The Los Angeles Lakers and LeBron James were reportedly warned by an anonymous NBA scout about the lack of chemistry ahead of the start of the new season.
The unit made some changes to the roster this season, and in recent developments added sharpshooter Matt Ryan to fill the 15th spot on the roster. But per reports, it was revealed that an Eastern Conference scout had earlier warned the franchise and its superstar about some of the additions.
Per a Fox Sports report, the scout had brought up Russell Westbrook, Patrick Beverley, and Dennis Schroder comparing the chemistry to oil and vinegar.
“Russell Westbrook, [Patrick Beverley] and Dennis Schröder together is oil and vinegar and oil,” said the scout. “Poor Darvin [Ham, the team’s coach]. He’s got to walk in, cater to LeBron, pump up [Anthony Davis], and get him to play when he doesn’t feel good, all on a team that isn’t very deep.”
The Lakers swapped a major bunch of the veterans from last season and added a bunch of new faces. While the likes of Schroder and Beverley have seen some mileage in the league, how they fit alongside the Lakers’ famed trio remains to be seen.
The Lakers Went 1-6 In Their Preseason
While the comments by the scout and the preseason results make it easier to put two and two together, it might still be early to base how it all unfolds for the Lakers in what will be a challenging regular season.
Barring the win against the Golden State Warriors, they lost the remaining five practice games. Ahead of the dawn of the new season, James was clear about what the team needed to do and stressed the importance of learning every day and evolving as a more competitive unit.
"I like the way our team is constructed, but we have to continue to work." – LeBron James shares his takeaways from the preseason. pic.twitter.com/CqstUeN6Xy
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) October 15, 2022
According to a Silver Screen And Roll report, the 37-year-old spoke to Spectrum SportsNet after their loss against the Sacramento Kings in the final preseason game and said the team had no time to waste.
“I like the way our team is constructed, but we have to continue to work because a lot of the Western Conference teams, a lot of the NBA teams right now, have been together for a couple years, a few years. And we haven’t. So we can’t have an opportunity to not get better on a day-to-day basis. We have to always understand how important each day is.
While the Lakers may have a comparatively better roster than last season, the new look comes with its own set of curveballs. They have 82 games to figure out how they can put their hat in the title contention ring and it all starts when they lock horns with the Golden State Warriors on Opening Night (October 18) at the Chase Center.
