2014-2015 Review
Let’s not sugarcoat it; last season was an outright disaster for the Lakers. They lost Kobe Bryant to injury again, Julius Randle lost his whole season to a broken leg, and the team never gelled. They landed the 2nd overall pick and head coach Byron Scott never seemed to have a handle on the team. Kobe repeatedly called out his teammates for their behavior, and now they look to rebound in 2015-16.
New Additions
Brandon Bass
Bass is a solid power forward who has displayed the ability to rebound and hit a mid-range jumper. Frankly, he’s an upgrade over what they had at the position last season, especially coming off the bench.
Metta World Peace
Look who’s back! Metta World Peace returns after a stint in China, and the NBA just got a whole lot more interesting again. It’ll be intriguing to see how he responds to NBA-level competition again, but the Lakers certainly will be entertaining again next year, if nothing else.
Roy Hibbert
Roy Hibbert might be a steal here for the Lakers if he can regain his levels of performance from two seasons ago and in playoffs past. Hibbert’s rim protection was dominant, and he could score off the block. His production tailed off, but if he returns to peak performance, he’ll be the anchor in the paint L.A. desperately needed last year.
D’Angelo Russell
Russell is a highly touted point guard who the Lakers took with the second pick in this year’s draft. His basketball I.Q. is high and he sees the floor exceptionally well. If he can adapt to the NBA game quickly, (most point guards don’t) this team could improve quicker than most of us expected.
Louis Williams
Finally, the Lakers signed the reigning sixth man of the year, Lou Williams. Williams is a spark plug off the bench and can explode for bunches of points within minutes. In Toronto, he was highly productive off the bench and gives the team more firepower in that capacity.
Key Losses
Carlos Boozer
Carlos Boozer is an NBA veteran whose production tailed off last season in L.A. He may be approaching the end of his career, though he did show flashes during the season that there’s something left in the tank. Boozer will be replaced by Bass, Hibbert, and the return of Randle.
Ed Davis
Ed Davis had a nice season last year coming off the bench and being used in spot starting situations. He turned that season into a contract with Portland. His length and athleticism will be missed along this frontline.
Jordan Hill
Jordan Hill was perhaps this team’s best player last season, and now he joins the Pacers. Hill was versatile off the pick and roll and had stretches of dominance on both the boards and the offensive end of the floor. His production will be tough to replace.
Wesley Johnson
Wesley Johnson was a solid swingman who jumped ship to join the Clippers, so he didn’t exactly go very far. Overall, Johnson needed to make a lot of improvements to become a regular starter, and the minutes just aren’t there on this team.
Jeremy Lin
Finally, the Lakers lost Jeremy Lin to Charlotte, although they’ll be happy with their backcourt and the players they brought in to replace him. He was a solid backup point guard, but was making starter money. Now, his contract is off the books and the future looks brighter for L.A.
Biggest Strength
Guard
The Lakers’ strength is unquestionably their backcourt. With newcomer D’Angelo Russell joining Jordan Clarkson, a budding star in his own right, the future is brigher than it has been for the last few seasons. If Kobe realizes that he should be more mentor and less superstar, this team could realize their success a little quicker. Off the bench behind them are Lou Williams and Nick Young, who can both light it up quickly. This team’s backcourt got a lot deeper this offseason, and now bolsters the team the way Lakers teams of the past used to.
Biggest Weakness
Defense
Aside from maybe Roy Hibbert, if he returns to his peak production, the defense on this team will be sub-par at best. Kobe can’t guard most shooting guards anymore, and the frontcourt boasts no defenders of note (other than HIbbert). Finally, the Lakers lost Wesley Johnson, their only respectable wing defender from last season. Now, they have no one, and small forward is perhaps the most dangerous position in the NBA today. Defense will be the Lakers’ Achilles heel again.
Bottom Line
The Lakers are still at least two to three years away from success. That journey begins this season, though, as they start the youth movement focused on Russell, Clarkson, Randle, and a few other potentially promising young players. However, that means another lottery bound season for L.A., which was once considered unthinkable and unacceptable in Lakerland.
Fantasy Slant
Most Overrated: Kobe Bryant
A few years ago, Kobe would have been a respectable early round pick for fantasy. Now, however, he’ll be overdrafted due to name recognition only. His scoring production is down and his field goal percentage is at a career low, and he doesn’t give you the other categories like he used to. Add in that now he hasn’t finished a complete season in almost three years, and he isn’t worth the early round pick he’s going to require.
Most Underrated: Jordan Clarkson
The opposite guard of Kobe Bryant won’t normally get much recognition, but Jordan Clarkson is the real deal. Last year as a rookie he averaged over 11 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists per game. He’ll only get better this year, and the window is still there to get him late in drafts. He’ll be worth the investment.
Biggest Surprise: Roy Hibbert
This might be a bit of a gut call, but I think Hibbert returns to the level of production he showed in his best days at Indiana. That means double doubles and blocked shots galore for the big man. Los Angeles needs a go-to post scorer, and Hibbert fits the bill.