There are a couple of ways one could process this information. Either such consistent fortunes instills within you, the average Lakers fan, a sense that good days are always around the bend even in the toughest times—or…what Magic Johnson said, as quoted by Lakers Nation reporter Serena Winters:
To recap: Magic Johnson—one of the top five players to ever spin a Spalding, winner of five NBA championships and three MVP awards, participant in 12 All-Star Games, basketball ambassador beloved the world over—had a “messed up” year because the Lakers were kind of crappy.
Perspective!
It’s possible Johnson spends hours a day fielding pointed questions from angry fans, imbued with accusatory undertones somehow placing blame on Magic himself, about why L.A. hasn’t remained in its rightful place atop the Western Conference.
But we kind of doubt it.
That said, all is far from well in Lakerland: A 35-year-old, injury-rattled Kobe Bryant is taking up more than a third of the team's cap space; L.A.’s biggest offseason move involved essentially being paid to take Jeremy Lin off the Houston Rockets’ hands; they replaced Pau Gasol with Carlos Boozer; and Julius Randle—a 19-year-old rookie forward—might actually lead them in scoring.
So no, the Lakers aren’t bringing home their 17th banner anytime soon.
Over at SB Nation, Tom Ziller penned a particularly pessimistic view of L.A.’s near-future prospects:
As I wrote earlier in July, the Lakers never stay down for long. But even one more year of mediocrity and one more horrible offseason could be too long to save the end of Kobe's Lakers career. This is quite a race to w...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
