Lakers: 10 Reasons to Be Excited for the 2016-17 Season

4. The Rise of Brandon Ingram

With first overall pick, Ben Simmons set to miss a prolonged amount of time with a foot injury, the spotlight now turns to second overall pick, Brandon Ingram.

Similar to teammate D’Angelo Russell, Ingram got out to a molasses slow start in Summer League, showing glimpses of stardom throughout the preseason including a 21 point, 7 rebound performance against none other than his idol, Kevin Durant and the Golden State Warriors.

It’s not everyday that you run into a 6’10 player who moves as fluidly as he does on and off the ball who also possesses all the intangibles on defensive end of the floor. Ingram is fully capable of earning his spot in the starting lineup and expect him to do so sooner rather than later.

3. Junior Year for Julius Randle…

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The story line for last year technically being Julius Randle’s rookie season is long and played out. After having a full season under his belt, Randle’s third year in the league is his chance to prove his doubters wrong.. and believe me, he has a ton of them even among the Lakers’ faithful.

However, even his critics are more than willing to accept that they were wrong, if only Randle can show that he’s more than just a bully who has a nose for grabbing the rebounds.

Having been hard on Randle for the entirety of his NBA tenure, I still believe that he has what it takes to do just that, but only time will tell.

2. And Jordan Clarkson

In regards to Clarkson, if he is more aggressive on the court, in all senses of the word, he has a chance to carve out a role for himself and be a formidable combo guard for years to come… hopefully along side BFF, D’Angelo Russell.

1. Redshirt Freshman, D’Angelo Russell

NBA scouts are hopping back on the D’Angelo Russell bandwagon, so don’t be surprised when the sophomore guard breaks out in what scouts have deemed his “redshirt freshman” year.

With last year behind him, Russell looks to take the league by storm though fans shouldn’t expect him to make this transition from college sophomore to mature leader overnight.

Already showing glimpses of what he promised would happen last season in Summer League and the preseason, count on D’Loading to be in the running for the Most Improved Player Award next season.

Next: Breaking Down Brandon Ingram's Playmaking Abilities

What else are you excited for this upcoming NBA campaign? Let us know in the comments below or on Twitter @TheLakeShowLife and @ericdyee.