Luke Walton will enter the 2018-19 NBA season with a “win-now” mindset.
The Los Angeles Lakers head coach told ESPN LA Radio on Monday he believes his team “absolutely” will contend for the NBA championship this season. Walton predicts the Lakers, with LeBron James in tow, might not play cohesively right away but they will have gelled into a formidable unit by next spring.
“September, probably not,” Walton said, per Clutchpoints.com “Do I think come April, come playoff months? Absolutely I think we are. “It takes time. You never just put a team together and they’re instantly a championship contender. That’s what the regular season is going to be all about this year. That’s what these guys coming in every day, playing together, getting to know each other, lifting weights together, is about.
“I think by the time the season comes and goes and we get towards the playoffs, if all goes the way we plan, then yeah, I truly believe we are.”
Walton’s bullish outlook mirrors those of Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma, who warns rival teams of the dangers of underestimating the new-look Lake Show, and Metta World Peace, who predicted Los Angeles would reach the NBA Finals.
Nevertheless, most observers, including James himself, believe the Lakers are at least one season away from contending to knock the Golden State Warriors from the NBA summit.
But who really can fault Walton for allowing himself to get carried away? After all, the week before training camp starts is a perfect time to do just that.
