The Los Angeles Lakers lost Dwight Howard to the Houston Rockets in the 2013 offseason then were decimated by injuries during the 2013-2014 season en route to a 27-55 record, the second-worst mark in the Western Conference.
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They tried to make a play for a major free agent but wound up re-signing a few of their own players (Nick Young, Jordan Hill) while trading for Jeremy Lin, claiming Carlos Boozer off of of waivers after the Chicago Bulls waived him via the amnesty clause and signing Ed Davis.
That’s why even with a returning Kobe Bryant, Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders believes the Lakers would be best served by finishing near the bottom of the league.
"I think it would be better for the Lakers to lose a lot of games and be able to have their top-five selection. I think L.A. would be better off if they started focusing on the future and trying to build through the draft. Next year’s draft is loaded with talented centers, so the Lakers could have one of the best up-and-coming frontcourts in the league with Julius Randle and their 2015 pick. Kobe Bryant obviously wouldn’t like this, but I think the franchise would be better off rebuilding for a year or two and reloading with top prospects, even if it makes Bryant unhappy and leads to a down year."
The Lakers and their fans don’t want to hear it but if they can add another top five talent, they will be set up very well the future.
Be sure to check FanSided’s official NBA page to keep up to date on the latest news and rumors from around the league as we get you ready for the start of the 2014-2015 season.
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