Yet there are significant differences between Tim Duncan's quest for a very plausible repeat in San Antonio and Kobe Bryant's far less certain future with the Los Angeles Lakers. New head coach Byron Scott has no silver bullets given the roster he's been dealt.
In turn, the Lakers have stumbled to their worst start (0-5) since moving to Los Angeles. Iconic point guard Steve Nash is finished for the season—and likely forever—on account of nerve damage. Prized rookie forward Julius Randle will likely miss the season while recovering from a broken leg.
The Lakers aren't giving up on the 2014-15 campaign just yet, at least officially. As Bryan told reporters after a 112-106 loss to the Phoenix Suns:
Big wow...We've got to win these games. Games that we have that are close, that could go either way, we need to figure a way to get these done. It's a learning process but it's very, very frustrating. It's upsetting, but we have to be determined. I have to stay determined. Guys have to stay determined and try to turn things around.
If we're being realistic, however, things probably won't turn around anytime soon. Not without some help.
So it's only natural to begin asking whom general manager Mitch Kupchak might target in 2015, when his Lakers get another shot at the free-agent market after whiffing on recent pursuits of Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James.
SI.com's Chris Mannix recently reported that, "There is one player who makes sense in LA next season: Rajon Rondo. Several rival executives believe the Lakers will make a strong run at Rondo next summer, and it's easy to see why."
It is easy, especially when accounting for an otherwise underwhelming crop of available talent. It won't be easy to pry restricted free agents like Kaw...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
