23/10/2023 and las 18:33 CEST
Lebron James’ Lakers were one of the big surprises in 22/23, signing a magnificent second stretch of the season and falling in the Conference final by a resounding 4-0 against the Denver Nuggets, who would end up being crowned NBA champions. Now, the legend of Akron He faces an enormous challenge that could be definitive in his career.
Are the Los Angeles Lakers candidates for the ring? Do they have enough to take the throne of the West? These are some of the issues surrounding the Los Angeles team heading into this start of the season, a project that left great sensations in terms of competitiveness but which still has many doubts lurking. Lebron James will turn 39 in December. and it is more than likely that this course will be his last great opportunity to win his fifth ring.
A notable in free agency
Rob Pelinka, General Manager of the Lakers, was one of the main architects of the team’s metamorphosis in the middle of last year. He moved cunningly in the offices to get hold of men like Hachimura, Beasley, Russell o Vanderbilt that, in the end, would end up being decisive for Darvin Ham’s rotation for the playoffs, and This summer they have also landed more than interesting names.
Gabe Vincent, With a 3-year, 33 million contract, he was the great acquisition in this free agencya guard who was key to the Miami Heat reaching the NBA finals. Taurean Prince, Jaxson Hayes, Christian Wood y Cam Reddish They will be the other new faces for the coach in his second year at the helm of the Lakers.
In terms of renewals, the franchise has also resolved pending issues. The most important was Austin Reaves, who broke out strongly and established himself last season as the third star of this team. The shooting guard signed an extensione 4 years and 56 million dollars, quite a ‘bargain’. D’Angelo Russell and Hachimura They also agreed to extensions after their good performance on the offensive end, while Vanderbilt He did it thanks to his grit and character in defense.
Who will also not move from Cripto.com for a long time is Anthony Davis, who agreed to a 5-year, $189 million extension, a man on whom a large part of the aspirations for the ring in this painting fall.
Loonie Walker IV y Dennis Schroederwho comes from showing off and being crowned world champion with Germany, are more notable losses.
To fight for the throne of the ‘wild’ West
The Western Conference will not make anything easy for the Lakers, con Denver Nuggets y Phoenix Suns like big favorites to find themselves in the last step before the NBA finals.
Little more needs to be said about the Nuggets, the team to beat. They are the current NBA champions and they have one of the best couples in the league. Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray They will once again lead Mike Malone’s project, a group that has lost a Bruce Brown this summer, a two-way forward who was vital for his coach last season on both sides of the court. They are the big favorites to lift the Larry O’Brien trophy again.
The other ‘coconuts’ of the conference are the Phoenix Suns. The Arizona team, which already had Booker and Durant in their ranks, this free agency has recruited one of the best scorers in the NBA, Bradley Beal. The franchise has put an end to the ‘experiment’ Aytontransferring the center to the Blazers, and others like Chris Paul, Torrey Craig y Cameron Payne tThey will not be in the squad either. If injuries spare these Suns, they could be the most talented pound-for-pound team in the entire competition.
If Lebron and the Lakers want to reach the NBA finals, Phoenix and Denver will be the main touchstones, without forgetting other comor Warriors and Kings or other young projects like those of Thunder or Timberwolves.
Last chance?
The reality is that the Los Angeles Lakers are one of the best teams in their conference, and they have a L duoebron-Anthony Davis who, when there are no physical problems involved, continues to perform at the highest level. The unknowns remain facing the playoffs.
As already happened in 2023, there are many doubts about the ability of these Lakers to overthrow the ‘giants’ of the West, Phoenix and Denver, that have in their ranks more differential talent and scorer, something that weighs a lot in the postseason. Furthermore, if they surprise and earn a place in the NBA finals, they will most likely wait for other ‘great teams’ like the Celtics or Bucks, big favorites in the East.
In any case, the pending issue for the Los Angeles team is to have a good regular season, something that has not been achieved in recent years and that is crucial for the home court factor in the playoffs. It is also not ruled out to see transfers and movements as soon as the market closes, as we saw last year.
2023-10-23 16:33:10
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