The Los Angeles Lakers are mixing the old with the new for the 2018-19 NBA season with hopes of returning the storied franchise back to glory. Will the presence of LeBron James be enough to rival the Houston Rockets and dethrone the Golden State Warriors? While it seems by adding arguably the best player in the league, the Lakers have a shot.
In order for the Lakers to have any success, though, the team will need to rely on more than James.
The Lakers also brought in veterans such as JaVale McGee, Rajon Rondo, and Lance Stephenson to pair with the young legs of Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma, and Lonzo Ball. What happened in the preseason will be no indication of how the regular season will play out. For one, the Lakers have yet to play as a full unit with players resting and Ball not quite being his best coming off a meniscus tear. The jury is still out.
But one thing is for certain, the Los Angeles Lakers will win more than the 35 games they did last season. Despite their youth, they will lean heavily on the leadership of those three veterans who have a combined six championships between them. The 2018-19 NBA season is all about becoming a unit for L.A.
Here are 3 X-Factors for the 2018-19 Los Angeles Lakers.
Next Up: X-Factor No. 1