Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James offered an optimistic outlook on the Lakers this season, sharing that he thinks the team can improve in a big way over the next few months.
“Yeah, I think so,” James said when asked if he thinks the Lakers have found an identity at this point in the season. “I think our identity is one – defensively we want to bring physicality to the game – make teams try to do something that they do not like to do. And then offensively, we want to share the ball. We’re very good when we’re up in the high 20s in assists.
“I feel like we have so much more room to improve. We are not the team I believe we’re going to be once February, March hit. But I do like our chances. And we got to continue to just put the work in and that’s all that matters.”
The Lakers currently hold the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference heading into Monday night’s matchup with the San Antonio Spurs. At 20-16, Los Angeles is just two games out of the No. 4 seed in the West.
Earlier this season, the Lakers made a major trade to alter their rotation, moving guard D’Angelo Russell in a deal with the Brooklyn Nets.
Los Angeles acquired 3-and-D wing Dorian Finney-Smith and guard Shake Milton in the deal with Brooklyn, giving it a little more depth defensively as it looks to make a playoff push.
While trading Russell takes a primary ball-handler out of Los Angeles’ rotation, Austin Reaves, James, Gabe Vincent and others will be asked to help initiate offense.
James is averaging 8.8 assists per game this season, showing that he’s still one of the game’s best passers.
Despite turning 40 years old last month, the four-time champion isn’t slowing down for the Lakers. He’s averaging 23.8 points and 7.7 rebounds go along with the aforementioned assists.
Plus, he’s shooting 50.7 percent from the field and a solid 38.6 percent from beyond the arc.
After needing to win in the league’s play-in tournament in each of the last two seasons to make the final playoff field, James and the Lakers are hoping to avoid that and earn a top-six seed in the West during the regular season.
So far, Los Angeles is in position to do so, and if James’ thoughts on the team’s future are correct, the Lakers should be in the mix for one of the top seeds in the West when the postseason rolls around.
