NBA Los Angeles Lakers

Predicting the Los Angeles Lakers’ Final 2014-15 Roster

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Jayne Kamin-Oncea - USA TODAY Sports

Jayne Kamin-Oncea – USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Lakers head into the 2014-15 season with a lot of questions. Point guard Steve Nash has recently been ruled out for the season, meaning the team will look to Jeremy Lin to assume the starting position. Lin is a good player who has played well during the preseason. The emergence of Ronnie Price gives the team a veteran backup who is one of the few players on the roster capable of playing quality defense. Rookie Jordan Clarkson will also get time at point guard once he becomes healthy.

Kobe Bryant, Wesley Johnson and Nick Young are locks to get a lot of minutes at the perimeter wing positions. Bryant may be asked to play some small forward throughout the season as the team just does not have a lot of depth. Johnson has the potential to be the team’s best defender, but he needs to focus on every possession and challenge himself to shut down the opposing team’s top scorer. Young is well known for his scoring ability and it will be interesting to see how he plays with a player like Bryant on the court.

Xavier Henry is another important player who must get healthy as he is an explosive scoring option off of the bench who is capable of creating his own shot. Wayne Ellington will likely be the 15th man on the roster, as the team needs more depth due to all of the injuries. He also is one of the few spot-up shooters on the team who can help stretch out the defense.

The Lakers have a solid big man rotation that will likely include Carlos Boozer, Julius Randle, Jordan Hill and Ed Davis. Boozer needs to regain his All-Star form and help take some of the scoring pressure off of Bryant. Hill is a monster on the boards, but will need to earn his large contract this season. Randle has the potential to compete for Rookie of the Year, but needs to gain the trust of Coach Byron Scott. Davis was the steal of the offseason and should earn more minutes based on his defensive ability.

Robert Sacre and Ryan Kelly will likely be the last two big men off of the bench for the team. Sacre has been getting better every season and is always cheering on his teammates. He is a big body who isn’t afraid to give a hard foul if necessary. Kelly showed improvement later in the season last year, but needs to become a more consistent shooter to justify his “stretch-four” status.

The Lakers do not normally keep 15 players, but due to all of the past injuries, they would be smart to do so. They have had some players step up during the preseason who proved that they can play. This may not be the most talented team, but if they are able to avoid numerous injuries, then they have a shot at staying competitive.

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