Lakers: Front Office Knows, But Won’t Act On Problems
By Hannah Kulik
Mitch Kupchak and the Lakers front office know there are problems with Kobe Bryant and beyond, but refuse to act
Kobe Bryant’s absence in the Los Angeles Lakers’ recent victories against the Philadelphia 76ers and Phoenix Suns was significant for at least two reasons. First, it gave his younger teammates an opportunity to play a more prominent role. Second, it taught them how to win without Bryant–and proved they could do so—which is extremely important for the future.
The Lakers’ front office has remained largely silent all season about the current state of affairs. Occasionally, Mitch Kupchak has been interviewed, but his statements have always been guarded and non-controversial, leaving many to conclude he’s simply out of touch. However, whether he appreciated what he was really saying or not, Kupchak recently admitted what Lakers fans have known and lamented for a long time: “We can’t move on until Kobe leaves,” per Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times.
With Bryant in the lineup, the team may have a slightly better chance of winning most nights, but it comes at a high cost in terms of player development. When he plays, the entire game revolves around Bryant and the younger players are forced to defer while playing a slow, half-court style of offense that does not suit them. This is counterproductive, but apparently is not going to change as long as Bryant is around.
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One specific benefit when Bryant is out is that it gives Anthony Brown a chance to play. In Byron Scott’s complicated mind, Brown can only play when Bryant doesn’t. Brown either starts or does not play at all, as Nick Young comes off the bench at small forward no matter who starts. It is not as though Young is on fire this season–he was 1-6 against the Suns on Sunday. It is more important for the future to give Brown his minutes, but so far it hasn’t happened.
Brown played pretty well against the 76ers, hitting a couple of timely outside shots, grabbing five rebounds, and showing energy on defense. He had a similar game against the Suns and, more importantly, got 30 minutes of playing time. There is reason to believe that, like Larry Nance Jr., Brown could develop into a solid contributor—but it won’t happen unless he plays similar minutes to Nance.
Despite the excitement of a three-game winning streak, their first this season, it has to be tempered by the continued inconsistent performances of Julius Randle and D’Angelo Russell. Against the Suns, both played poorly. Randle did not make a basket, and Russell made only two of his eight attempts. When they took the court in the fourth quarter, the Suns came roaring back from a huge deficit, forcing Scott to reinsert the starters after the lead had been cut in half.
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It was great that Lou Williams scored 30 points against the Suns and that Roy Hibbert played his best game in a long time, but it means very little if Randle and Russell are not developing at they should. Both players continue to struggle, and while it is obvious that the Lakers as a whole have achieved a certain kind of positive rhythm in recent games, the positivity has not extended to Russell and Randle.
Randle played only 16 minutes against the Suns, while Russell played 22 minutes. Both came off the bench, this time sharing the court with Marcelo Huertas at the point. Even Brown played more, and he had barely played all season until Bryant’s recent injury. The inconsistent minutes and rotations are hurting Russell and Randle, for clearly they are not thriving in the current system, whether Kobe is playing or not.
When the season started, most observers said that the key to this year was not the final record but how Russell and Randle have developed. To date, the results have been inconclusive at best.
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Though Kupchak finally admitted that the team cannot move on until Bryant retires, the Lakers should not waste this season when it comes to Randle and Russell. Both men are out of sorts and wildly inconsistent. With the New Year, figuring out how to help them thrive should be the number one priority. That is the only way the front office can judge whether their best is good enough to lead the team in the future or whether the team will need to devise another plan once the rebuild starts next season.