Los Angeles Lakers 2015 NBA Season Preview
<ul> <li>21-61 record</li> <li>Missed playoffs</li> <li>Won 2nd Pick in NBA Draft Lottery</li> </ul>. 5th place. Pacific Division. Los Angeles Lakers. 5th. player. 20
The Los Angeles Lakers were an abysmal basketball team last year. No matter if you think Jordan Clarkson is the next big thing or not, being able to definitively say that the young point guard was the team’s best player last season is pretty damning of the Lakers’ 2014-15 season. However, there’s hope for the Lakers coming into the 2015-16 campaign.
For one, Kobe Bryant will be back on the floor. Yes, he is 37 years old and coming off of a slew of major lower-body injuries and is already banged up after playing in the preseason. However, the future Hall-of-Fame is clearly a talented offensive player and an on-court general for the Lakers, for better or worse.
However, it’s more than just Kobe that is building a bit of excitement among fans about the upcoming season. Drafting point guard D’Angelo Russell with the number-two overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft has fans salivating, as does the return of the Lakers’ lottery pick from 2014 NBA Draft in Julius Randle after he missed the entire season due to an injury suffered in game one of his rookie year.
There is also the fact that the Lakers made at least somewhat of a splash on the open market. They were able to get in and sign reigning Sixth Man of the Year Lou Williams to an affordable deal and add talent to their frontcourt. Moreover, the Lakers also pulled off a heist of a trade to help strengthen their defense by landing center Roy Hibbert.
With pieces returning, new pieces being brought in, and emerging young players like Jordan Clarkson, there are understandable reasons for Lakers fans to be excited about the potential of this team. However, that’s the optimistic view of things.
On the other side, this roster is curiously constructed in terms of how their top talents fit together. How they find minutes for Kobe, Williams, Russell, and Clarkson in a way that benefits the team will be interesting, as will be designing an offensive system that takes into account that most players in that frontcourt are accustomed and at their best with the ball in their hands.
We also can’t forget how dreadful the Lakers were defensively last season. Trading for Hibbert will help to remedy that to some degree, but it’s not going to cover all of the wounds on this team’s defense.
Perhaps the x-factor is head coach Byron Scott. I’m not alone is saying that Scott’s efforts as a coach and some of the ideas he shares with the media about his team have been concerning and lackluster. Asking him to manage this new talent and these young players could lead to unfortunate outcomes for Los Angeles.
There are plenty of people on both sides of the spectrum for the Lakers in terms of what they’ll do in the 2015-16 season. Here is what you need to know about the Lakers heading into this campaign and you can decide where you stand on them.
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