in the perimeter, also Mr slow me Andersen is been added which is also a good contributor on defense he can also shoot which is suitable for Warriors type of plays. With current roster they have the Warriors became more better and with their current roster we provably can say that they have a shot to get a playoff spot. But for finals? I think it still questionable.
Well, this might be a better opinion because Hield really is a good three-point shooter. 2 of the best three-point shooters last season are now on the same team. We might see the Warriors doing what they did during their prime years a few years ago because of them. Aside from that, they have Melton and Andersen. I just hope that Wiggins if they will not trade him, will play better now because he's been inconsistent all year last season, and Kuminga must step up in terms of offense as well.