It was quite a dramatic offseason for the Los Angeles Lakers this past summer: they replaced the unpopular Mike D'Antoni at head coach with Byron Scott, they lost Pau Gasol to free agency and failed to land a major free agent of their own. So, amidst all the drama, the Lakers did little to improve their roster after one of their worst seasons ever. And maybe that's the point? If the Lakers finish with one of the worst 5 records in the league this season, they will keep their first-round draft pick.
All that being said, there are still reasons to think this current Lakers roster could exceed expectations this year and make a push for the playoffs.
1. Kobe Bryant
Yes, Bryant is 36-years old. Yes, he's coming off of a season in which he only played 6 games due to injury. And yes, he suffered a devastating achilles tendon injury in 2013. But Bryant says he's the healthiest he's been in three years, and it makes sense. His body, while recovering from his achilles and knee injuries, has had time to heal.
The key is whether or not Bryant can stay healthy, and if he has enough juice in his legs to recapture his old form. If he can, then the Lakers will at least be watchable, and it will then be up to the rest of his teammates to respond by elevating their play if this team has any hopes of cracking the top eight in a stacked Western Conference.
2. New Coach
Byron Scott won multiple championships with the Showtime era Lakers, and he also coached the Nets to back-to-back Finals appearances. He knows how to win, and he stresses defense. The subject of defense has been a sore spot for Laker fans over the past two seasons, as many felt Mike D'Antoni didn't emphasize defensive effort very much, if at all, during his time in LA. Scott brings toughness and the knowledge of how to win at the highest level.
3. A Wealth of Quality Big Men
The Lakers lost Pau Gasol--one of the most gifted big men to ever play basketball--but what they lack in skill down low, they made up for with size and athleticism. It all starts with first-round draft pick Julius Randle, whom some feel might be the 2nd best prospect of the 2014 draft. Randle is explosive and a natural scorer. While he's still a rookie, he's the best rookie the Lakers have had since Kobe Bryant.
Jordan Hill, Ed Davis and Robert Sacre will all share duty at the center and forward spots. Ryan Kelly is back and looks to expand on his limited but promising stint last year. And of course, there's Carlos Boozer, the former all-star. Boozer is known for being a bully downlow despite being undersized for a power forward. If Boozer can approach what he was in Utah, the Lakers will fare far better, but that may be too much to ask of the veteran.
4. Point Guard Play
Offenively, and on paper, the Lakers look pretty good at point guard, provided Steve Nash can play. With he and Lin directing the offense for LA, the Lakers should have more offense at the point guard position than they have in decades. But Lin has been inconsistent with his shooting and scoring since his brief, but brilliant stint in New York. If Nash can stay healthy and Lin can score consistently, the Lakers will be much improved.
5. Motivation
Kobe Bryant will not be satisfied until he wins another championship and ties Michael Jordan with six titles. There's only one problem: his current team isn't expected to even with 40 games this season. The good news for the Lakers is that Bryant isn't the only one on the roster who's motivated to succeed and prove the doubters wrong.
Nash is looking to finish his career on a high note after two seasons lost to injury. Carlos Boozer wants to prove to the Bulls that they made a mistake in dumping him this summer. Lin is facing criticism that his brilliance in New York was an aberration. Julius Randle wants to show the teams that passed on him in the draft how big of a mistake they made. The Lakers really have nothing to lose this year, except time. And rest assured, Kobe Bryant and Byron Scott will not let their team settle for anything less than excellence.
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