Lakers a long way from Warriors, warns LeBron

LeBron James warned the Los Angeles Lakers are “picking up from scratch” and have plenty of work to do to chase down the Golden State Warriors.

James, considered one of the greatest NBA stars of all time, left hometown team the Cleveland Cavaliers almost three months ago to sign a four-year contract worth $154million with the Lakers.

The Lakers have not made the playoffs since 2013, but the arrival of James has understandably seen expectation levels rise ahead of the new season.

However, James urged patience in the Lakers’ pursuit of the Warriors, who have won the NBA Championship in three of the past four years.

“We’ve got a long way to go to get to Golden State. They can pick up right where they left off starting with training camp if they start today or whenever they start,” he said at the NBA’s media day.

“We’re picking up from scratch. So, we have a long way to go.

“Hopefully some day, we can put ourselves in a position where we can compete for a Championship, as Golden State has done for the last few years.”

Q: “What, at this stage of your career, creates pressure for you?”@KingJames: “Nothing.”https://t.co/VN8oGy3bq4

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) September 24, 2018
James, though, is itching to get started and still wants to see improvements in his own game.

“It’s just always humbling for me anytime I get the chance to be part of something special,” he added.

“My expectation is to get better every single day. I don’t expect nothing. You work for what you want. It’s all part of the process.”