How will the Lakers do this season after acquiring LeBron?
One of the biggest stories in sports this summer was the move of LeBron James to the Los Angeles Lakers. He joined a team whose fans are used to greatness and expect it once again with the addition of arguably the best player in the NBA. People around the nation are voicing their opinions. Some think that the addition of LeBron will allow the Lakers to rival the Warriors for the West, while others doubt his leadership will be enough for the Lakers to make a legitimate run at the championships this year. Here’s what Southern students had to say about this.
Reid Kim, sophomore accounting major: “I think Lebron will be a great dynamic for the Lakers. He sees great talent and work ethic in his teammates but knows they lack a leader. He’s willing to take the role and help push them toward a great season.”
David Runnels, junior archeology major: “Wow, what an offseason! Even a staunch Lebron critic like me has to admit that adding Lebron to the Lakers instantly made Los Angeles a playoff contender. However, ironically enough, the franchise that made the most noise in signing Lebron James has quietly put together one of the deepest benches in the league. With guys like Kyle Kuzma, Rajon Rondo, Michael Beasley, Lance Stephenson and NBA Summer League MVP Josh Hart potentially coming off the bench, the Lakers will not only have a competitive training camp, but they will also be a very competitive team even in the stacked Western Conference.
I think the Lakers will win between 50-55 games, which will probably place them in the fourth of fifth seeds. This most likely means a date in the second round with the Warriors, which will go to seven games, but ultimately send Los Angeles home for the offseason. However, if the Lakers sink to sixth and have to play the third seed (Thunder or Spurs) and the second seed (Houston), Lebron could power them to the Western Conference Finals, where they would still have to face the modern competitive horror we call the Golden State Warriors. In other words, all roads still lead to Oracle Arena.”
Caleb Miller, junior nursing major: “For the first time in eight years, the Los Angeles Lakers are back in a position to compete for a championship. With Lebron James on the team, everyone expects them to make some noise this year in the Western Conference. I believe that what will be most interesting is not how Lebron will do on the Lakers, but how all the other players will do around him. He will definitely be raising the level of play of all the young Lakers.”
Marissa Chang, senior biochemistry major: “I think the Lakers will do better. I mean, they are already doing well with Kuzma, Ball, Ingram and Hart. LeBron is an amazing basketball player. He can add some leadership to the team, and he has a similar play style to those already on the team. Lebron can bring the teams skills to a higher level. The Lakers are ready to step up their game this season, and I think LeBron can help the Lakers grow into a better team this season.”
Nathan Batres, junior biology major: “The Lakers will be a much better team this upcoming season because the addition of Lebron, Stephenson, Mcgee, and Rondo adds a lot of veteran leadership, and our young core will have significantly improved after another year of experience. The record might not demonstrate a drastic improvement, because the team is almost completely new and will undergo an adjustment period, however, by the time postseason rolls around, expect not only a playoff spot, but possibly a significant run.”
Alex Bahn, junior chemistry major: “I think that the Lakers are instant champs now. They already had the GOAT in Lonzo, adding the second best player in the league [LeBron] means game over for everybody else. The only challenge they will have is beating the Hawks now that they have Trae Young, but he won’t be enough to seal the deal.”
Get a copy of the next issue for more questions and predictions. If you want your predictions in the paper or have a question you want others to predict, email elisabethsewell@southern.edu.