It’s quite possible that we’ve seen the last of Bryant in the playoffs, as the Lakers lack the top-tier talent necessary to compete in the Western Conference right now. That, and the appeal of playing with Kobe Bryant coming off of the two most serious injuries of his career while he’s getting paid the most money in the league just isn’t that attractive. That’s why they’ve been one of the biggest losers in each of the last two offseasons. You no longer have to play in Los Angeles to be a nation-wide, or global-wide star. The league’s increase in exposure has really worked against them, taken away from their prestige and even the playing field when it comes to recruiting stars. In all likelihood, the Lakers will once again be on the outside looking in when playoff time rolls around, but with so many new faces and Bryant’s pending return, it would be unwise to completely discount them.įor decades the Los Angeles Lakers have been operating with distinct advantages that the rest of the league struggled to compete with. Whether or not the Lakers have a real chance of qualifying for the playoffs or not will ultimately fall squarely on the 36-year-old shoulders (and knees) of Kobe Bryant and whether or not new head coach Byron Scott can replicate the success he had as the head coach of the New Jersey Nets from 2000-2004. Carlos Boozer, though not as talented as Pau Gasol, will replace the Spaniard and, along with rookie Julius Randle, provide the Lakers with some much-needed size up front. The acquisition of Jeremy Lin is a low-cost, high-reward proposition, as the point guard position has been a void on this roster for quite some time. ![]() Too many what-ifs present to predict a playoff berth, but the team should definitely improve on its 27 victories from last season.Īlthough the Los Angeles Lakers failed to catch one of the big fish from last July’s free agency school, they managed to salvage quite a bit. Without Bryant playing at a high level, for a significant amount of games, the team will struggle to pull out wins. Can Kobe Bryant regain his form and play at a high level after numerous injuries? How much does point guard Steve Nash have left in the tank in what may possibly be his final season as a professional? Is rookie forward Julius Randle ready to play a significant role right out of the cereal box? The health of Bryant is obviously the most important in the equation. The Los Angeles Lakers are no longer among the league’s elite and will head to training camp with plenty of question marks. It seems like the Lakers are poised to struggle once again. The team may be marginally better than last year’s 27-55 squad, but they’re bringing back many of the same players and the Western Conference is just as loaded with talented teams. However, it’s hard to imagine the Lakers having much success in the short-term. and he could be a star for them in the future. Drafting Julius Randle was an excellent decision for L.A. Getting Kobe Bryant back from injury should help them, but it remains to be seen if he can return to elite form. Instead, their big acquisitions were Jeremy Lin, Carlos Boozer and Ed Davis. ![]() They entered the summer hoping to land a star player like LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony or Kevin Love. The Lakers had a disappointing offseason. They’re not competing for a championship, but they’ll be better than many expect. Nick Young, Jordan Hill, Ed Davis and Julius Randle all should be respectable role players, and if healthy, Bryant would definitely rather go out with a roar than with a whimper. There are some decent ball players on this team, even if half of the roster is seemingly comprised of power forwards, and behind players like Kobe Bryant, Jeremy Lin and Carlos Boozer, they can be more competitive than many are giving them credit for. The Lakers also are not quite the team they used to be, but for those already writing them off completely: stop it. ![]() Here’s the cold reality for the Lakers: Kobe Bryant makes a lot of money for a team that wasn’t very good a year ago, so currently Hollywood is not the free agency hotbed that it used to be. Basketball Insiders takes a look at the 2014-15 roster as this proud organization attempts to not only rebuild in the shadow of an aging giant, but also find a way to permit five-time champion Kobe Bryant to finish his Hall of Fame run as gracefully and successfully as possible.īasketball Insiders previews the 2014-2015 Los Angeles Lakers. The Los Angeles Lakers ended last season with the worst record (27-55) in the franchise’s illustrious 66-year history.
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