LA Lakers Observations

The Lakers dedicated this past season to Kobe's final narcissistic indulgence and preserving the (top 3 protected) 1st round pick they traded to Philly. Now the Lakers have money to spend, roster spots to offer, the #2 pick and everybody's favorite new coach, Luke Walton. They're pretty far down by their own standards, it's all up from here.

Currently the starting five for next year looks like PG Russell, SG Young, SF Randle, PF Bass, C Nance with Lou Williams and Anthony Brown off the bench. A new infusion of players is this summer's mission because this is not a starting five (indeed, only Russell and Randle should be starting next year). (Quick pointless trade idea: Nick Young to the Nets for Jarrett Jack. It would give the Lakers one year of a veteran PG off the bench while taking back only a little bit more salary. And it would give the Nets a conscious-free shooter who would fit Brooklyn's hip hop culture while saving them a little bit of money. A minor move for both teams and one that might not be necessary depending on the Lakers' ability to lure free agents, but a potential move that works for both teams)

Their current free agents are: Kobe Bryant (retired), Roy Hibbert (not coming back), Ryan Kelly (cheap enough to be brought back), Metta World Peace (retired?), Robert Sacre (might be back), Tarik Black (not coming back), Jordan Clarkson (will definitely be back with the Lakers next year), Marcelo Huertas (love to see him on a young team like Pelicans or Jazz next year). Clarkson must be brought back, Kelly and Sacre are not high priority but might be cheap enough to be brought back to fill out the bench.

With #2 they'll likely end up with Duke's Brandon Ingram, who looks to be a nice attacking SG right away. (Under Walton's tutelage he seems like a solid ROY candidate, no?) They also have the #32 pick which puts them in the neighborhood of Gary Payton II, who seems like a natural off the Laker bench. That said, I think they would have to take a chance on the enigmatic Thon Maker if he's available. Maker, a high schooler whose age allows him to slip into the draft, is the most all-over-the-place prospect in this draft: I've seen him ranked as high as a lottery pick and as low as late, late 2nd round, I can't remember such a wide variance on any single talent. He could be a bust but he could be a all-time great, too, right now no one knows and I feel like the Lakers have to buy a ticket if he's still there at #32 (although I guess the Celtics at #31 will be thinking the same thing).

Are the Lakers ready to turn the scoring over to a 2nd year PG and a rookie SG? They'll be looking for depth at both positions, but will they be looking for starters or bench guys? Mike Conley is perhaps the prized PG out there this summer but signing him means moving Russell to the bench, is that a good move for your young floor general? Likewise, everyone's gonna want Nicolas Batum but if the Lakers could grab him would they want to move Julius Randle to the bench or to PF? I suspect if the Lakers could pick up Conley and Batum they'd grab them both in a heartbeat. I expect them to nab Harrison Barnes and Festus Ezeli from the Warriors and/or Demar Derozan and Bismack Biyombo from the Raptors. I expect they'll also take a run on reuniting Joakim Noah and Al Horford, though I haven't heard any Laker-related rumors on either of those guys. Hey, man, the Lakers have always helped themselves to the pick of the badass free agents and though they've faltered on that strategy recently, now is the time to resurrect that formula.

The Lakers have a nice core of young players (Russell, Randle, Nance, Clarkson) to start with and they'll be looking to add many big time free agents (if for no other reason than to keep the best talent from joining Golden State!). Whatever it takes to matter again in the West, I have no doubt the Lakers will throw themselves into it even if it puts them into cap tax territory. I wouldn't be surprised if Brandon Ingram was their last 1st round pick for quite some time.

How about this for their starting five: PG Conley, SG Barnes, SF Randle, PF Horford, C Noah with Russell, Payton II, Clarkson, Williams, Bass, Nance and Biyombo off the bench. That would get them into the playoffs and give them leverage to make another move or two along the way. But does that best the Warriors? (No) And does it put them pull ahead of their arena-mates the Clippers? (With some luck, maybe)