Although LeBron James was signed in free agency, an overhauled roster led to an expectation the Los Angeles Lakers would struggle at the start of the season. Sure enough, they opened 2-5 against a slate of games that featured playoff-caliber teams.
That prompted Lakers president of basketball operations Magic Johnson to reportedly admonish head coach Luke Walton in a contentious meeting. The Lakers won eight of their next 10 games and ultimately rose as high as fourth place in the Western Conference.
But injuries to Lonzo Ball, James and Rajon Rondo, among others, halted the team’s momentum.