Ever since LeBron James agreed to play for the Los Angeles Lakers, many fans of the team are deliriously happy with visions of championships dancing in their heads.
It’s true that the Los Angeles Lakers seem to be back on track. After 5 straight years of desultory performances, there is good reason for hope going forward.
Signing LBJ was a huge move in that direction. Retaining 4 of their 5 young, very talented core players was another big plus. If all goes right, the Lakers may be ready before too long to once again compete for titles.
It’s not at all unusual for a sports fan to view his or her favorite team in a positive, optimistic light. Fans do it all the time with teams like the Jets in the NFL and the Padres in MLB. And as we’ve learned time and again, virtually anything is possible in sports.
But knowledgeable NBA fans will reach the objective, more realistic conclusion that the current Lakers team is almost certainly NOT yet ready to challenge for the league championship in the upcoming 2018-19 season.
There are many reasons why, but here are five of them.