Most are writing off the Los Angeles Lakers' championship aspirations this year as merely a pipe dream, but not Lonzo Ball. The precocious young point guard told TNT's Kristen Ledlow that he believes winning a championship is the expectation in Los Angeles.
With LeBron James joining the youthful roster, anything seems possible. Unfortunately, while a championship is a possibility for the Lakers, it's not probable. The Western Conference is as deep as it's ever been and the Golden State Warriors are still the kings of the hill.
The Lakers are definitely on the right track to win a championship in the coming years, but they are likely one player away from truly having a championship set in their sights. They will have the opportunity to sign another major free agent next summer, at which point we can revisit the team's championship expectations.
The wild card in this scenario is whether or not one of the young guys on the Lakers takes a major step forward. Ball or Brandon Ingram would be the most likely to take that next step towards becoming legitimate stars in the league. But until they make that jump or they sign another star next summer, their championship chances are slim.
The expectations this year shouldn't be championship or bust, but the Lakers should be able to make a deep run into the playoffs. LeBron James is the best player on the court every time he takes the floor and that means a ton in a seven-game playoff series. A trip to the Western Conference Finals is attainable, but whenever the Lakers have to play the Warriors, their championship hopes will be dashed.
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