Yahoo Sports senior NBA analyst Kevin O'Connor and NBA contributor Tom Haberstroh discuss the outlook for Los Angeles this season - with LeBron James approaching 40 years old, Anthony Davis still trying to prove he can stay healthy and first-year head coach JJ Redick taking the reins. Hear the full conversation on “The Kevin O’Connor Show” and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen.

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I think with the Lakers, two things need to happen for them to be a top six seed in the West.

Anthony Davis needs to be in the borderline top five MVP conversation first time all NBA and that maybe that happens, maybe that happens.

You have JJ Redick who was hinting a couple of weeks back that he has an idea of how to fix a D's jumper.

He shot a handful of jumpers including three pointers and his preseason debut for the Lakers this year shot look smooth.

He looked tremendous.

The Lakers offense is utilizing far more moves than Darvin Ham's offenses ever.

Did you have Dalton connect Jalen Hin Max Christie all under 24 years old.

If any of their youth can explode, suddenly, the Lakers either have guys that they're gonna want to keep or young players that they could potentially flip to further enhance the roster.

And lebron James turns 40 in December, but I don't think it's crazy to say that he could still be a top 10 player by season's end.

So like you have, you have two top 10 ish guys with lebron and ad with an improved system with an improved supporting cast.

The Lakers could be right there in it too.

We've already talked about Bronnie James before and how the second generation effect in the NBA is maybe the best, uh, in terms of halo effect of, of prospects coming into the league, whether you're father played in the NBA is huge.

I just worry that the Ronnie James thing kind of sucks the life out of that locker room and becomes a sideshow for the Lakers season.

It's just, it becomes this thing that everyone in the locker room is afraid to like mention, hey, this is, this is kind of distracting, this is what you're telling me that the guy getting 25 minutes per game shooting 17% from three.

Like I think that is not a good situation, Kevin.

Um I don't think you guys play that much.

I really don't.

I think he'll play a little bit and then play with the South Bay Lakers, their G league team.

I hope that's the case, man.

I hope that need to happen.

But that's what scares me about the Lakers.

Like I, when, when you mentioned it, I was like, you know what?

Yeah, I'm, I'm talking myself into 50 wins out of this team, but then I remember about the Ronnie James effect or the impact of that and that whole like what it could be a circus and I'm still bullish on him long term, like 34 years down the line, maybe not now, but, um, new, new head coach in JJ Reddick who's showing some really good things in the preseason so far and saying the right things.

But, um, I'll believe it when I see it when it comes to, to the Los Angeles Lakers this season.

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