1. LeBron James
Not surprising, LeBron James is facing the most pressure of anyone within the Los Angeles Lakers organization. Rob Pelinka overcame the pressure this offseason to put a team around James that better fits his skill set. Now, it is time for James to perform on the court.
James is always under pressure on the court. As one of the best players in the world, the expectations are always sky-high for him. Now that he has another star in Anthony Davis alongside him, results are expected to follow. If the Lakers aren’t one of the top teams in the Western Conference, he will hear about it.
Outside of Davis, the roster is better tailored around James as well. The roster has plenty of floor spacers in Danny Green, Troy Daniels, Jared Dudley, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Quinn Cook. DeMarcus Cousins, Kyle Kuzma and Avery Bradley may not be lights out shooters but have shown a capability of knocking down 3-point shots.
This roster was built with James in mind, something you could argue wasn’t done his first season in Los Angeles. However, the most pressure James will face this season could be from himself.
James had his streak of eight consecutive NBA Finals appearances snapped last year. He also had his 13-year playoff snapped his first season with the Lakers. You know James will be motivated to start new streaks. He will be on a mission this year and hold himself to an extremely high standard, making him the person with the most pressure in the Lakers’ organization.