Expectations for the Los Angeles Lakers this upcoming season have been mixed because no one truly knows how all these new pieces will come together. However, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves are a formidable backcourt to build around, and they added some quality pieces as well.
Despite this being an entirely new roster with no LeBron James, championship expectations remain for Los Angeles. For Chicago Bulls guard Norman Powell, though, he believes the Lakers are the most overrated team in the NBA:
N3on: “Who is the most overrated team in the NBA?”
Norman Powell: “The Lakers” pic.twitter.com/MnFdaLd0oS
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) September 12, 2026
A lot of L.A.’s success next season depends on Reaves and whether he truly is a max-caliber player. Additionally, the hope is that Walker Kessler, who spent years on a rebuilding Utah Jazz team, can elevate into a championship-level center next to Doncic.
Powell is entitled to his opinion, as this Lakers team has not proven anything yet. In a compact Western Conference, Los Angeles will likely need to overcome pessimistic expectations.
But that is what adds intrigue to this upcoming season, as there needs to be an element of surprise. While titles remain the goal, the team needs a foundation set in place to work towards that.
The player targets by general manager Rob Pelinka were not bad and their respective fits make sense on the roster. Frankly, the ball needs to tip off, so everyone can see what kind of team the Lakers will be.
Ziaire Williams discusses possibility of starting for Lakers
An unfortunate downside to the Lakers’ summer was not addressing their starting power forward spot. There was an expectation that Jonathan Kuminga would wind up being that until he decided to sign with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
While time remains for a potential trade, it is unlikely for a team to pull off a deal this late into the offseason. L.A. could likely wait until around the trade deadline to fill that need, meaning one of the players in-house has to step up.
While it may be an unrealistic ask for a potential veteran minimum player to play around or near 30 minutes a night, a candidate for a starting spot is Ziaire Williams, who L.A. took a flyer on in free agency.
The California native spoke about the possibility of starting for the Lakers after Kuminga opted to sign with Minnesota, leaving a spot to compete for in training camp.
If you love our reporting, choose LakersNation.com as a preferred source on Google.
