The Los Angeles Lakers' long nightmare is over. After losing an unthinkable 55 games, they landed a sought-after prospect in the lottery, Kobe Bryant's body continues mending rapidly thanks to his mamba blood and team president Jeanie Buss still has a ton of championship trophies to display in her office for prospective free agents.
To be sure, the Lakers' status as a marquee franchise persists despite the clunker that was 2013-14. However, the team's future remains opaque. The roster has three players signed entering July's free-agency period, according to Spotrac: Kobe, Steve Nash and Robert Sacre. The position of head coach also remains wide-open, with the team seeming to leave that decision up to the best free agents around the league as a sweetener for committing to the Lake Show.
Among the plethora of question marks, two stand out as concrete: Will Pau Gasol return? And is the team that committed $48.5 million to a degrading Kobe really gunning to save $500,00 on their talented rookie forward? The remaining rumors around the team are awash with league-wide speculation over the destinations for the league's top free agents, but there's no denying L.A. remains an attractive place to play.
Pau Gasol
At times last season, Lakers fans spent more time pitying Gasol than actually rooting for the team. With the Lakers decimated by injuries, Gasol dutifully turned in another sparkling season, posting 17.4 points, 9.7 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game. All the while, the rest of the starting five looked more like a lineup at the Las Vegas Summer League.
Understandably, Gasol has turned his mind to the future, and he's contemplating the best place to pursue another championship after turning 34. The relaxed locales he frequents should encourage a tranquil mind for the decision-making process.
However, a storm brews back in L.A.&...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
