The Lakers had a rough year in 2015, but 2016 will be another story entirely
First things first, Happy New Year!
Though 2015 was a tough pill for Lakers fans to swallow, 2016 holds much to be excited about. Considering the Lakers’ current circumstances, it may seem hard to find anything to cheer about, but we are here to help.
From the 2016 NBA Lottery and Draft to Kobe Bryant’s last game ever in Purple and Gold to the All-Star festivities in February, it is an exciting time to be a Lakers fan.
History is on Los Angeles’ side, as the Lakers always seem to make the right moves to thoroughly reduce downtime. That said, expect this rough patch in LA’s history to be short lived.
The Lakers already have three great starting pieces in D’Angelo Russell, Julius Randle and Jordan Clarkson, and another Serge Ibaka type role player in Larry Nance Jr. and could possibly add another piece in this year’s draft.
Further, the 2016 free agency class is one of the best in recent years and picking up one, or even two of these players could drastically change the Lakers’ fortunes.
So buckle up for another roller coaster year Lakers faithful, the Purple and Gold can only be held down for so long.
Next: 5. March Madness
5. March Madness
The Los Angeles Lakers are currently 6-27, and barring last game against the Boston Celtics, there have been few games this season where they look fully engaged for an entire 48 minutes. They always seem to show signs, usually in short five minute bursts, but hardly a complete game like Wednesday night in the Garden.
More from Lake Show Life
- Darvin Ham adds to Max Christie hype train after Lakers preseason opener
- Is LeBron James playing tonight? Latest Lakers vs Warriors update
- Can Darvin Ham put all of the Lakers puzzle pieces together?
- Lakers news: Darvin Ham knows his fifth starter, LeBron James and Rui Hachimura, Jalen Hood-Schifino praise
- Michael Malone’s painfully ironic comment has Lakers fans heated
That said, on top of looking forward to when the Lakers begin putting together consistent effort on a nightly basis, fans should also be excited about March Madness.
This year the majority of the top NCAA prospects will headline the tournament in March and it will give fans a chance to scout the players the Lakers are most likely to select, given they retain their draft pick, something which we will discuss later.
From LSU’s Ben Simmons to Duke’s Brandon Ingram to Cal’s Jaylen Brown, the Los Angeles Lakers scouting staff will have their work cut out for them this season.
Though the pick would have to fall in the top three, after the top two picks, the field gets a little more confusing, meaning the Lakers must choose wisely for risk of getting set back even further.
Though March Madness is but a small sample size of a player’s overall talent level, it’s interesting to see how the top prospects perform when the lights are brightest, for they will be even brighter in Los Angeles.
Next: 4. All-Star Weekend
4. All-Star Weekend
This weekend is going to be great for many reasons, the first being the fact that it will be Kobe Bryant‘s last All-Star game ever, barring a Magic Johnson like comeback.
As of now, he has 17 consecutive All-Star game selections, four All-Star Game MVP trophies, and as of the first return, Kobe leads the All-Star voting by a large margin.
More from Lakers News
- Darvin Ham adds to Max Christie hype train after Lakers preseason opener
- Is LeBron James playing tonight? Latest Lakers vs Warriors update
- Can Darvin Ham put all of the Lakers puzzle pieces together?
- Lakers news: Darvin Ham knows his fifth starter, LeBron James and Rui Hachimura, Jalen Hood-Schifino praise
- Michael Malone’s painfully ironic comment has Lakers fans heated
Unless he manages to make the 2016 Olympic team, which he quite possibly will, the All-Star game will serve as Kobe’s last chance to collaborate with the up-and-coming stars, an opportunity he will surely cherish.
Fully expect The Black Mamba to sneakily slither his way to another All-Star MVP trophy as well, and for the rest of the players to let him do so.
On top of the Kobe story line, we will also more than likely get to see D’Angelo Russell, Julius Randle, and perhaps even Larry Nance Jr., star in the Rookie-Sophomore Game.
In recent years, the set up of the game has been confusing, but assuming they go back to the normal set-up, rookies versus sophomores, it will be interesting to see how the two young stars play alongside their peers in a more relaxed, less Byron controlled environment.
Last but not least, fans might also get a chance to see Larry Nance Jr. in the dunk contest. Watching him play currently, it seems like although he’s a great in game dunker, the dunk contest might not be his forte, similar to Shannon Brown.
Hopefully, we’re wrong and brings some flare back into the dying contest. Nothing a double-Eastbay can’t fix!
Next: 3. Free Agency 2k16
3. 2016 NBA Free Agency
Last week, we posted a piece about the top five targets for the Lakers not named Kevin Durant, but let’s be honest, KD is the only piece that can truly turn the Lakers’ fortunes around in a jiffy.
A near seven-foot small forward, with the handles of a guard and length of a power forward, Durant immediately fills the void that Los Angeles has had for nearly an entire decade.
Though it is more likely that the Slim Reaper signs a one-year deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder to extend his title window with Russell Westbrook, who is entering his prime, for one more year, you can bet your tail off that Kobe Bryant has already begun planting the seed in KD’s mind.
Aside from Durant, the only other big fish, pun intended, out there seems to be Hassan Whiteside. The Roy Hibbert Experiment has proven to be a bust four months into the seasons but Whiteside immediately fixes that problem.
Currently averaging a staggering five blocks a game, Whiteside is the perfect player to defend behind Clarkson, Russell and Randle, and the perfect pick and roll lob target on the offensive end.
Seeing that the Lakers spurned him in years past, it is also unlikely, but one can dream.
Next: 2. The NBA Lottery and Draft
2. The NBA Lottery and Draft
Similar to last season, arguably the most looked forward to night for a Lakers fan will be the Draft Lottery, and hopefully, the proceeding NBA draft.
As you probably already know, currently, the Philadelphia 76ers own the Los Angeles Lakers’ 2016 top three protected draft pick.
This means, if the Lakers pick ends up outside of the top three, it will immediately go to the Sixers, which is a scary thought because, seeing that they possess the league’s worst record and other team’s lottery picks, they could actually end up with an absurd amount of picks inside the Top 10.
As of now, the Lakers have the second worst record in the NBA, and it looks to stay that way considering how awful the 76ers are, which would only give them close to a 50/50 chance to keep their pick.
Per CBS Sports,
"In 29th place overall, the Lakers currently have a 55.8% chance of staying in the top three, with 19.9% odds at the first pick, 18.8% for second and 17.1% for third. Should the Lakers continue to struggle, actually overtaking Philadelphia with the worst overall record, their odds would improve to 64.3% for a top-three selection (25.0%, 21.5% and 17.8%)."
Playing the odds, the Lakers would be wise to restart up the tank, something Byron Scott seems to have a propensity for, while still developing their young players.
Fans might be shocked at how low the percentage is that the Lakers actually get the top pick, as many have already pegged LSU’s Ben Simmons as their savior, but they can take solace in the fact that Brandon Ingram may actually prove to be a better NBA player.
Next: 1. Saying Goodbye to The Black Mamba
1. Kobe’s Last Game
In light of recent news about Kobe’s pending retirement, ticket prices for Lakers’ games have soared, so you can only imagine how much it is going to cost you for a ticket to KB24’s last game ever at STAPLES Center.
Barring a miracle comeback in which the Lakers win the next 44 of their remaining 49 games and make the playoffs, Kobe Bryant will lace it up for the Purple and Gold for the last time ever Wednesday, April 13, 2016.
That night, you can almost guarantee that all of the Hollywood’s brightest stars alongside die hard Lakers faithful will be in attendance as they say goodbye to one of the greatest to ever play the game, by far the greatest of this era.
Sadly, the NBA did not plan out the season better, which is ironic seeing that they seemed to know beforehand that it would be Kobe’s last season, as the Lakers will take on the Utah Jazz, instead of a team like the Boston Celtics, Oklahoma City Thunder or even Cleveland Cavaliers.
Next: 50 Greatest Players in Lakers Franchise History
That night, fully expect tears to be flowing not only at STAPLES Center, but around the globe as fans say goodbye to the man who successfully carried the NBA for an entire era. Still a better love story than Twilight.