Deandre Ayton’s comments highlight fears LeBron James and Luka Doncic are damaging LA Lakers preparations

LeBron James and Luka Doncic contradict LA Lakers preseason message

As Redick and the Lakers preach championship shape, James and Doncic have sat out their preseason games. James is nursing nerve irritation in his glute, but he’s expected to return for the Lakers’ season opener.

Meanwhile, Doncic played in EuroBasket this summer and is resting ahead of the season. Doncic is in the best shape of his life after his summer body transformation, but the Lakers want to be cautious with their superstar ahead of a long season.

In isolation, those decisions make sense. James is 40 and has a growing list of historical injuries over recent years. Meanwhile, Doncic is coming off the back of carrying his Slovenian team at EuroBasket, and could do with the weight being taken off his shoulders for the time being.

But the Lakers have a revamped roster and exceedingly high expectations entering the season.

DeAndre Ayton signed in LA, and they hope he can reinvigorate his career after a disappointing season with the Portland Trail Blazers. 

But Ayton, when asked what it’s been like playing with James and Doncic, answered: “I haven’t. It’s something I just be waiting on.”

We are less than two weeks away from the NBA season, and neither of the Lakers’ superstars have played with their most important signing of the summer. That’s hardly championship preparation.

And while it’s a long NBA season ahead, there aren’t any games that the Lakers can afford to throw away while attempting to build chemistry early in the year.

LA Lakers cannot afford slow start in Western Conference

While James has been afforded the luxury of easing his way into the season in years past, especially during his time in the Eastern Conference, that’s not something the Lakers can do this year.

The West is as strong as it has ever been, and the Lakers risk losing touch with the playoff places if they get off to a slow start. There simply is no margin for error.

The Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant’s Houston Rockets, and the rebuilt Denver Nuggets are likely to occupy the top spots in the conference. That’s without considering the Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves, who also enter the year with title hopes.

There are at least eight teams in the West that have a realistic chance of winning the championship. That means at least seven will consider their season a failure at the end of the year.

And while the Lakers’ decision to sit their stars in the preseason seems justified, it means they are likely to need to scratch and claw their way into the postseason after the All Star break.