NBA Free Agency: 10 teams facing most pressure to succeed
By Tom West
6. Los Angeles Lakers
When are the Lakers not under pressure in free agency? As one of the two most storied franchises in the NBA behind only the Celtics, they’ve experienced more success, more iconic legends, and more championships than anyone else. Now that Kobe Bryant has retired after 20 glorious years and his farewell tour has come to an end, it’s time to move onto the next era of Lakers basketball without his $25 million contract and a far more youth.
D’Angelo Russell (secretive videos aside), Julius Randle, Larry Nance Jr. and Jordan Clarkson (providing he re-signs) are the basis of the team and the highlights of the future, providing some young groundwork to focus on. Unfortunately, this season was the worst in franchise history as Kobe launched air-balls all over the court and Byron Scott was a disaster as head coach, but perhaps 2016-17 will start seeing some progress.
Already, whether they land Ben Simmons or Brandon Ingram in the 2016 NBA Draft, the Lakers have another thrilling young star to add to their roster, and should be happy with either depending on who goes No. 1 to the 76ers. In terms of free agency, though, it’s safe to say the purple and gold doesn’t carry quite the same weight it has in the past. The next championship is far out of sight, they’re coming off a 17-win season, leaving young players more pressure than ever to develop and rebuild the team in a fashion the Lakers simply aren’t used to.
There’s no remote chance of Kevin Durant coming to L.A. and while the Lakers could have almost $70 million in cap space, most other teams will have a ton of money to spend, too, and the guarantee (bar Philly) of being better than the Lakers.
From trading the 2nd pick for Paul George to going after Bismack Biyombo in free agency, the rumors have already begun for the Lakers. They won’t stop and they’re sure to be wild, but this summer may end in disappointment for some fans as they realize they can’t attract stars so easily given their low standing and the booming market.
A losing culture in Laker Town isn’t acceptable for very long, and this summer needs to start turning it around.
Next: 5. Boston Celtics