Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James has had a busy offseason. First, he had a Space Jam movie to promote and showcase to the world, then he along with teammate Anthony Davis, recruited Russell Westbrook to the Lakers. And of course, he spent time with his family and attended Davis’ wedding. And now that the new NBA season is fast approaching, James is wasting no time to get his new team on the right track.
According to The Athletic's Shams Charania, James is planning a Lakers players-only mini training camp in Las Vegas this weekend just in time for the actual training camp set to take place in the last few days of September. This was the same kind of training camp that James organized two seasons ago, when the Lakers acquired Anthony Davis. That team that ended up winning the championship had a noticeable superb chemistry on and off the court.
That team’s excellent chemistry eventually did wonders for them as in the bubble, when they were all stuck with each other. That Lakers team also battled a ton of adversity (Kobe Bryant’s tragic death, their pre season extravaganza in China and the league shutdown) but managed to stay together because of their strong bond.
That said, here are three (3) reasons why James is doing the right thing once again by conducting a training camp for this year's team:
It’s an opportunity for the Lakers to get acclimated with one another
The Lakers had a noisy off season, acquiring 14 new players (including their new two-way contract guys) who were not on the team last season. With another tough NBA calendar ahead, this is a great opportunity for the team to get a head start by getting to know one another. There’s a reason why it’s a players only camp after all, as all players get on the same page. It’s an awesome way to build chemistry in what is expected to be a long season for the Lakers.
It shows that James means all business
When your team captain gets a head start by planning a mini camp in Las Vegas, you know it’s go time. It sets the tone for this veteran squad who all have something to prove. The Lakers team that won the championship two seasons ago started that same season with a sense of urgency and intensity — hopefully James instills the same mindset for this team this season.
One last hurrah for The King before a vital season
It was a much needed offseason for James and the Lakers who barely had one last year. At least they got a lot of rest this season to hopefully heal their injuries and spend time away from basketball. They all are humans, after all.
This Las Vegas trip is a work trip for the new Lakers squad but it’s also a time to break bread with one another, enjoy what Vegas has to offer and basically train with no coaching instructions yet. It’s more or less like team building without supervision or whatsoever. It wouldn’t be surprising to see James take his new team to a casino or to a popular taco restaurant in town.