Expectations for the Los Angeles Lakers this year are mixed as no one knows what this team’s true ceiling is.
The Lakers have two superstars in Luka Doncic and LeBron James, but they are not close in age so there has been a push-and-pull as far as building for the present and for the future.
It is worth pointing out that the Lakers have made necessary moves to improve around Doncic and James, but general manager Rob Pelinka did that with free agent signings, not using any assets to get better via trade.
Despite adding more capable role players, a direction has yet to be solidified as a lot of the Lakers’ players are on short-term contracts. So while this year’s team has a lot of talent, things could look a lot different around Doncic in a year or two.
All they can focus on write now though is the present, and franchise legend Pau Gasol recently stressed that is what they need to do, via ESPN:
“We know what we know, right? And what we know is that they have the team that they have this year and they got to focus on this year. And make the best out of it. They have an opportunity, they added great players, they added Deandre Ayton, a big that also probably wants to prove himself and he’ll be a great target for LeBron and Luka. So, they got to focus on that and let the organization and management worry about the next few years.”
The former Lakers champion’s point connects with the franchises mentality of winning now as essentially nothing else matters in L.A.
One can argue Pelinka has not done his best to put the Lakers in the position to win championships since 2020 but now with Doncic leading this team for years to come, the mentality needs to change. Although he signed a contract extension this summer, Pelinka and company need to give their new star ample opportunities to win titles by surrounding him with talent.
At 26-years-old, the All-NBA guard is projected to be in the MVP conversation for years to come. All he and his teammates can focus on is this season though, and Doncic has already made it clear that he wants to compete for championships right away.
Pau Gasol praises Buss family for historic run with Lakers
In his seven seasons with the Lakers, Pau Gasol formed a great duo with Kobe Bryant and won two championships as a result. The Buss family recognized Gasol’s talent and foresaw a seamless fit in their system, pulling the trigger on a blockbuster trade with the Memphis Grizzlies.
Looking back on his career and specifically his time in L.A., the Hall of Famer appreciated the Buss family for instilling a winning culture and sustaining it for decades, resulting in 11 championships under their watch.
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