Ex-NBA Champion Calls Lakers the “Most Overrated Team” in NBA

Norman Powell isn't buying into the hype around the Los Angeles Lakers after their flurry of offseason moves.

Ex-NBA Champion Calls Lakers the “Most Overrated Team” in NBA

Norman Powell on the Lakers (Image credits - NBA and Sports Illustrated)

The Los Angeles Lakers have officially entered a new era with Luka Doncic at the helm. With LeBron James departing after eight years in the franchise, the Lakers front office made a number of changes to their roster in the summer this year.

After an impressive 2025-26 regular season where they finished fourth in a stacked Western Conference standings, the Lakers were cleanly swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round. However, the Lakers were not anywhere near full strength, as Doncic missed the entire playoffs due to a hamstring injury.

While the Lakers have seen a number of departures in the summer, they have made multiple additions to their roster as well. They added Walker Kessler, Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Collin Sexton, Kevon Looney, and more.

During a live stream with N3on, former Los Angeles Clippers star Norman Powell was asked which team he considers to be the most overrated in the league. Powell did not hesitate with his answer.

Bro, I’m gonna say the Lakers. There you go.

Norman Powell on N3on’s live stream

Lakers’ offseason has seen mixed reactions from the NBA world. While some believe they have declined from last season, former MVP Charles Barkley believes that the current roster is similar to the 2024 Dallas Mavericks team that Luka Doncic carried to the NBA Finals.

However, Norman Powell isn’t buying the hype around the Lakers. It’s hard to judge a completely revamped roster before they have played a single game. But with a player like Doncic leading the team, pressure and expectations will be immense.

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Will Luka Doncic and the Lakers live up to the expectations?

With over a month to go in the 2026-27 campaign, the Lakers have seen the hype grow after the summer they just had. Following James’ exit, the Lakers management promised Luka Doncic that they would build their squad around him.

Luka Doncic
Luka Doncic (Image via Barstool Sports/X)

But it looks like Norman Powell does not seem very impressed with recent acquisitions. However, it is also possible that Powell named the Lakers due to his previous affiliation with their crosstown rivals, the Los Angeles Clippers. He spent three years in LA; hence, it is not a very surprising response.

The Lakers have already had some team-bonding sessions in the summer. Doncic invited his teammates to Slovenia for a four-day training camp last month. It was a good way for the team to bond and build some chemistry heading into the new season.

Doncic is coming off an impressive 2025-26 campaign where he finished fourth in the MVP race and was the scoring champion. He will be hoping to stay healthy as he looks to win his first MVP award. The Lakers guard was also seen sporting a new look and is ready to make a mark next season.

Norman Powell would love to end his career with the Toronto Raptors

Norman Powell was drafted as a second-round pick by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2015 NBA draft. He was immediately traded to the Toronto Raptors and spent five and a half seasons with them. He made it to the playoffs in all five seasons and even won a championship in 2019.

During the live stream, one of the people came forward and asked Powell if he would ever consider retiring with Toronto. The 33-year-old said:

I think I would. I would wanna play like a season; I wouldn’t just wanna go there and retire … hear the name announced again, play on the court again at home, kinda that stuff.

Norman Powell on N3on’s live stream

While Powell still plans to play for a few more years and hasn’t thought about retirement, he would love to return to the city where he won a championship. After missing the playoffs with the Miami Heat last season, Powell signed a two-year deal with the Chicago Bulls as a free agent.

Coming back to Toronto and helping the Raptors win a second championship would be an excellent way to cement himself as a true legend of the franchise. The Raptors’ title challenge next season will depend on what happens after their trade for Kawhi Leonard. While the trade was supposed to go through after the NBA ruling, a recent criminal investigation may force the Raptors to back out of the deal in the near future.

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