1994–95 Los Angeles Lakers season

The 1994–95 NBA season was the 47th season for the Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association, and their 35th season in Los Angeles, California. This was the first season since 1981–82 that All-Star forward James Worthy was not on the team, as he announced his retirement in November. After missing the playoffs the previous season, the Lakers received the tenth overall pick in the 1994 NBA draft, and selected shooting guard Eddie Jones out of Temple University. During the off-season, the team acquired Cedric Ceballos from the Phoenix Suns, and hired Del Harris as their new head coach.

The Lakers struggled with a 3–5 start to the regular season, but then won ten of their next twelve games, and held a 29–16 record at the All-Star break. Despite losing seven of their final eight games of the season, the Lakers finished in third place in the Pacific Division with a 48–34 record, earned the #5 seed in the Western Conference, and returned to the NBA playoffs after a one-year absence. Harris was named the NBA Coach of the Year, after leading his team to a 15-win improvement over the previous season.

Ceballos averaged 21.7 points and 8.0 rebounds per game, but only played 58 games due to a thumb injury, while second-year star Nick Van Exel averaged 16.9 points and 8.3 assists per game, and led the Lakers with 183 three-point field goals, and Vlade Divac provided the team with 16.0 points, 10.4 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 2.2 blocks per game. In addition, Jones contributed 14.0 points and 2.0 steals per game, and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team, but only played 64 games due to a shoulder injury, and Elden Campbell provided with 12.5 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game. Off the bench, Anthony Peeler contributed 10.4 points per game, while Sedale Threatt averaged 9.5 points and 4.2 assists per game, second-year forward George Lynch provided with 6.1 points per game, Tony Smith contributed 5.6 points per game, and Sam Bowie averaged 4.6 points and 4.3 rebounds per game.

During the NBA All-Star weekend in Phoenix, Arizona, Ceballos was selected for the 1995 NBA All-Star Game, but did not play due to injury, and Jones won the Most Valuable Player award in the NBA Rookie Game. Ceballos also finished in fifteenth place in Most Valuable Player voting, while Jones finished in fourth place in Rookie of the Year voting, and Ceballos, Van Exel and Divac all finished tied in ninth place in Most Improved Player voting.

In the Western Conference First Round of the 1995 NBA playoffs, the Lakers lost Game 1 to the 4th-seeded Seattle SuperSonics on the road, 96–71, but would win the next three games, thus the series. However, they would lose in the Western Conference Semi-finals to the San Antonio Spurs in six games.

Following the season, Bowie retired, while Kurt Rambis was released to free agency, and Smith signed as a free agent with the Phoenix Suns.