NBA Power Rankings: The Pacific Division

Dec 10, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard

(24) is defended by Phoenix Suns forward

(17) at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

5. Los Angeles Lakers

2013-14 record: 27-55

Key Losses: Pau Gasol, Chris Kaman, Kendall Marshall, Jodie Meeks, Kent Bazemore

Key Additions: Jeremy Lin, Ed Davis, Julius Randle, Carlos Boozer, Jordan Clarkson, Head Coach Byron Scott

The 2014-15 Lakers will be, well, different, I guess, compared to the 2013-14 Lakers. Although, I don’t know if that means the Lakers will be better next season than they were this season.

Mike D’Antoni is gone, which is probably for the better, but the roster isn’t exactly built to win right now. The Lakers have a lot of interesting pieces, but I don’t know how they all fit together. Unless Steve Nash and Kobe Bryant return to, say, 2006 form, the Lakers will be the worst team in the Pacific division.

All the Lakers’ new additions are enticing, but I still don’t see the new talent equating to wins, especially with an aging Kobe and Nash. The returning core of Nick Young, Jordan Hill, Xavier Henry, Wesley Johnson, Ryan Kelly, and Rob Scare paired with the new players doesn’t make sense to me right now. The Lakers basically have a bunch of mediocre-ish players who are all as good as each other. Setting a definitive rotation will be difficult for Scott in his first season with the Lakers.

Ultimately, the Lakers should be fun to watch if Bryant and Nash can get back on the court and stay on the court. If not, I’m totally fine with another season of this, though: