The Los Angeles Lakers have one of the worst records in the league, and are riding out the popularity of a veteran superstar who is going to retire at the end of the season. They have a couple of exciting young prospects, but the coaching staff has not figured out the best way to develop these players while giving Kobe Bryant the respect he deserves in his final year. As a result, the Lakers have not looked like a team, and too often play as if they do not belong on the court. This roster may not be enough to be a playoff contender, but they must continue to compete every night or things could get even worse.
If the Lakers’ draft pick falls in the top three, then they will get to keep it and hopefully use it on another potential superstar. This will be a huge storyline the rest of the year, as currently they have the second worst record in the entire league. There are several impact players expected to be drafted early, and this could be end up being a franchise changing draft for the organization.
The Lakers will not openly admit to tanking, but this season sure seems like they have already thrown in the towel. Bryant is having one of his worst seasons as a professional, and the questionable lineup decisions are key factors in the team doing so poorly. The team plays little to no defense, yet they are not a high-scoring team either. They have a lot of isolation players so there is constantly a lack of movement on offense, and almost no creativity in the play calling.
The roster is also severely lacking in talent, with no elite players currently on the roster. Roy Hibbert was once one of the best defenders in the league, but he is a shell of his previous self and cannot carry the defense alone. Jordan Clarkson has certainly showed a lot of promise, but he is still young and a while away from being an All-Star caliber player. D’Angelo Russell and Julius Randle have the most potential, however they too are not yet ready to lead a team.
The good news for the organization is that even though they are losing, Bryant’s farewell tour has allowed them to stay popular and has taken focus away from how badly they are playing. They have a few opportunities as the deadline approaches to perhaps unload some players in hopes of acquiring more assets for the future. They will also have a lot of salary cap space this offseason, although they still must prove that they can attract star players to Los Angeles. A lot can change for the Lakers, but as of now, they are really far behind the rest of the pack.
Final First Half Grade: D
