Kobe Bryant has no doubt the Los Angeles Lakers will be NBA champions "before you know it". Only the Boston Celtics can boast more NBA titles that the Lakers' haul of 16, but they were last champions in 2010 and have not reached the playoffs since 2013. The close-season arrival of basketball powerhouse LeBron James sparked excitement, while the future looks bright with the likes of Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram and Kyle Kuzma among the ranks.