ESPN, Other Media Experts Predicting the Lakers to Stumble This Season. Too Much Negativity?

Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers have had a remarkably quiet offseason. This is no secret. And as we finish up transaction season and start taking stock on where teams in the Western Conference (and across the league). Not surprisingly, perhaps, the reviews aren't good. The pundits of ESPN, for example, overwhelmingly picked the Lakers to be "Team Turmoil," i.e. the squad most likely to tumble this season.

But why?

ESPN cited the lack of movement, and improved Western Conference and (of course) the threat of injury to LeBron James and Anthony Davis. They stayed healthy last season but most people don't seem to think the Lakers will get lucky two years in a row. Certainly the team's stars have an injury history, last year notwithstanding.

But how much of this is based on reality, and how much is vibes? Certainly the vibes aren't great, but how much does that matter? ESPN wrote that the Lakers face "plenty of questions" on the court. But do they? In a lot of ways, the Lakers are as known a quantity as there is in the league. How much does getting bounced by the Nuggets in consecutive years have to do with it?

Doesn't seem to help, at the least.

So what does an honest assessment of the Lakers look like right now?

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: The Lakers are not faring well in offseason evaluations by NBA experts.

SEGMENT 2: Are the Lakers really the best candidate for the team most likely to tumble this year?

SEGMENT 3: Are we dealing with vibes, or real issues?

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