They’ll be lucky to grab a spot in the playoffs and may even finish near the bottom of the league standings.
Surprisingly, though, the best thing about the Lakers of 2014-15 is not the NBA draft next summer. It's the intriguing individual stories of players, young and old, rookies and veterans, who make up the current roster that will keep interest high.
There's a first-round, lottery draft choice and a second-rounder with a chip on his shoulders who may push the veterans and bring the sort of youthful energy this Lakers team has been lacking for several seasons.
There are reclamation projects and unheralded, yet talented, journeymen who will have a golden opportunity to grow with this club or find themselves a new home elsewhere in the league.
What we won't get to see this season is a legend in Steve Nash. Just this week, the Lakers and Nash agreed that his season on the active roster was over before it even started due to health reasons. Reached before his team's final preseason game Friday night against the Sacramento Kings in Las Vegas, head coach Byron Scott said (via ABCNews.com):
Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to coach him. Steve has always been one of my favorite people in the league because he's such a professional, such a gentleman. Just like everybody else, I'm wishing him all the best.
The same sentiment needs to be conveyed to Scott, who takes over a team in transition with a number of question marks. Kobe Bryant and company may surprise us—they have nowhere to go but up.
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Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
