The revamped Los Angeles Lakers have a lot to prove, but Luka Dončić already seems convinced that they are the real deal, and that's far from reality. The Lakers have nine new players around Doncic and Austin Reaves, meaning that the learning curve will be high.
As a result, L.A. may not be good enough to win it all or even win the Western Conference. They aren't better than the San Antonio Spurs or the Oklahoma City Thunder. Instead, they may be on roughly the same level as the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Denver Nuggets, but only if their new pieces pan out.
Best-case scenario, they are a top four team in the West, but I have a hard time believing that they can make the Western Conference Finals, let alone win it.
Luka Dončić has too much faith in the Lakers this season
Doncic, to his credit, may be factoring in that the Lakers made the West semi-finals without him. Of course, that was largely a different team. This team doesn't have LeBron James and is more offensive-oriented than before.
That could help the Lakers craft a top-five offense around Doncic. On the other hand, they have plenty of question marks on the other end of the floor. Having a potential top-five offense and a mediocre defense isn't normally the recipe for a contender, and he may soon learn that firsthand.
Even if the Lakers follow the Dallas Mavericks blueprint for building around Doncic, there's no guarantee that that would work this season.
The Lakers will be good, but not necessarily a contender
The West is much deeper than before, with the Portland Trail Blazers and Utah Jazz being much improved. Having the floor raised in the West will make it tougher for Doncic and the Lakers to pick up easy wins.
That fact alone could limit their ceiling this season and make them a middling playoff team rather than an actual contender. For most franchises, that wouldn't be so bad, but the Lakers aren't those franchises.
They have built a reputation for sustained excellence, and them being just another playoff team won't cut it. Yes, they have one of the five most talented players in the NBA in Doncic. No, they aren't a contender at the moment, even if Doncic believes the Lakers are.
