Byron Scott says Lakers have 'slim and none' title chance

Byron Scott, the former Lakers guard now working in media, is not sugarcoating what he sees from the new-look Los Angeles Lakers. Asked about the team's title chances, Scott did not hedge.

"Their chances? They got two chances: slim and none," Scott said, per www.basketballnetwork.net.

He went further, warning that unless a "miracle" happens before the trade deadline, the Lakers are nowhere near the top title contenders in the Western Conference. No specific trade targets or deadline plans have been confirmed.

Scott's blunt verdict lands even as Luka Doncic has firmly expressed his desire to compete for a championship in the 2026-27 season. The superstar guard has made clear what he believes this roster can do, but his former teammate sees a wider gap between ambition and reality.

THE ROSTER OVERHAUL

The Lakers’ offseason was not a tweak. It was an overhaul, with LeBron James leaving the team as the defining move. Supporting cast members Rui Hachimura, Marcus Smart, and Luke Kennard were also sent to new destinations, per www.basketballnetwork.net.

The specific trades or destinations of those departed players are not detailed in the source. What is clear is the influx of new faces: Quentin Grimes, Collin Sexton, Ziaire Williams, Walker Kessler, and Matisse Thybulle, among others, now fill out the roster around Luka Doncic.

Doncic is entering his ninth NBA campaign and already under considerable pressure to win a Larry O’Brien trophy. That pressure now comes with a largely unfamiliar supporting cast and the weight of replacing the franchise’s all-time leading scorer.

Making massive roster changes and expecting everything to come together immediately isn’t realistic, as Scott himself noted. Teams generally need time to build chemistry, understand roles, and figure out how the new pieces fit before they can chase a championship.