2017–18 NBA Season Preview: Los Angeles Lakers
On May 16th, the future of the Los Angeles Lakers was at risk in the NBA Draft Lottery- if their pick didn’t land in the top three, it would go to the Philadelphia 76ers, and their 2019 first-rounder would go to the Orlando Magic. Luckily for them, though, they were awarded the second overall pick- and the ability to take a one-of-a-kind talent in Lonzo Ball, a hometown kid who put the College Basketball world on notice in his one electrifying season at UCLA. Newly brought-in executives Rob Pelinka and Magic Johnson had quite a few transformative decisions to make.
Offseason Moves
Re-signed: Tyler Ennis
Added: Brook Lopez (Trade), Lonzo Ball (Draft), Kyle Kuzma (Draft), Thomas Bryant (Draft), Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (Free Agency)
Lost: D’Angelo Russell (Trade), Timofey Mozgov (Trade), Nick Young (Free Agency), Tarik Black (Free Agency)
The first big move of the summer was the trade of Russell and Mozgov to the Brooklyn Nets for Lopez, and the draft pick that became Kuzma. The single objective they were attempting to complete here was to save money. And in order to get off of Mozgov’s disastrous contract, they had to part ways with Russell, who is just two years removed from being the second overall pick. However, they were likely going to move on from him anyways, as their replacement for him was on his way. With the second overall pick, the Lakers took Ball in hopes that he’d be the guy to lead them to where they once were- on top. They also signed free agent Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who will be a great fit with Ball. KCP is only on a one-year deal, but even if this is his only year as a Laker, at least the team will have gotten on the good side of super-agent Rich Paul who represents Caldwell-Pope, as well as a certain upcoming free agent by the name of LeBron James. But ultimately, they need to have been right about Ball. He, along with other young Lakers like Brandon Ingram and Julius Randle, are now in charge of bringing “Showtime” basketball back.
The Key to Their Success
The Lakers aren’t going to make the playoffs this season. They may overachieve, and they’ll likely be a fun team to watch, but by no means do they have any chance of getting a playoff spot. However, success doesn’t come in the win column for them this season. What would make this season a success is if Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram play like potential superstars. LA’s hopes of building a future champion relies on those two to become elite players.
Player to Watch
In his two full seasons in the NBA, Randle has shown how unique he is. He’s a bruiser, but is often matched up against much bigger bodies. He’s displayed passing and shooting abilities for brief periods, but it hasn't been sustained for long stretches. In year one, he struggled to score but rebounded very well. In his sophomore season, he had much more success when it came to putting the ball in the bucket, but his rebounding numbers dipped. He needs to build off of his improvement on the offensive end, while getting back to where he was on the boards.
Best and Worst Case Scenarios
Best case: Ball and Ingram both show flashes of superstardom, Randle makes big improvements, and the Lakers are one of the most fun teams in all of basketball, making them a very attractive free agency destination for players like LeBron James and Paul George.
Worst case: The two centerpieces underwhelm, the surrounding pieces don’t step up, and the Lakers are one of the league’s worst teams. Free agents see how poorly run the team is, and cross them off their list of possible destinations.
Predicting Their Fate
Ball and Ingram will be somewhat impressive, but they certainly won’t be insanely good. Caldwell-Pope’s presence will be a huge help for Ball as he tries to develop into a much better player on the defensive end. Lonzo’s fantastic passing ability and court vision make them a very exciting team, and most importantly, one that will be attractive to players like James and George.
