The Los Angeles Lakers have gone through major changes this summer, and changes haven't only come in terms of their current ownership saga. Several of last season's starters and rotation players, including LeBron James, left, and the team brought in nine new players in order to help address its roster needs.
The general expectation seems to be that the Lakers will be at least a little bit worse this coming season. Last season, they finished with a 53-29 record, which got them the fourth seed in the Western Conference, and upset Kevin Durant's Houston Rockets in the first round of the playoffs before getting swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the next round.
ESPN's "Summer Forecast" is making various predictions for the upcoming NBA season by
polling the outlet's insiders, and they picked the Lakers to be the team most likely to be the biggest disappointment.
"There's no more potent formula for disappointment in the NBA than the weight of expectations combined with an organizational standard for perennial championship contention.
"That's the scenario facing the Lakers and Heat next season, with L.A. building out its team to fit specifically around 27-year-old superstar Luka Doncic and Miami landing its next face of the franchise: Giannis Antetokounmpo. If L.A. can't build on its last two 50-win seasons, the team's handling of LeBron James' exit will be called into question all over again."
This is now unquestionably Doncic's team, and he's coming off an MVP-caliber campaign during which he averaged 33.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, 8.3 assists and 1.6 steals a game while winning his second scoring title. Austin Reaves has been blossoming into an All-Star-level guard over the last few years, but there are question marks elsewhere.
Los Angeles doesn't have enough plus defenders on the perimeter, a problem it has had for the last five years or so. Some may also feel the squad doesn't have quite enough team speed or 3-point shooting to compete with the thoroughbreds the Thunder, San Antonio Spurs, New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers boast.
There are also those who question the sign-and-trade deal that brought in center Walker Kessler. While Kessler is the type of defensive-minded, backboard-gobbling center the Lakers need, some feel the Lakers overpaid for him by giving up two future first-round draft picks and two pick swaps while signing him to a four-year, $130 million contract.
Some are also concerned about his health, as he has missed a handful of games over his four NBA seasons. Last season, he played in just five games before a torn labrum shelved him for the rest of the campaign, although he underwent surgery to fix the problem.
There is certainly the opportunity for the Lakers to be a festering disappointment this season. But there is also the opportunity for them to pleasantly surprise people, as they have gotten younger while assembling a team around Doncic that complements him better and makes more sense.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: ESPN picks Lakers as the likeliest NBA team to be a disappointment
