The Los Angeles Lakers have gotten off to a rough start so far in NBA preseason action, which has caused fans to go into panic mode. Despite the team not even playing a single meaningful game, fans are already calling the Lakers old and bad. However, LeBron James is not even close to that point and made it clear that everyone needs to calm down.
In a recent quote shared by ESPN, James dropped a major truth bomb on everyone who is freaking out about the Lakers’ preseason start.
“It’s going to take a minute for us to become the team that we know we are going to be capable of being,” said James. “We’re going to have moments where we’re not quite right there. We may take steps backwards. But that’s all part of … I think nothing is worth having if it’s not worth working for.”
No one can argue with those comments. The Lakers are a completely new-look team with a “Big Three” still figuring out how to play with each other. Russell Westbrook coming on board was an interesting move and one that will face a lot of criticism if he starts the season slow, but Westbrook, James, and Anthony Davis still have to figure out how to mesh.
Outside of Westbrook, the Lakers brought in a brand new supporting cast. Wayne Ellington, Kendrick Nunn, Dwight Howard, Malik Monk, Rajon Rondo, Trevor Ariza, Carmelo Anthony, Kent Bazemore, and DeAndre Jordan were not even on the team last season. Building true chemistry takes time.
There is no question that the Lakers have a ton of talent on their roster. Many will not even argue that they should work their way into being a very good postseason team late in the year. But, they will still need to prove it.
Frank Vogel definitely has his work cut out for him entering the regular season. While they can afford to start slow, they cannot afford a dismal start. The last thing that the Lakers want is to have to participate in the play-in tournament again, nor should they with the level of talent on their roster.
Expect to see some struggles off the start for the Lakers this season. They need some time to develop chemistry and to know how each player plays. LeBron James and company may not be an elite team off the jump, but they’re focused on being elite come playoff time.
