After a strong offseason for the Los Angeles Lakers, Rob Pelinka has set the expectations high.
The Los Angeles Lakers were able to have a strong offseason, despite not landing Kawhi Leonard in free agency.
Waiting on a player like Leonard, with the hope that he would sign, was a risk that the Lakers had to take. While there was certainly concern about what would have happened if they missed on him, Rob Pelinka and the front office did a nice job filling out the roster.
The Lakers were able to learn from their mistakes of last offseason, by signing some very good shooters to surround LeBron James. This roster currently looks like one that is far better suited to help James succeed, as they have plenty of options for him to kick the ball to on drives to the basket.
Recently, Pelinka spoke about the expectations for the Lakers this season. Here’s what he had to say via Sabreena Merchant of Silver Screen and Roll.
"“I think you always have to learn and evolve and adapt as a leader from the past, and for us anything short of a championship is not successful,” Pelinka said. “We have to learn from last season because we didn’t win a championship. And a lot of that went into the construction of the roster this year.”"
After the strong offseason that was headlined by bringing in a true superstar in Anthony Davis, the Lakers are certainly a contender. While the Lakers did improve a lot, the West will be challenging this season.
With recent deals, the West now has some true contenders in the Los Angeles Clippers and Houston Rockets. In addition to those two teams, the Lakers will have to contend with the Golden State Warriors, Portland Trail Blazers, Denver Nuggets and Utah Jazz.
Since the Lakers do have two superstars and some quality depth, they should be better equipped to handle the tough schedule of the West. Even though James and Davis likely won’t play in all 82 games, they should be able to get wins when the other might be out.
Come playoff time, the Lakers will really be a threat against any team they face. Having two elite players is a luxury, and the Lakers might very well have the best duo in the NBA. The expectations might be high, but they are certainly reachable.