3 Step Plan To Fix The Lakers

Feb 4, 2015; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Los Angeles Lakers head coach Byron Scott talks with guard Jordan Clarkson (6) during the second quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

The Lakers are currently at the bottom of the NBA. After finishing with the worst record in franchise history, they must hope the ping pong balls fall their way in order to retain their draft pick.

Kobe Bryant is going to retire soon. The Black Mamba has been a Laker for the past 19 years and Father Time is undefeated, so his retirement is coming soon. After Bryant leaves the purple and gold, what is next?

Will the Lakers ever get over the hump and back into contention? I believe they can, and here are three steps on how they can do it:

1. Be Patient

Let’s be real, Lakers fans are spoiled. Ever since Kobe Bryant has been on the Lakers, the Lakers have been in the playoffs or have been really close (excluding these last two seasons). This means, for the last 19 years of the Lakers franchise, the Lakers have been relevant for 16 of them. That is a very long time. For a young Lakers fan such as myself, these 16 years practically equal my time as a fan. I would even go so far and say Lakers fans are the most stubborn fans in the NBA. Not even the Boston Celtics, the only franchise who has more championships than the Lakers, have been as spoiled as Lakers fans.

Between the year 1995 and 2007 (when the “Big Three” was formed) the Celtics only reached the playoffs 4 times, including a dry spell of no playoff appearances from 1995 to 2001. This stubborn mindset of the Lakers organization is unfortunately, not how life works. Sometimes your team is going to be down and you just have to accept it and just wait. Waiting is the key.

This starts with the Lakers front office. Mitch Kupchak and the Buss family must relax and not feel pressure to get better right away. If they fail to do so, there might be some rash, not-thought out decisions. Lakers fans need to have blind faith and say, “We can do it, we’ve done it before. We’re the Lakers!” Bill Simmons, a diehard Celtics fan and ESPN icon, said in a recent Grantland article, “The Lakers will be fine, even if it is nice to see their fans suffer for a couple of years. Welcome to the real NBA world, you guys.” If an anti-Laker as big as Bill Simmons says the Lakers will be fine, there must be something right.

Next: Lakers Must Think Long Term