In a short amount of time this summer, the Los Angeles Lakers put together a solid new-look roster after LeBron James and several other key rotation players departed. Few believe they will be as good as, let alone better than, they were this past season when they finished fourth in the Western Conference with a 53-29 record, but their new roster could be better in other ways.
They now have more balance up and down the roster, a better bench, more athleticism, better 3-point shooting and more non-stars who can do damage offensively either by scoring, operating off the dribble or making good passes. They could have the foundation of what they hope will become a championship team not too long from now.
But since Los Angeles has so many new players,
it will likely take time for it to reach its potential. In a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter), Lakers great Magic Johnson lauded the organization's moves, but he also warned that fans should be patient when it comes to looking for results.
Lakers fans have to be patient though. These 7 new players have to learn how to play with superstar Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, so we may not get off to a good start.
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) July 27, 2026
The NBA's schedule for the 2026-27 season hasn't been released yet, so no one currently knows what type of schedule Los Angeles will have in October and November as it starts to build chemistry. Winning it all with Luka Doncic will be a multi-year process, and it will matter more how the team plays after the All-Star break than how it does in the fall and early winter.
Last season, L.A. struggled in December, January and February, only to rip off 16 wins in 18 games late in the campaign before a hamstring strain sidelined Doncic for the rest of the year.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Magic Johnson warns that Lakers fans should be patient with new roster
