The Lakers have come out strong this 2016-2017 season with fresh legs out on the court. With the retirement of Kobe Bryant, leadership and experience have been a key concern for the Lakers.
However, with a team without a lot of depth, younger talent such as D’angelo Russell, Julius Randle, Jordan Clarkson, Larry Nance Jr., and Brandon Ingram have driven the team to a 11-20 record.
How is this any better than last season? Many key improvements have been made with the development of Russell’s shooting range and Randle’s inside game. Brandon Ingram, an outstanding forward from Duke, has already shown great potential with his spectacular defense and offensive scoring ability. With experienced veterans alongside the young talent, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Lakers can get their record back to, if not above, .500 by the All-Star break. Luke Walton has even noticed the little things that have helped the Lakers.
According to Mike Bresnahan of Spectrum SportsNet, Walton stated regarding Larry Nance Jr, “You’re going to have superstars that end up on SportsCenter every night but you need guys doing the little things.”
The youth of the Lakers no doubt have to be the core of this team. Before even talking about the playoffs or All-Star potential, players with minimal amount of experience in the NBA must put up consistent numbers and compete against difficult opponents in order to stay in playoff contention.
We are quarter the way in into the 2016-17 season, and the future of the Lakers and their fans may possibly look bright, with recent years of disappointment all behind them.
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