NBA Los Angeles Lakers

Los Angeles Lakers’ Future Not As Bad As It Seems

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Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Not to state the obvious, but the Los Angeles Lakers are not having the best season. Okay, this might be the darkest hour of the rich franchise, but on a high note, they can only get better at this point. And yeah, fans might hear this over and over again, but nobody is saying they have don’t have to wait for several seasons to be playoff contenders.

Technically speaking, the relatively young team has a lot of talent and good enough coaching to make it to the playoffs in seasons to come. One of the biggest problems they are facing as of now is a lack of identity. Often when a team is struggling to maintain some sort of winning consistency, it has something to do with how they play together. The worst part about trying to find identity in a situation such as the Lakers is that this team is scheduled to change in the upcoming season.

So say they find some kind of rhythm at this point, or later in the season; not all the same players will return, and new additions will change the direction of the team. The plan should be to figure out which roles players will be playing from now going into next season. Nick Young, who is sure to stay, will be playing a more consistent role than he has. He will probably still the sixth man for the team, but he will have a huge role on the offense.

Rookie Jordan Clarkson, who is developing by the minute, will be expected to mature quickly and make his presence felt in the near future. The athletic young man can be great offensively and has star characteristics. One of the main focuses for him will be to know when to play fast and when to slow things down. Like coach Byron Scott said, he only has one gear as of now, and hopefully Scott can mentor and adjust Clarkson’s game.

Another issue might be Kobe Bryant, who will certainly have an impact on the franchise regardless of his career decision; that said, the foundation of the Lakers’ future looks sound right now.

Abdikarim Hashi is a NBA writer for www.Rantsports.com. You could follow him on Twitter @Goldhashi, “Like” him on Facebook and add him to your network on Google.

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