Feb 3, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) looks to drive past Brooklyn Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. (17) in the third quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Feb 3, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) looks to drive past Brooklyn Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. (17) in the third quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
The NBA is more stacked than ever, and there are more than a handful of teams going into the upcoming season with championship aspirations. Even after losing LeBron James this summer, the Lakers are one of them, though many disagree on their current status.
For Michael Porter Jr., the thought of the Lakers being a championship roster is something he’s clearly not sold on. During a recent live stream this week, he expressed as much after being read their entire rotation.
“Yeah, I don’t like that roster,” said Porter Jr. on Neon’s stream. “To be a championship roster? They might be solid, but I don’t see them winning the chip.”
Michael Porter Jr. knows what it takes to win. In 2023, he helped the Denver Nuggets secure their first-ever championship after averaging 17.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.6 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game on 48.7% shooting from the field in the regular season. Behind Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, he played a crucial role on a deep and well-balanced roster.
So when he says the Lakers just don’t have enough as presently constructed, it does carry some weight. Last season, with Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and LeBron James at the helm, they finished fourth in the West, only to lose in the Conference Semi-Finals. In free agency weeks later, they lost many of the players who made the run possible, including LeBron James, Marcus Smart, Rui Hachimura, and Luke Kennard.
Without those key role players and a more proven co-star for Doncic, many are hesitant to rank the Lakers in the same tier as the Thunder, Spurs, and new-look Timberwolves. Even with the additions of Walker Kessler, Quentin Grimes, Collin Sexton, Kevon Looney, and Sandro Mamukelashvili (among others), the Lakers lack the same degree of firepower as their competitors, leading to widespread doubts. For some, the “whiteness” of the Lakers is also a problem, sowing even greater disbelief among the NBA community.
Only time will tell if the doubters are right, but the Lakers are not just sitting around to wait. As training camp gets closer, the prospect of further moves remains a possibility, and the Lakers have a few vulnerabilities that need to be addressed. Specifically, the Lakers need help on the wing, which they have tried (and failed) to bring this summer.
Ironically, Michael Porter Jr. is exactly the kind of player Los Angeles needs, and it makes you wonder whether he might become a trade target before February’s deadline. Public statements aside, he’d be a great fit for the Purple and Gold and in a much better spot to win than in his current tenure with the Nets.
For now, however, the Lakers must make do with what they have, and they are confident that what they have can get them very far. Despite doubts from Porter Jr. and others, they are entering this season with championship expectations, ready to prove everyone wrong. At the very least, with Luka and Reaves running the show, they can make a lot of noise that could reshape what people think of their roster.