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For the first time in five seasons, the Warriors are on a new territory at the start of the 2019-2020 season. With Kevin Durant at Brooklyn Nets, Klay Thompson rehabilitating his surgically repaired left ACL and eight new players on the roster, the Warriors are not the favorites for the pre-season NBA title.
While the Warriors are reconciling a new reality, the rest of the Western Conference has reorganized with superstar talent. Over the next seven days, NBC Sports Bay Area will examine teams that may challenge the throne of the Golden State Western Conference.
Thursday edition: The Los Angeles Lakers.
Summer transactions
Two weeks before the start of the free time, the Lakers traded against giant Celtic star Anthony Davis, and sent New Orleans Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart, Brandon Ingram and three first-round selections , thus offering them another great man.
Los Angeles has added eight new players, including Danny Green, Avery Bradley and former Warriors DeMarcus Cousins and Quinn Cook.
However, a month after Cousins' signing – which had two serious injuries last season – the big man tore his ACL during a pickup match. Then, 11 days later, Dwight Howard, center of Los Angeles, signed with the center who played unceremoniously for the team during the 2012-13 season.
Strengths
With a historic offseason, the Lakers seem to have their most balanced team for years. The tandem of James and Davis should help with the bulk of offensive production. Bradley and Green's rookies give Los Angeles high-level defensemen a welcome sign for a team that finished in the middle of the league on defense last season.
Last season, the Lakers ranked 29th in the league with a 3-point percentage, putting more pressure on James' exploits. Now, with Green, Cook, Troy Daniels, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Jared Dudley, the team has perimeter threats that can open lanes to Davis and James.
weaknesses
Despite the power of star in the front zone, the Lakers have no leading playmaker to guide the team. Last season, with Rajon Rondo – the most experienced floor general of the team – the team was statistically worse than when he was sitting on the bench.
Aside from Rondo, no other guard in the lineup scored an average of two digits or more than 25 minutes per game in one season. Cook, who played with the Warriors last season, struggled to get minutes in his last season with Golden State despite the fact that the Warriors have one of the worst benches in the league.
The Lakers also tried their luck on Howard, limited to just nine games with the Wizards last season, to treat a back problem that required surgery on the spine. Howard's injury history, coupled with his tough relationship with the city of Los Angeles after its release in 2013, allow him to play well in his fourth stop in as many teams.
How to stack the warriors
Aside from injuries and the change in alignment, the Lakers are arguably the biggest hurdle Golden State faces in its quest for a sixth consecutive appearance in the finals.
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The Warriors will be without Klay Thompson for the start of the season and will try to add eight new faces to their roster.
Since 2015, Golden State is LeBron James' main opponent – a defeat that he has not beaten in seven games since 2016. Now, with a superstar cast, James will have the best shot so far for defeat his rival from Northern California.
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