What happens when you combine a two-time All-NBA player and one of the greatest basketball players ever in LeBron James, pair him with Luka Dončić, arguably the best player in the game today, and add a rising star like Austin Reaves?

According to some, you get... just an average trio.

Tim Bontemps of ESPN recently ranked the best trios in the league and placed the Lakers outside of his top five, despite many believing their trio should be in that elite group.

Let’s overlook the fact that the Lakers posted a 19-13 record when Luka joined the team, one of the better records in the league during that stretch. Forget that LeBron James remains one of the most consistent players in the NBA, with a track record that only rivals the sun’s daily rise. And let’s not factor in that Austin Reaves had career highs in points (20.2), rebounds (4.5), and assists (5.8), and is heading into a contract year https://www.losangeleslakerssportapparel.com/collections/quincy-olivari-jersey.

If you ignore all of that, maybe you’d come to the conclusion that this Lakers trio doesn't even belong in the top 15 of the league.

Bontemps tried to justify his stance, arguing that the Lakers' potential hinges on the health of both LeBron and Luka. But with LeBron’s sciatica issue, which could affect the start of his season, and the fact that he’s the oldest player in the league and approaching his 41st birthday, the health of the team is a major concern. Additionally, there are worries about the Lakers’ shooting, defense, and other areas.

While age and injury concerns are fair points, it feels a bit extreme to write off LeBron and his teammates based on just a few weeks of uncertainty at the start of the season.

LeBron has played at least 70 games in each of the last two seasons, and this sciatica issue doesn’t appear to be anything that should significantly impact the Lakers' standing in the league’s trio rankings.

What's more, why is there such a focus on LeBron’s age and health, but no similar skepticism for other teams? The Clippers, for example, are dealing with aging and injury-prone stars, and yet they are ranked higher than the Lakers. The Celtics and Pacers are also placed above them, despite major injury concerns surrounding their key players, like Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton https://www.losangeleslakerssportapparel.com/collections/luka-doncic-jersey.

It’s hard to make sense of why teams like the Hawks, Pistons, and Rockets are ranked higher than the Lakers, especially when key players like Trae Young and Kevin Durant weren’t even included in their respective groupings.

Honestly, no explanation will satisfy me. I find it hard to believe that there are ten or more trios in the NBA that are better than LeBron, Luka, and Reaves.

Perhaps this preseason ranking trend is just par for the course in the NBA. The general managers’ survey, for example, was full of contradictions, with Luka being a top MVP candidate, LeBron being recognized for his IQ, yet the Lakers were pegged as a play-in team.

The good news? Once the games begin, these opinions won’t matter. If the Lakers perform well, they’ll collect wins and the critics will have to eat their words.