Final Offseason Grades for LA Lakers

With the departure of Dwight Howard during the offseason, the Los Angeles Lakers were tasked with restructuring a team to tide them over until next year's free-agency period. While the expectations were definitely lowered after Superman left, the Lakers have done a good job of building a competitive team.

Defense has never been an emphasis for Mike D'Antoni throughout his career. This incarnation of D'Antoni's Lakers is no different. However, with a group of versatile guards and a duo of offensively gifted big men, the Lakers should still be able to score the basketball effectively. 

The Lakers' offseason success can be graded based on three things: their performance in the draft, the performance of their offseason acquisitions and their performance in their preseason games. 

 

The Draft

Drafting Ryan Kelly 48th overall in the NBA draft, the Lakers were able to acquire a big man who can spread the floor for them.

Able to return from a foot injury for three of the Lakers' last four preseason games, he was able to show off a pretty decent shooting stroke. While he won't likely see more than garbage minutes, his ability to shoot will certainly generate some opportunities for him from a coach who values big men who are able to create spacing. 



Hitting two of his six three-point attempts and all five of his shots from the free-throw line, Kelly may be able to see some time at the end of games if the other team has to continuously foul to stop the clock. However, given his limited offensive repertoire and relative lack of athleticism, Kelly won't be more than a potential role player for the Lakers this season. 

Despite his shortcomings, the positives he brings to the Lakers at the 48th pick of the second round far outweigh his limitations as a player.

Grade: B- 

 

Offseason Acquisitions
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers