Jan 23, 2015; San Antonio, TX, USA; Los Angeles Lakers point guard Jordan Clarkson (6) shoots the ball during the second half against the San Antonio Spurs at AT&T Center. The Spurs won 99-85. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
The Lakers season was over before it started thanks to our “replacements” roster.
Nick Young is injured, Julius Randle and Kobe Bryant are out for the season and Steve Nash never showed up for work.
The Lakers are currently riding a 9-game losing streak and the schedule won’t get any easier.
With the season more than halfway over, what are the Lakers playing for?
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1) The Future – Jordan Clarkson and Ryan Kelly are in the starting lineup. Tarik Black replaced Robert Sacre before he injured his ankle and Ed Davis has solidified his position in the rotation since Day 1. These players plus Julius Randle are the foundation the Lakers will build on moving forward. Despite our current record, the future is bright based on the youth movement and money to spend in free agency over the next 2 years.
2) The Draft – Barring a miracle, the Lakers will keep their Top 5 Protected Pick and be in the running for Jahlil Okafor. There are rumors the Lakers may trade their high draft pick for a proven player speeding up the rebuilding process, but either way management has been plotting this move for a while now. Julius Randle and Jordan Clarkson were solid picks in the 2014 NBA Draft and hopefully the Lakers will strike gold again this summer.
3) Free Agency – Kobe Bryant needed help this season and the Front Office failed to deliver. Kobe and Nick Young have gone on record to say they will be active in the recruiting process this offseason which is great news for Lakers fans. Byron Scott has kept the Lakers competitive this season amidst lackluster talent and he’ll have input as to whom the Lakers acquire. With several expiring contracts expect close to half the team replaced with new players. Extreme Lakers Makeover is in full effect.
Although the Lakers have been active in trade talks, the chances are small that anything happens because they don’t want to take any salary back. Lakers fans will have to endure the rest of the season with this collection of misfits. We’re not used to conceding or settling for anything except championships, but due to a series of poor decisions by Jim Buss our return to glory has been delayed. This season can’t end fast enough, but better times are surely ahead.
Next: Kobe Bryant, Paul Pierce and the Lost Art of Competitiveness