The Lakers exited the playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder on a grim note and their expectations for improvement coming into the next season were minute at best.
I can still remember the scoffs of every Lakers' hater who laughably pointed at their lack of financial flexibility and the prehistoric age of its roster.
I can still hear the mocking and the sneers:
The Lakers are done. Los Angeles is through.
At least, that's how it was supposed to be; that is how it certainly looked.
Where are the haters and critics now?
With one signing and another potential blockbuster trade on the horizon, Mitch Kupchak and company have metamorphosed critics' laughs to Los Angeles' hope, and changed the doomsayers' scoffs into championship promise.
Who is laughing now?
The additions of Steve Nash, Antawn Jamison and the re-signing of Jordan Hill have put the Lakers' enemies back on edge, and the NBA has once again taken notice.
While the future certainly looks bright in comparison to its once bleak nature only a couple of months ago, there are still some obstacles that could conceivably get in the way of Kobe's sixth Larry O'Brien trophy, Los Angeles pride and Antonio Villaraigosa's summer parade.
Let's take a dive into some of the hurdles in Los Angeles' way. It may be a complication at the moment, but there is always a solution to every problem (except in the case of slide six).
On the bright side, this article would have contained 100 slides two months ago, but Lakers' management has dwindled the obstacles down to six.
Without speculating on what may happen, here are the obstacles the team currently faces.
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Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
