A storied franchise like the Lakers that prides itself on winning championships isn't about to purposely impede their path to success.
Somewhere along the lines, what was an undeniable fact became a debate Chris Kaman was quickly able to quell.
Los Angeles inked Kaman to a one-year deal for the mini mid-level exception, a surprising move considering the circumstances.
Standing at seven-feet tall and not yet 32, Kaman is presumably worth more than a smidgen over $3 million annually. And he's certainly worth investing more than a single year in.
Somehow, the Lakers landed him at a discounted rate, and for only year, so as not to compromise their financial flexibility leading into the summer of 2014.
Convincing players to sign for less than their market value is a right normally reserved for contenders and bona fide powerhouses like the Miami Heat, not a team in transition like the Lakers.
Deluded loyalty aside, the Lakers aren't winning any championships next season, adding even more confusion to the signing.
Not only that, we were led to believe that Dwight Howard's departure paved the way for Pau Gasol to play center exclusively, where he's been known to excel. Then we find out the plan is to use Kaman in conjunction with Pau.
It's all very murky in Los Angeles right now.
Kobe Bryant's future is up in the air thanks to his ruptured Achilles, no one knows how healthy Steve Nash or Pau will be next season, Metta World Peace may be on his way out and now this.
Confusion is certainly the prevailing theme in Tinseltown at the moment, but don't mistake their collective ambivalence for tanking. That's not what they're doing. They wouldn't have signed Kaman if they were.
Perhaps some of us have gotten caught up in the Andrew Wiggins hype or the...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
