5 NBA teams that could face chemistry issues at the start of the 2021-22 season
The 2021-22 NBA season commences in only a few days. While all teams possess championship aspirations, realistically, not all of them can make an effective run in the regular season. In such a scenario, the faltering teams go into a rebuild and plan for the future to ensure they are competitive again.
For teams looking to make the NBA playoffs, an important aspect they need to focus on is chemistry. Chemistry can be termed as an experience of being in the team on the court and off it.
From teams that feature roster overhauls to dealing with players who are potentially malcontent, a healthy locker room is key to establishing morale in NBA teams ahead of the long haul.
Keeping the complicated nature of team dynamics in mind, here are five teams that could face chemistry issues at the start of the 2021-22 NBA season.
#1 LA Lakers
With their NBA regular-season opener against the Golden State Warriors just a few days away, the LA Lakers will start the season after a winless preseason.
Following an extensive roster overhaul in the offseason, the LA Lakers have one of the most talented rosters of all time. They were active in the free agency market to acquire quality players, signing some of the most high-quality veterans in the NBA.
However, with a very limited timeframe to operate in, the Purple and Gold are already seeing chemistry issues in their roster. They surrounded their core of LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook with talent, but the lack of familiarity among the new faces is concerning.
The Lakers lose all 6 of their preseason games and are 0-9 since this... https://t.co/fmepcX05i6
As the LA Lakers continue to find their feet and adjust to their new roster and system, they still hope to contend for the NBA title. Should the Lakers successfully find chemistry as the season progresses, they might live up to their billing as title favorites.
#2 Brooklyn Nets
The Brooklyn Nets are on par with the LA Lakers in terms of talent and star power on their roster. With one of the strongest Big-Three combinations in the NBA, the Nets are among the title favorites.
After a fairly active offseason, the Brooklyn Nets also welcomed some new veterans to the franchise. However, their core unit from the previous season largely remained the same.
Although the Nets do not seem like a team that could have chemistry issues, the nature of current events could be a potential firestarter. With new vaccination mandates in place, the issue of vaccination has created discord among players across the league.
Within the Brooklyn Nets franchise, Kyrie Irving has emerged as the loudest voice against the vaccine. With his stand against the mandate, Irving is expected to miss all home games for Brooklyn.
Kyrie Irving says tonight on Instagram live: "I’m standing with all those that believe what is right. Everybody is entitled to do what they feel is what’s best for themselves. Seeing the way this is dividing our world up...it’s sad to see...People are losing jobs to mandates." twitter.com/ShamsCharania/…
Due to his vaccination stance, GM Sean Marks has ruled him out of action till he gets vaccinated. So Irving's absence could greatly affect the chemistry in the Nets' locker room.