LeBron James Says Fatigue Is Impacting Lakers amid 3-Game Losing Streak

The Los Angeles Lakers may have won the NBA's inaugural In-Season Tournament, but they're now on a three-game losing streak that has seen them drop to eighth in the Western Conference standings.

Speaking to reporters following L.A.'s latest loss to the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night, Lakers star LeBron James said the team is already feeling fatigued during the early stages of the season and that it has contributed to the three-game skid.

"It's a combination of everything," James said. "I mean, it's the emotional fatigue. It's the physical fatigue. It's the grind of a season fatigue and when you're not winning obviously that's the frustration fatigue."

The Lakers went all-out to win the In-Season Tournament, defeating the Indiana Pacers on Dec. 9 to claim the championship. However, that momentum hasn't exactly carried over as L.A. is 1-4 since.

The Purple and Gold have lost to the Bulls, New York Knicks, Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs over the last five games. The Bulls and Spurs both have losing records, and San Antonio's victory over L.A. last week snapped an 18-game losing streak.

It should also be noted that several players, including James and Anthony Davis, have missed time due to injury or illness since the end of the In-Season Tournament, which hasn't helped matters.

While the Lakers haven't blamed the In-Season Tournament directly, it's also quite interesting that the Pacers are just 2-4 since the IST final, so the same fatigue could be impacting Indiana.

If the Lakers are going to turn things around and contend for another title, something is going to have to change, and the team has been linked in a variety of trade rumors this winter as fans clamor for the franchise to make some upgrades.

One of the biggest rumors links Bulls star Zach LaVine to the Lakers, and Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic reported Wednesday that "all signs" point to L.A. and Chicago reaching a deal for the veteran ahead of the February trade deadline.

LaVine would be a massive upgrade to the Lakers roster and his fit alongside James and Davis could vault the Purple and Gold into contention for one of the top seeds in the Western Conference.

However, LaVine remains out of Chicago's lineup due to a foot injury and isn't expected to return for several more weeks. The Lakers likely aren't going to trade for an injured player, so they'll have to try and stay afloat in the meantime.