With the D’Angelo Russell saga finally winding down along with the NBA season, we are all very interested in what the Lakers are going to do next. Kobe Bryant the “icon” of the Lakers for the past 20 years is finally hanging it up about 5 years too late. Their coach Byron Scott has most likely ran himself out of town and every other piece makes me want to find the yawn emoji on my iPhone.
So here is a breakdown on the Lakers for next season and my speculation on what is going to happen to the once #1 team in LA.
The Coach
Like mentioned before, Byron Scott is toast. He knows it, everyone knows it. Scott has mismanaged his misfits throughout the season. He was given the #2 pick in the draft and only started him for half the season. Russell should have been getting those minutes, but backup guard Lou Williams was starting in Hollywood. With Scott gone, the Buss family should look to rekindle some of the legacy that Phil Jackson left behind. The perfect signing would be the Golden State Warriors assistant coach Luke Walton. Walton a zen master himself would make an instant impact to the Lakers front office.
The Innevitable Cuts
Kobe Bryant’s 25 million dollar contract comes off the books, but Bryant isn’t the only big contract that won’t be back in LA. Roy Hibbert who makes over 15 million will also be entering free agency. Other players include Brandon Bass (3 million,) Metta World Peace (1.5 million,) and Ryan Kelly (1.75 million.)
Nick Young clearly won’t be on the Lakers next season opening another 5.2 million in team salary. Players like Robert Sacre, Tarik Black, and Jonathan Holmes most likely will be cut/released as well.
Who Is Coming Back?
This is where we learn how thin the Lakers really are. D’Angelo Russell needs to be on the Lakers next season. It’ll soon be his team and a new cast of characters would be good for both him and the locker room. Julius Randle should be back and will hopefully continue to grow. Larry Nance Jr. seems like a good fit for the Lakers and is another one of the bright spots of this bleak season, and will definitely be contributing next year.
Two names that haven’t been mentioned that will cause a ton of questions this offseason. Lou Williams and Jordan Clarkson. I believe that Williams has a 50/50 shot staying with the Lakers next season. It would be easy to see him being traded during the draft for an early second round pick. Clarkson would command a max contract to stay on the Lakers. He is a good player, not a great player. He doesn’t pass the ball extremely well for a combo guard and it might suit him best to figure out which position he should be playing. If the Lakers believe that Clarkson is the SG of their future, they should max him out and create a young talented backcourt for years to come.
Draft/Free Agency
The Lakers need to start praying to the basketball gods if they want to have a first round pick in the upcoming draft. The Sixers currently own their pick so unless the Lakers land in the top 3, there pick will be saying bye-bye. If they do land a top 3 pick, there are only three choices that make since. LSU SF Ben Simmons, Duke SF Brandon Ingram, and SG Kris Dunn from Providence. They also will have the 2nd pick in the 2nd round. Look for them to take a big name college player whose draft stock has risen since the tournament. This player would quickly be apart of the rotation.
Expect the Lakers to make a big splash in free agency this year, they can’t afford to rebuild for long. With Russell and Randle locked in as starters they have 3 positions that need to be filled. Hasaan Whiteside, Demar Derozen, Harrison Barnes, Al Horford, and Nick Batum all seem like they would garner interest from the Lakers. Other players who aren’t considered stars include Jamal Crawford, Kent Bazemore and Evan Turner.
Conclusion
All in all, this should be a fun offseason for the Lakers. They are looking to become a major player in the Western conference within the next two seasons. Here is the prediction for next season’s roster.
PG: D’Angelo Russell
SG: Evan Turner
SF: Brandon Ingram
PF: Julius Randle
C: Al Horford
6. Courtney Lee
7. Larry Nance Jr.
8. Gerald Green
9. Marcelo Huertas
10. Jonas Jerebko
11. Nigel Hayes
12. Anthony Brown
What are your expectations for the Lakers next season? Do you think they will be able to sign marquee free agents? Let me know on twitter @coreypanati so we can chat all things Lakers.
