Since LeBron James signed with the Los Angeles Lakers, Magic Johnson will have to balance between winning now and creating sustained success.
When LeBron James agreed to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers, it created instant credibility for a franchise that is undergoing a rebuild under the direction of President of Basketball Operations Magic Johnson and General Manager Rob Pelinka. Fans are excited that the road to the NBA championship might once again run through L.A.
Usually, the immediate expectation when LeBron joins a team is that it will be an instant contender for the NBA crown. The previous two times that James was a free agent, the teams he signed with, Miami and Cleveland, made the Finals in his first year and won the title in his second.
But Magic and Rob are well aware, as is LeBron, that this is still a young Lakers team, one that has to suffer some growing pains before it is ready to challenge the Warriors. Nobody realistically expects L.A. to unseat Golden State this coming season. Making the playoffs and getting postseason experience for the young core of Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma and Josh Hart is a much more pragmatic goal.
So Magic and Rob have to balance the desire to strike while LeBron can still play at the highest level with the need to build a sustainable contender for the team’s future. That balancing act requires careful consideration of various objectives.