No one at the Lakers was pleased with the way things went in the 2021-22 season, especially LeBron James. The King has always had bigger aspirations than settling with making the playoffs, so we can imagine how much it may have affected him last year's result.
Los Angeles not only failed to challenge for the championship, but it has not even qualified for the play-in tournament. James enters the final year of his contract, so this season could be crucial for his future.
Therefore, the rest of his teammates will have to prove they want to succeed as much as he does. According to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, James expects everyone to be unselfish this season.
Lakers Rumors: LeBron James wants cohesion this season
Haynes reported that James and his agent met with Rob Pelinka and Darvin Ham to discuss about the future of the team ahead of this season. In said meeting, James has reportedly made it clear he wants a change of mindset in order to compete:
"And while contract dialogue was broached, the majority of the hour-long meeting was about expressing concerns, and hearing out strategies and opinions to assure there wouldn’t be a repeat of last season’s epic failure, league sources told Yahoo Sports.
James, sources said, drilled home the importance of consistent competitiveness and cohesion, noting that last season’s team didn’t give themselves a chance on many nights. The focus for the future Hall of Famer is competing every night in order to give themselves a chance to compete for a championship. ... Ham agreed with James and reiterated that his main objectives are to hold everyone accountable and foster an atmosphere of selflessness, sources said."
Darvin Ham's plan to fix the Lakers appears to be based on bringing discipline and a culture of accountability to the Lakers' locker room. That may be what James and company need to bounce back, but it won't be possible unless everyone is aligned.
