LeBron James has made it clear that he wants to be remembered as the GOAT, although this Lakers’ team might not get him there.
LeBron James has played with his fair share of talented player, although Luka Doncic takes the cake as the very best one, regardless of fit.
After all, Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis, Dwyane Wade, and Kevin Love don’t have five All-NBA First-Team appearances.
With James, Doncic, and Austin Reaves leading the way, the Lakers (on paper, at least!) can be expected to rival the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, and Denver Nuggets as the class of the Western Conference, right?
Not so fast!
LA Lakers Haven’t Built a Winning Roster Around Core Three
Take a look at least season’s Phoenix Suns. Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal, and Devin Booker should have been one of the best cores in the entire NBA, although defensive limitations, a shoddy supporting cast, and three ball-dominant players sharing the court isn’t a recipe for success.
The Lakers don’t sound too different, do they?
After finishing last season with the third-best record in the West, the Lakers are not expected to repeat with the same success.
“From a standings standpoint, I don’t see how the Lakers stay at a No. 3 seed again,” wrote Yahoo’s Tom Haberstroh. “I’m a believer in Skinny Luka, but if LeBron James is at all checked out, there’s not nearly enough depth on this roster to sustain a level required to claim first-round home-court advantage. I fear the talent drop-off after Luka Dončić, James, and Austin Reaves will doom them this season.”
Deandre Ayton is not a star. He’s hardly above average at his position. The same could be said for everyone else on the Lakers’ roster aside from the core trio.
For the first time in his entire career, James will not be the best player on his team. Years ago, that would have meant that he could coast on the shoulders of his better teammate and collect an easy ring, cementing his GOAT case.
This season, it means that both James and Doncic will have to cover for their teammates on both ends of the floor. Not exactly promising, and the Lakers might struggle to make the playoffs, all but certainly closing the Hollywood chapter of James’ career.
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