As we say goodbye to Kobe Bryant the L.A. Lakers “rebuilding” period really starts to kick in. Actually, we’re still in tear down mode right now, the rebuilding will have to come later, and free agency is the only way we’ll see any significant immediate progress.
The Lake Show does have a young nucleus in place, but they’re not looking promising right now. The Lakers are currently the worst team in the Western Conference, the second worst in the NBA and only marginally better than the Philadelphia 76ers. L.A. is 11-44, Philly is 8-45 heading into the All-Star break.
Said ESPN Analyst and former NBA Coach P.J. Carlesimo:
“To me from the outside, Lakers with money, yeah, I could see people wanting to go there but I don’t know if that’s the way players think. But that franchise, the tradition and the money they have available, I could see that happening.”
Fellow ESPN Analyst Chauncey Billups was more authoritative in his answer.
“I think it’s an attractive outfit. I think players, now, if you look at a player just for instance Kevin Durant, he’s going to be a free agent, probably the biggest one out there. I don’t think it’s worth it for him to go there by himself. You’re already in a winning situation. You’re on a very, very good basketball team.
“You don’t want to take 20 steps back.”
“But if there are a couple other guys that you can go there with and you think you can get some synergy with these guys and it won’t take long for you to be an elite team, man, just being in that market, being in a storied franchise, I think those things matter.”
That was a pretty funny stab at the Lakers Chauncey took there with the “20 steps back” comments. However, you know what a hot mess this roster is right now. We chronicled that in detail on Groundhog Day. Billups did say more uplifting, positive things about Lakerland though.
“I don’t know which players, but they’ll be able to attract some guys to come and be Lakers. I mean, it’s the Lakers and it’s Los Angeles and it’s a huge market. In this day and age when a lot of these guys are really concerned with their brand, it’s attractive,” Billups said.
It’s just going to be too hard for the Lakers to turn this thing around next year via the draft. There’s only so much another lottery pick can give them. It’s going to take not one but at least two big name free agents. Carlesimo outlined how that could go down.
“If one elite player sees another one going there, and I could see that happening the way he said it too. But it’s not going to be one. I don’t know who is going to be the first one. But if a couple get together without question, because you see the league now, two is not enough anymore,” said Carlesimo.
“In the old days if you had two you’d say, wow, we have a chance to win the whole thing. Now it’s like you have to have three. It’s amazing.”
That’s what it would take, a domino theory package deal kind of thing. So there’s hope yet Lakers fans. It’s going to be a huge summer in Hollywood.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes regularly to the Chicago Tribune’s RedEye publication and Bold Global.
He also consistently appears on numerous talk shows all across the country. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram