Los Angeles Lakers
Last Year’s Outcome: 21-61, Lottery
Best-Case Scenario: 36-Win Season
Why: D’Angelo Russell and Jordan Clarkson are a few reasons to be excited for the Lakers future. Their complete failure in free agency this summer is not something to be excited about. This team has some weapons and, if all them click, they could easily achieve 36 wins. If Roy Hibbert anchors the defense, the rookies are successful and Kobe is back to full strength, that is enough to gain you some wins, even in the West.
Worst-Case Scenario: 21-Win Season
Why: With that said, there’s also a plethora of things that can wrong for the Lakers. If Kobe’s talent/health wanes and Hibbert proves as inconsistent as he did in Indiana, this could be a nightmare for the Lakers. Russell and Randle are far being for sure major contributors this season and if their inexperience hampers LA, then things will begin to spiral downward extremely fast and Byron Scott may never be able to regain control.
What Will Probably Happen: 32-Win Season
Why: It would be great for the league if the Lakers could return to prominence. The problem is that they are not even close. Sure, if their young talented threesome in Clarkson, Russell, and Randle click, then the Lakers future looks bright. Their ultimate failure in free agency hurts and the likes of Hibbert, Lou Williams and Brandon Bass only ease that pain temporarily and chemistry remains a concern. There are enough pieecs to ensure they do not suffer the same amount of losses as last season, but there is not enough the get them anywhere near the playoff discussion.
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