3 roadblocks the Lakers must overcome to win a title in 2024

Lakers roadblock No. 1: Injuries

Injuries are never predictable, but they are nonetheless always a big part of this game. Players work hand in hand with their respective training staff/personal trainers to prepare their bodies for the intense workload that comes with playing in the NBA. Regardless, the NBA’s 82-game schedule is a grueling gauntlet.

There are very few players that can withstand each and every contest without incurring some type of injury, and there are similarly few players that suit up night in and night out. These out-of-nowhere ailments have the power to crush an entire team’s morale and momentum.

In the case of the Lakers, the old injury bug has been nothing shy of a pest since LeBron brought his talents to Venice Beach. While there is no surefire way to fully prevent this pest from interfering with a team’s plans, there are procedures that can always be implemented to help thwart their development.

Since LeBron’s arrival, the front office has been very critical in regard to the health of Lakers players. During The King’s reign in LA, the organization has already let go of not one, but two head athletic trainers. That is by no means to conclude them being 100% at fault for the bodily malfunctions of Laker players, but it is their duty to incorporate the appropriate schemes and strategies into the team’s exercise regimes.

And if the players are sporting casual apparel on the sidelines more frequently than their uniforms on the court, then it is the duty of the front office to spring into action.

The health of each individual player is equally important, that sentiment should go without saying. However, it should also go without saying that this team is not a clear-cut title contender without both LeBron and AD on the court. The entire world knows about AD’s injury-plagued career, and his body would seem to be ready to falter at any given moment. Anytime he goes down, Laker fans across the globe gasp for air.

While he never dealt with any serious injuries prior to arrival, LeBron has battled a handful of setbacks in his Hollywood tenure. His most recent affair with the injury bug involves the lingering foot injury he suffered late last season. He has remained coy about that situation, and we will all remain optimistic that it will not cause any serious time off during the season.

While Darvin Ham and his staff will surely put their best foot forth in regards to keeping these guys fresh, the NBA is not going to make that any easier for them. If the team can navigate through the season without any serious injury dilemmas, the opposition is in serious trouble.