The Los Angeles Lakers’ front office has plenty of scenarios for next year, mostly depending on how the draft lottery unfolds, but there are also low-profile decisions to be made to address the team roster.
Another unsuccessful season full of ups and downs is over for the Los Angeles Lakers, finishing at least on a positive note with five wins in six games, prompted by the team effort of a roster reduced to its young core and a bunch of players under evaluation.
With the veterans shut down for the final part of the season the depleted unit showed to be headed in the right direction displaying cohesiveness and an attempt to a renewed defensive commitment.
The coming offseason is full of unknowns for the Purple and Gold, starting with the draft lottery, when Magic Johnson, Rob Pelinka and Luke Walton will learn whether they are going to retain their pick (if it lands in the top three) or not.
In free agency, Magic will begin his quest for a superstar to install on the throne left vacant one year ago by Kobe Bryant’s retirement, while he will have to work on the hard task to get rid of the huge contract of either Luol Deng or Timofey Mozgov.
The young core is obviously a lock to return (though nobody seems untouchable under the new management), but almost all of the complementary players played on one-year or non-guaranteed contracts this season and they had a chance to make a case to be retained.
These players are not franchise changing kind of guys but they proved to be quality members enough to deserve a chance to come back as end-of-the-bench or inactive players, ready to hit the floor when needed and helping to build the right culture within the team.
So, let’s take a look to the unexpected contributors the season produced for the Lakers and why they should return as a part of the team next year.
Thomas Robinson
A former lottery pick, draft bust and journeyman, Thomas Robinson received an invitation to training camp with nearly a 0 percent chance to be signed for the season given the logjam in Lakers’ frontcourt (including recently signed Yi Jianlian).
He unexpectedly made it through the camp and obtained a spot on the final 15-man roster with the coaching staff praising his energy, relentlessness and daily commitment.
The former Jayhawk never complained about a lack of playing time, rather cheering for is teammates from the sideline and staying mentally ready for a call to action.
He had the opportunity to showcase his qualities between December and January, when an injured Larry Nance left a vacancy at the power forward rotation, and surprised more than one person averaging 6.9 points and 7.6 rebounds per game plus shooting 66 percent from the field in nine games.
In the final stretch of the season, with the Lakers in full tanking mode, he received more playing time, scoring 9.6 points and 6.3 rebounds per game.
Robinson accepted his role with the team, whether he played or not, proved to be a positive presence in the locker room and a nice fit in Walton’s offense, acting as an energetic backup power forward and center, very active on the boards.
His constant motion made him a decent defender, though not above-average, but was a worse shot blocker than you would expect from a 6’10” athletic big man.
TR has already declared his desire to stay in L.A. and, if it was the case, he sounded willing to maintain the role he thrived in this season.
Tyler Ennis
In his brief career, Tyler Ennis never had a real chance to show what he was capable of. Four teams in three years, with his last stop being the Lakers, coming in exchange for Marcelo Huertas. The brand new management acquired him in a low-risk, low-reward move with the sole purpose to audition a young unproven player for the backup point guard position.
In 22 games, Ennis averaged 7.7 points and scored a career-high 19 points in his first start of the season. He also shot a surprisingly good 39 percent from three, not a quality he was known for. However, he needs to keep working on this aspect of his game if he hopes to remain a relevant figure in the NBA landscape.
With D’Angelo Russell and Jordan Clarkson, the point guard rotation looks set for the foreseeable future and there is the chance of a restructuring with the possible coming of a talented point guard through the draft. Ennis would represent a valuable backup in case of injuries.
Corey Brewer
Via ESPN:
"Early this season, Brewer, who was traded to the Lakers in late February, took a pass on the baseline, drove, spun, shook two defenders with a 360 and missed a point-blank shot at the rim. “Coach, I did my thing,” he told D’Antoni, “but then I got to the rim and just ran out of talent.” “Ran out of talent,” D’Antoni repeats. “Best line in the history of basketball.”"
Talent. That is not what L.A. needs from Brewer. They just ask for his defense.
It is not a case that when every player over 30 was shut down he was the only one to receive constant playing time.
Brewer was a breath of fresh air for Coach Walton. He arrived as a casualty of the trade deadline but the staff decided that it was worth taking a look at the veteran because of the defensive ability he is known for.
The 6’9″ forward met the expectations showing his usual commitment and representing an example to the young and less defense-oriented players.
Brewer still has one year at $7.6 million remaining on his contract and it would not be so bad to keep him instead of seeing him traded away. As I pointed out in a previous post, he needs to work on his 3-point shot to be a better fit in Walton’s system, but he will certainly prove a good influence for the young team.
David Nwaba
From D-League training camp to a multi-year contract with the Los Angeles Lakers. It has been a dream Journey for David Nwaba, a testament to the perseverance and faith of a boy who never gave up on his aspirations.
The energetic guard emerged in his time with the Los Angeles D-Fenders for his defense and athleticism, enough to receive a 10-day contract with the Lakers followed by a second 10-day contract and eventually an unexpected two-year deal.
He was the player who, more than anyone else, joined Brewer in a renewed defensive effort which, though it did not show up on the scoreboard, left the impression that maybe something was starting to move for the team with the worst defensive rating in the league.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Nwaba is going to start to work on his shooting next week and that is not a bad idea considering it is not one of his strengths. He is still on a non-guaranteed contract and will need a productive Summer League and a strong training camp to convince the coaching staff that he deserves that spot in the final roster.