No one wants to talk about tanking this early in the year. The preseason is a time when everyone thinks their team has a chance to compete for a title or at least a playoff spot.
To be fair, no one truly knows who will and won’t be a competitor., needing only look at last year when the Phoenix Suns surprised everyone, nearly making the playoffs in the loaded Western Conference. Fans and players alike see the preseason as a time for hope, optimism.
Unfortunately for the Lakers, there’s been little to be positive about this preseason. With injuries one again ravaging the team, the Lakers have seen extended minutes given to Ronnie Price and the team has struggled mightily with Nick Young, Jordan Clarkson, Jeremy Lin, Steve Nash, Xavier Henry, and Ryan Kelly all missing extended minutes this preseason.
All the struggle has brought on the pessimism from Lakers faithful, who sense a feeling of “here we go again” after last season’s debacle under Mike D’Antoni. Unlike last year, there’s no LeBron James or Carmelo Anthony to look forward to next summer.
What the team could have, though, is a plethora of draft picks in the best-case scenario. Depending on the various outcomes of trades the Lakers have been apart of, the purple and gold could go into the 2015 draft with four draft picks.
Let’s take a look how that could play out.