With 16 championships to their credit, including five since 2000, very few teams can match the Los Angeles Lakers track record as far as success and relevancy. After last season, the Lakers appear to be farther away from championship contention than they’ve ever been.
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Despite fans and experts counting out the Lakers this season, general manager Mitch Kupchak says the Lakers still have the same goal as always, according to Lakers Nation reporter Serena Winters:
Mitch Kupchak: "Our goal every year is the same – to win a championship."
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) September 26, 2014
Many would probably laugh at the notion that the Lakers could be championship contenders only one year removed from a 27 win season, but Kupchak maintains that with Kobe Bryant on the team, anything is possible:
Kupchak on Kobe: “He gives you a chance no matter the circumstances to be really good."
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) September 26, 2014
Whether Kobe can get himself back to the level he was at before the torn Achilles remains to be seen. Before succumbing to the injury, Bryant was averaging over 27 points, six assists and just under six rebounds.
With a possible healthy Steve Nash and a relatively deep roster from top to bottom, the Lakers feel they have constructed a team that will be able to compete with any team in the NBA.
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The Western Conference is as tough as it’s been and none of the playoff teams from last season have gotten much worse over the off-season, so the Lakers will have a major fight in front of them. Making the playoffs will be a challenge in itself for this team.
[divide]Lakers Sign Ronnie Price, Add Appling, Brown, Smith, Tyler To Training Camp Roster
