The clock is ticking louder than ever for the Los Angeles Lakers and fans are hopeful for one more championship before LeBron James retires.
Speaking on SiriusXM NBA Radio, former NBA player Antonio Daniels said “it’s championship or bust” for the Lakers in the 2024-25 season.
He stated that any team that has James, especially at this point in his career, always needs to aim for a title.
Daniels added that the team needs to stop punting expectations to next season and has to deliver as soon as possible.
"It's championship or bust."
? @adaniels33 believes the pressure is on for the Lakers this upcoming season. pic.twitter.com/FsZhhHAYsj
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) August 15, 2024
Many Lakers fans will celebrate Daniels’ statement because they are tired of waiting for another title from their team.
James is now 39 years old and he doesn’t have that much more time in the league.
However, he is still a supremely talented and consequential player for the Lakers, which means they have a chance at playoff greatness as long as he’s playing.
Although James plans to play for at least two more seasons, nothing is guaranteed and any season that doesn’t end in a championship is a missed opportunity.
The Lakers couldn’t make it out of the first round of the playoffs last year but did go all the way to the Western Conference Finals the year before that.
So, what do they have to do to get back there?
It’s obviously about so much more than James.
The roster needs to be improved and coached better.
Though the Lakers did get a new head coach with JJ Redick, their roster looks basically the same as it did last season.
This gives fans pause and concern but they are hoping the Lakers are able to still make magic out of the team they do have.
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