LeBron James isn't ready to call his Los Angeles Lakers an NBA championship contender just yet. In a recent interview with beIN SPORTS, James gave a brief listing of the teams he thinks have a chance to claim the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy at the end of the 2018-19 season.

ā€œThere are a lot of Championship contenders but there is only be one champion. That is the Golden State Warriors, that is the team which everybody is trying to catch. But you also have the Houston Rockets who are really good, Oklahoma City, Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers, Toronto Raptors ā€“ thereā€™s a lot of Championship-contending teams,ā€ said LeBron James.

Before James joined the Lakers, they already had one of the most promising young cores in basketball. Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma, Josh Hart, Brandon Ingram, Kentavious Caldwell Pope and Moe Wagner all have tremendous potential. Adding the veteran leadership and championship pedigree of James, Rajon Rondo and JaVale McGee will only accelerate their growth. Other notable additions include the big time personalities of Lance Stephenson and Michael Beasley.

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Ball will need to develop a consistent shooting stroke and remain healthy this year. Kuzma and Caldwell-Pope should see an uptick in their efficiency with floor generals like James and Rondo at their disposal. Ingram will have some scoring pressure lifted from him and will be able to focus on making the most of his length and agility on the defensive end. As the season progresses, this team will start to put the pieces of the puzzle together. This team is a threat to make a mid-season free agent acquisition or trade that catapults them into the championship contention conversations.

Ultimately, James acknowledged that any team that wants to win a championship this year will probably have to go through the Warriors. He's put himself in a position where he is surrounded by up and coming youth, seasoned veterans and a reinvigorated fanbase. All eyes will be on the purple and gold this year to see if they can live of to their high expectations.