"Going into the year LeBron told his team - We're gonna be like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers" - NBA analyst on LeBron James' prediction being a season too soon, expects Lakers to make special run in upcoming season
LeBron James and the LA Lakers will aim to bounce back next season. They finished 33-49 last season. The Lakers were favored to win the Western Conference but failed to make the play-in tournament.
The experiment of acquiring Russell Westbrook did not work out. The Lakers had the oldest roster. LeBron James believed they would be better in the postseason than in the regular season. He thought they would resemble the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when they won the title in 2021 despite starting the season 7-5.
New story: Before the season even started, LeBron James told his team the Lakers could be like Tom Brady's Bucs that started rocky and finished strong. Now, at 21-20 at the midpoint of the season, Carmelo Anthony says, "It's a great comparison" es.pn/3nkdpV3
However, they never made it there. ESPN's Dave McMenamin believes LeBron's prediction was one season too early. Here's what he said on ESPN's NBA Today show:
"With LeBron James managing the approach and certainly instilling confidence in this group, I wouldn't count out a special run. Guess what, last year, it all fell off the cliff, went off the rail, to whatever analogy you want to use.
"But going into the year, LeBron told his team we're going to be like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. We may take our licks during the regular-season, but when it comes to playoff time, we're gonna lock in and make a run. Maybe that prediction from LeBron was just a season too soon."
The LA Lakers were 21-21 at the halfway stage of the 2021-22 NBA season. They were positioned well to turn things around like Tom Brady's Bucs team. However, the Lakers never found their chemistry. They gained momentum later in the season, but injuries and a Covid-19 outbreak hampered them.
LeBron James and LA Lakers could make noise in the Western Conference
The LA Lakers made significant changes to their roster for the upcoming season. It started with the hiring of a new coach Darvin Ham. The Lakers were applauded for that move around the league. Ham seems like the ideal candidate for a team stacked with superstars.
He has the experience of being in the locker room with big names as a player and an assistant coach. Ham is also known for his straightforward approach as he holds his players accountable and demands sacrifice.
"We talk about sacrifice. First thing people think about is sacrificing scoring output or shots. No, sacrificing making selfless plays."
Darvin Ham shares his expectations of LeBron and this Lakers team
https://t.co/hchs557wQc
Meanwhile, the LA Lakers changed their roster composition drastically. They didn't re-sign any players, opting to add young, defensive-minded, athletic players to their squad. Their free agency recruitment process seemed more strategic and tactical.
Lakers didn’t sign a single player above the age of 30 in free agency 😂
The team's superstars endured severe criticism for not being able to achieve success, despite being considered a legitimate contender.
Lakers free agency signings this off-season:
- Lonnie Walker
- Thomas Bryant
- Juan Toscano-Anderson
- Troy Brown Jr.
- Damian Jones
If healthy, the Lakers could end up making a remarkable run. It has only been two years since their championship win in the LeBron-AD era. With the team getting younger and more athletic, they could return to the top as one of the best defensive teams.