Forget the rest of the 2013 NBA Playoffs, the Los Angeles Lakers are already dead in the water. After an embarrassing performance against the San Antonio Spurs, the Lakers are behind the eight ball and naturally the demons of the looming offseason are already poking their head.
With no young talent and an awful head coach, the prospects for the Lakers may be worse than they have ever been in the history of the storied franchise. This is the problem when players like Metta World Peace and Pau Gasol reach a point in their career when they are no longer effective and their contracts are loaded. Gasol will make $19 million next season with his issues of playing soft still a monstrous worry.
Unfortunately, the Gasol issue is the on the back-burner for this organization considering the gigantic elephant in the room being Kobe Bryant and his torn Achilles tendon. This injury will sideline the Black Mamba for the majority of the upcoming season, but the option to amnesty No. 24 remains a definite possibility. The historic Lakers guard is due over $30 million in his final year with Los Angeles, which is a lot of money to pay someone who might not play the entire season.
Gasol has been battered by NBA fans for a long time, but his play has only gotten worse in recent seasons. With one more year left on his contract Gasol could be on a different roster when the 2013 season begins.
This time last year the Lakers were salivating about possibly bringing in Dwight Howard, however now he is a pending free agent who could have easily played his last game in the purple and gold. Good luck Lake Show, you’re going to need it tremendously.
