Beijing time, August 7th: Three Los Angeles Lakers news releases. Let's take a look.
LeBron James Out of the Western Conference Top Five
Today, an official NBA expert team ranked Western Conference stars and compiled a Top 10 list. The results show that Nuggets center Jokic surpassed last season's MVP and Final MVP winner, Alexander, to take the top spot. Lakers star James ranked only ninth, marking his first time outside the conference's top five since his rookie season. The rankings are: 1. Nikola Jokic (Nuggets), 2. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder), 3. Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves), 4. Luka Dončić (Lakers), 5. Stephen Curry (Warriors), 6. Anthony Davis (Mavericks), 7. Kevin Durant (Rockets), 8. Kawhi Leonard (Clippers), 9. LeBron James (Lakers), 10. Wen Banyama (Spurs).
Fans were debating James' ranking. Some said, "It's simply insulting. James isn't as strong as superstars like Jokic, Alexander, and Dončić. How could he possibly be worse than Kevin Durant, Dwight Howard, Anthony Davis, and Stephen Curry? He's truly a bully." Others said, "Forget about James. He's already a classic powerhouse. His seemingly impressive stats are actually a negative for the team. His negative plus-minus last season speaks volumes. Putting James in the top ten is a bit of a compliment." What do you think?
Dončić to make his debut
Today, the Slovenian men's basketball team conducted on-court practice for their European Championship warm-up match. Slovenia's star player, Lakers player Luka Dončić, participated in the full session. Reporters on the scene reported that Dončić displayed excellent competitive level and mental state. He will participate in the friendly match between Slovenia and Germany at 2:15 AM Beijing time on August 9th. At this year's European Championship, the Slovenian men's basketball team was placed in Group D, alongside Israel, Iceland, Belgium, Poland, and France. With the exception of France, the other teams are significantly weaker than Slovenia, who has a strong chance of advancing.
This offseason, Dončić forgo his European summer vacation for the first time since entering the NBA. He returned to the United States before training camp began to undergo a rigorous training and diet regimen, even making time for training while traveling for events. His dedication paid off. He's lost a significant amount of weight, his paunch and double chin vanished, and his muscles have become more defined, giving off the impression of a returning rookie. Let's wait and see what kind of stunning performance Dončić will put on in the friendly games after a few months of hard work.
Li's new contract revealed
Today, according to NBA Central, an anonymous league executive revealed that multiple league insiders believe Reeves will remain in Los Angeles and partner with Dončić long-term, and he is expected to receive a contract extension with an average annual salary of at least $30 million. Last regular season, Reeves played in 73 games, averaging 20.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 1.1 steals in 34.9 minutes per game. He shot 46%, 37.7%, and 87.7% from the field, setting career highs in many categories. However, in the playoffs, Li's performance was somewhat disappointing. In five games, he averaged 16.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game, while his shooting percentages dropped to 41.1%, 31.9%, and 85.7%.
The author believes that the Lakers' approach carries significant risk. On the one hand, LeBron James is a player with distinct strengths and weaknesses. His strengths are his versatile scoring skills and playmaking abilities. His weaknesses are his mediocre physicality and vulnerability to attacking on defense. A backcourt with him and Dončić would significantly reduce the Lakers' defensive margin of error, necessitating additional defensive reinforcements. Furthermore, if LeBron James were given a massive contract, the Lakers would struggle to free up enough cap space in 2027 to acquire another superstar. Overall, LeBron James was personally developed by the Lakers, enjoys widespread popularity locally, and, considering his current All-Star status, he deserves a $30 million annual salary.
While following the news, you can also visit
, which offers a comprehensive selection of products for both the quality-conscious and trendy shopper and the budget-conscious buyer. Sports enthusiasts are in luck. The website showcases a wide variety of brand-name sneakers, hoodies, and T-shirts at great value, along with a wide selection of watches and electronics.
https://sugargoo.fun/hot 
