The Los Angeles Lakers wrapped up their season on Tuesday night with a 104-101 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers inside the STAPLES Center. Following the game, Lakers head coach Luke Walton took some time to thank his players and coaching staff for the efforts they put forth this season.

“I would love to thank our players,” Walton told ClutchPoints' Ryan Ward after Tuesday's game. “With all the expectations on us this year to do great things, and to fall short and to continue to play as hard as they did until the very end of the season, beating two playoff teams, taking another one down to the wire tonight. It just means the world to me as a coach that they're continuing to fight and not give up and play that hard. It's beautiful.

“I want to thank our players and thank my coaching staff as well. It's been a challenging season, but they've continued to, with all the noise as well, show up and work to try to do their jobs to the best of their ability and get players better, get our team prepped and what-not.”

At the beginning of this season, the Lakers were projected to be playoff contenders. For a while, they were just that. However, a series of unfortunate events left the team in what seemed to be a downward spiral.

LeBron James, who joined the Lakers last offseason, missed 17 games near the midway point of this campaign due to a groin injury. The King managed to recover, but the team was never able to regain their form.

James being injured hurt the Lakers, but it wasn't the only bit of adversity they faced this season. At the trade deadline, the team was willing to ship out several of their talented young players in a proposed trade for Pelicans big man Anthony Davis. The deal fell through, which left those same young players on the Lakers' roster for the remainder of the season, knowing that they were once trade pieces.

The drama around the Lakers intensified after Tuesday's season finale when Magic Johnson decided to step down as president of basketball operations.

As for Walton, there are some experts who feel that he will not be with the team next season. However, he is scheduled to attend the Lakers' exit meetings this week. Whether or not he'll retain his title going forward remains to be seen.