Colin Cowherd: Aging Los Angeles Lakers Have No Shot to Win a Championship

The Lakers are coming off a lopsided loss to the Miami Heat.
\Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) looks to pass the ball as Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier (2) defends in the second half at Kaseya Center.
\Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) looks to pass the ball as Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier (2) defends in the second half at Kaseya Center. / Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
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It's unclear how many people are walking around with an earnest belief that the Los Angeles Lakers could realistically win the NBA title this year but for that small group, Colin Cowherd has a dose of well-needed medicine to disabuse them of the notion. Perhaps such a monologue hits differently a few hours after the proud franchise got embarrassed in a 41-point loss to the Miami Heat. Perhaps it is the extra bit of reality to consider while perusing the Western Conference standings, which see the Lakers flirting with missing the postseason entirely. Perhaps it can only truly hit home when someone lays out all the ways the Lakers are like the Dallas Cowboys in terms of diminishing standards.

"Too many family members have a role in the organization," Cowherd surmised. "The star of the team, LeBron and Dak, is paid more than right now he delivers—sorry, it's true. You have very average rosters that are top-heavy. All brand, no brawn."

Cowherd didn't even have to get into the fan crossover the two organizations have to prove his point. And it's tough to argue. It should be stated, though, that anyone paying any attention at all learned their lesson last year when the televisions segments about the Lakers' title chances went on for months after it was clear they were slim to none. Barring some massive change on roster construction or James finding the actual Fountain of Youth we can probably all agree to not even film them at this point.


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Kyle Koster
KYLE KOSTER

Kyle Koster is an assistant managing editor at Sports Illustrated covering the intersection of sports and media. He was formerly the editor in chief of The Big Lead, where he worked from 2011 to '24. Koster also did turns at the Chicago Sun-Times, where he created the Sports Pros(e) blog, and at Woven Digital.