Lakers are not a bad team I will agree with that, between rondo/green/lebron/ad/mcgee, they are a good team, mcgee is backed by howard as well so as far as I am concerned they are a good team. However, I feel like they are not gonna be champions because I see at least 3 other teams that could rival them quite easily.
First is rockets, klay will be out all season so warriors are not in my first anymore, Rockets now have westbrook, harden and him have been friends since 10 years old so they know each other and how they play and they are friends, between capela and pj tucker and eric gordon, they will literally have a full team that can rival anyone out there, westbrook and harden can work superb together.
Next is obviously clippers, patrick beverly is known as a beast defender, paul george actually got dpoy votes and Kawhi.. well he is kawhi. Then Warriors, even tho they miss Klay they will still have Curry and on defense draymond and maaaaybe Dlo could help them a bit. That's why I see them as 4th best team so it is gonna be a big challenge for lebron and AD.
You forgot about the Denver Nuggets. We know how strong they are last year and the standings showed it.
They just need more chemistry to be produced and so are their players to improve. It is a young team though so it will happen.
I wont give up with Golden State too.
Yes DLo could be a good help, I mean they took him for that purpose, an exchange for Klay's absence for the mean time.
But it is the heart of GSW which is really left there.
Curry and Green. This two had been creating a great chemistry for a lot of years and this season no one is stopping Curry again. He gave way for KD in two years. Time to shine again.