The Los Angeles Lakers are keen to win the title next season. It has been a while since they won their last and 17th title. Last time, the duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis worked miracles for the purple and gold army. After a wait of ten years and more, the Lakers won the title. It happened during the bubble season of the NBA in 2019-20. But the iconic side was the champion of the league again, thanks to the James-Davis duo who led the side ever since. However, the Lakers have been going through a title drought for three years. They have had a pretty good offseason so far.
Although the front office managed to keep last year’s core together as they retained Austin Reaves for a four-year contract worth $56 million. And, to keep a strong reserve bench, they retained Rui Hachimura for three years with a contract worth $51 million. Moreover, these two players have been very helpful for the Lakers in the previous playoffs. Hence, the Lakers Nation was very happy to see these young talents extending their contracts with the franchise for many more years. Currently, Austin Reaves is busy representing Team USA in the FIBA World Cup. However, the Gonzaga Product is not participating in the World Cup. Rui Hachimura started training for the Lakers recently.
LeBron James And Rui Hachimura Started Training For The Next Season
However, there are still five more weeks before the training camp kicks off. The UCLA Health Training Center presented video footage showcasing two forwards of the Lakers working out in tandem. It can be a really good sign for the LA side in the next season. LeBron James was overseeing the 25-year-old power forward practicing some three-pointers.
Rui Hachimura had said last June that he won’t participate in the FIBA World Cup. It means he is trying to focus on the preparation for the next year’s NBA season. Moreover, the Lakers can have their watchful eyes on the Gonzaga Product before he steps on his first official season for the side. The Japanese played much better in the playoffs than in the regular season. He was averaging 12.2 ppg and 3.6 rebounds last season in just 24.3 minutes per game.
Lakers Want James And Davis’ Duo To Win More Titles
After Anthony Davis joined the Lakers, the fans thought of seeing another dynasty like in the 1980s and 2000s. However, the duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis has not been as successful as the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson duo or the Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant duo. However, after a long time, the LA side managed to reach the conference finals. But things did not go according to plans.
Moreover, the loss in the Western Conference Finals was pretty humiliating for the Lakers. But considering the kind of season the 17-time champions had in 2022-23, it was indeed a great turnaround. Nobody expected the LA side even to make the postseason. However, they not only made it to the playoffs but also reached the conference finals. With all the positives from the last season, the Lakers are focusing hard on winning the 2023-24 season.
