Why the Lakers and Warriors are destined to be the NBA’s next great rivalry.

The NBA preseason has officially came to an end and the regular season is set to kickoff on Tuesday. We saw some preseason action between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors Wednesday and Friday night, Wednesday‘a game in Las Vegas was the most watched preseason game and things got chippy between the two teams on Friday though neither LeBron and Kevin Durant played. The Golden State Warriors are the defending NBA champions and the best basketball player on planet earth signed with one of the most storied franchises of all sports. I can tell you one thing, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors are destined to be the next great rivalry and here’s why?

The Golden State Warriors and LeBron James faced off against each other in the finals fout straight years, two previous with Kevin Durant on the Warriors. The Warriors have won the last two previous titles against LeBron James and his former team, the Cleveland Cavaliers. This summer, LeBron went Hollywood and sat down with Lakers President Magic Johnson for three hours, LeBron signed a four year worth $134 million. Golden State meanwhile, added big man DeMarcus Cousins on a one year deal worth $5 million. Cousins suffered a rupture achellies last season and is not set to return till January, It remains to be seen if he’ll be the same player he once was but if he is than It’s going to be a problem for most teams facing off against the Warriors.

The Lakers signed LeBron and added some veterans such as Lance Stephenson, JaVal McGee, and Rajon Rondo to pair up with Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, and Kyle Kuzma but it’s not going to be enough for the Lakers to dethrone the Warriors as the top dogs in the West. The Lakers are going to try to acquire another superstar down the road, someone like a Kawhi Leonard if a trade goes down in Febuary or a Anthony Davis. The Lakers have enough money to sign another max free agent next summer, they could target Kawhi if he hits the market or suppose Klay Thompson hits the market and is considering leaving Golden State, the Lakers may have a chance to lure him to the Purple and Gold, a team that his father once played for. Or the Lakers could sign Kevin Durant, now I’m not going to rule it out but I do not see Kevin Durant leaving Golden State with the kind of relationship he has with the team now. If Durant leaves Golden State and joins LeBron than the rivalry is out the door and the NBA would be doomed.

But as long as Kevin Durant is still with Golden State and LeBron James is in a purple and gold, I believe that the Lakers in the Warriors are going to be the next great rivalry in NBA. I expect the Warriors to win another title this season but you got to give the Lakers another year or two, I do see both of these teams facing off in the conference finals but I do not see the Lakers knocking out the Warriors yet. Go Lakers are going to have to lure in another superstar player, Kawhi Leonard, Anthony Davis, and maybe Klay Thompson next summer.

If the Lakers can at least land two more superstar players to pair up with LeBron, they will have what it takes to knock out the Warriors our of the west. The Los Angeles Lakers are coming for the Golden State Warriors and I do expect both of these teams to face off in the conference finals this season and next season, so good luck to any more teams in the Western Conference that are trying to get past one of those two teams because Lakers and Warriors will be top of the west down the road.