Los Angeles Lakers
Pacific Division
Last season's record: 27-55
Roster Additions and Losses
The Los Angeles Lakers beefed up their interior after losing Pau Gasol, who signed with the Chicago Bulls as a free agent this past offseason. With the seventh overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, the Lakers selected Kentucky forward Julius Randle. In addition, the Lakers signed veteran power forward Carlos Boozer, who played in 76 regular season games last year with the Bulls. The lack of bigs was certainly addressed by the Lakers, who have added a veteran in Boozer who can help guide the nineteen year-old rookie Randle. Boozer is expected to be a starter, while Randle may begin the season off the bench. The team also acquired point guard Jeremy Lin in a trade with the Houston Rockets. This gives them much-needed depth at the guard position after losing Jordan Farmar to the Los Angeles Clippers.
Keys to Success
Health. The Lakers were a lottery team last season, which was mostly a result of the injuries to All-Stars Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash. Boozer is aging and injury prone and Jeremy Lin should see increased minutes in the wake of Nash's recovery from a back injury. The Lakers have already fallen victim to the injury bug as Nick Young is out for approximately eight weeks after getting surgery on his right thumb. If he is able to return to join a fully healthy lineup, this Lakers team could surprise a lot of people.
Fantasy Roster Impact
Kobe Bryant is the obvious choice for top fantasy value. If he remains healthy, he could make a serious impact as he chases down Michael Jordan's career stats. Steve Nash is a question mark as his production value has slightly declined over the past several years. The more concerning factor is how he will recover from his back injury. With age another cause for concern, exercise caution as Nash may see limited playing time throughout the year. Seven-year man Nick Young should get a decent look in fantasy. The injured forward could be impactful after he returns from thumb surgery. Young averaged 17.9 points per game last season.
2014 Season Prediction
If healthy, the Lakers can make some noise in a tough Western Conference. However, getting out of the Pacific Division is a challenge in and of itself. They will be battling the Sacramento Kings in the bottom of the division, but have potential to place as high as third. Because injuries are already a factor, the Lakers will be nothing more than a spoiler in 2014. It looks like, for the second year in a row, Kobe and company are headed for the lottery.