Joe Dumars doubts LA Lakers’ chances with just LeBron and Anthony Davis
Joe Dumars knows what it takes to win an NBA championship. He spent his entire career with the Detroit Pistons and won two championships with the team. However, he doesn't believe the LA Lakers can do the same.
The Lakers won it all in 2020, but they have been a disappointment ever since. The team hasn't improved over the offseason, yet their season opener is just a few hours away.
Dumars, who is the NBA's executive vice president and head of basketball operations, is pessimistic about the Lakers' chances of winning it all.
Here's what Joe Dumars said on "First Take" when Stephen A. Smith asked him about the Lakers and their chances next season:
"When you have those two guys, those are two of the top 10 players in the league, you have a chance to win," Joe Dumars said.
"But you're not going to just win with two guys. I don't care how good they are. You better have a team around them," the former NBA champion added.
It's hard to disagree with Dumars as they Lakers truly do have great superstars. Unfortunately, their role players will have to do a much better job if they want to have a deep playoff run.
Joe Dumars doesn't believe in LeBron James and Anthony Davis
LeBron James was one of the best scorers in the league last season. Despite being 37, the LA Lakers forward looked incredible on the court.
Anthony Davis, on the other hand, had decent averages, but he missed more than half the season. The Lakers dealt with a lot of injury issues last season, which is why it's not surprising that they missed the playoffs.
NBA Executive VP Joe Dumars tells Stephen A. what to expect from LeBron, AD and the Lakers:
"Those are two of the top ten players in this league, probably. ... You're not going to just win with two guys. I don't care how good they are. You better have a team around them." https://t.co/9vFEn0kfet
Joe Dumars believes LeBron and Davis are all-time great players. However, it will all come down to how well they perform as a team and how much they get from their teammates.
"They can play great, but their team has to play great," Joe Dumars stated.
"You've seen teams where guys are MVPs of the league and the team's out in the first round."
Moving Russell Westbrook to the bench should certainly help the Lakers. Unfortunately, they've already started dealing with injury issues as Dennis Schroeder will be sidelined for, at least, three weeks due to a thumb injury.
Lakers are facing Warriors in season opener
The LA Lakers will open their regular season Tuesday night against the Golden State Warriors. The defending NBA champions will host LeBron James and his team in what should be an interesting matchup.
Unfortunately, the Lakers will be without Schroeder, Thomas Bryant, and Troy Brown Jr.. Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook are probable for the game and are expected to play.
Opening the season against the Warriors will be challenging for the Lakers. It will be interesting to see how they perform.
The defending champions are not dealing with any significant injuries. Patrick Baldwin Jr. is probable for the season opener, while Andre Iguodala will miss it.