Lakers: ESPN Questions If LA’s Young Guys Are Better Without Kobe Bryant

ESPN recently asked whether or not the Lakers young stars are better off without Kobe Bryant, and the answer should come as no surprise

The Black Mamba has been the face of the Lakers franchise for the better part of 15 years so to imagine a LA team without him is a strange prospect in itself.

However, ESPN did just that when they asked if the Lakers young trio is actually better off without Kobe Bryant and questioned exactly how good they could be.

For years, Kobe Bryant has carried the Purple and Gold, leading the team in scoring, and at times even rebounding and assists, so to see his current effect on this Lakers team is, for lack of a better word, depressing.

Considering Kobe’s current injury situation, the answer to the first part of the question should come as no surprise.

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Per Micah Adams of ESPN, in his article entitled, “Lakers’ Youngsters Better Without Kobe? How Good Can They Be,” the standout stats here are the fact that the Lakers are 4.9 points more efficient without Kobe Bryant on the floor, which is a good thing but -8.6 is still pretty awful.

Another good sign for the future is the fact that the Lakers get better at both ends of the floor scoring more points on offense and giving up less points on defense without the Black Mamba on the floor.

At first the issue of pace seemed confusing, but seeing how this is a season long stat, it makes sense when you think about it. Queue the March stats.

Using a small sample size of March, Adams revealed that

"Russell, Randle and Clarkson have logged 62 minutes together — with Bryant off the floor — since the beginning of March. In those 62 minutes, the Lakers have scored a whopping 118.4 points per 100 possessions while outscoring opponents by 2.2 points per 100 possessions.Prior to March, lineups featuring the young trio without Bryant were scoring just 97.0 points per 100 possessions, a mark they’ve surpassed in each game they’ve played together in March.So just how solid is that net efficiency of 2.2 points per 100 possessions? It’s better than the net efficiency this season of four Western Conference teams currently on track for the playoffs: Dallas, Portland, Memphis and Houston."

More over, there is great news surrounding rookie sensation, D’Angelo Russell.

"Russell in particular has taken off. Through February, when sharing the floor alongside Clarkson, Randle and Bryant, Russell sported a usage rate of 18.7 with a respectable PER of 16.9.In the 62-minute span in March alongside Clarkson and Randle but without Bryant, both his usage rate and PER have soared above 30, the combination of high usage and high efficiency any team would crave from a star, let alone from a rookie who just turned 20 in February."

Again, though the sample size is small, there is currently only one player in the NBA averaging a PER higher than 30. You guessed it, Stephen Curry at 32.27, though Russell Westbrook comes in at a relatively close 28.44.

The recent wins speak for themselves, but with the stats to back it up, the Lakers future truly does look Purple and Gold.

Next: Lakers Trio Joins Exclusive Company With Strong Performance

While it will be a sad day in just about a month when Kobe Bryant laces it up for the final time, it is nice to know that he is leaving the Lakers in great hands.

(All stats and charts via ESPN.com)