It’s been almost 60 years since the Lakers were this bad. At 0-5 to start the season and with no clear turnaround in sight, the Lakers under first-year coach Byron Scott are probably destined to one-up Mike D’Antoni’s 2013-14 team, which set a new mark for futility with 55 losses.
As Lee Jenkins of Sports Illustrated wrote in the magazine’s November 10 issue, "After winning 16 championships, including five in the past 15 years, the Lakers might now be the worst NBA team west of Philadelphia."
Former All-Star and current TNT analyst Charles Barkley was emphatic about tying his new diet to Lakers victories by saying, "I'm not going to eat another meal until the Lakers win a game." After learning just how difficult the Lakers' schedule looks the next few weeks, Barkley backtracked and said, "Let me rethink that."
The worst start in NBA history belongs to the 2009-10 New Jersey Nets, who went 18 games without a win before finally beating someone. L.A. has a ways to go to top that dubious distinction, but if the Lakers can’t defeat the Charlotte Hornets Sunday at home, they could easily run their losing streak to 10 or more before finding a way to win.
The Lakers have plenty of hurdles to overcome this season just to resemble a competitive NBA team.
More than likely, Kobe Bryant and company's attempt at respectability turns further south, and the team ends up a bottom-five lottery participant. Given their current roster, the hurdles just look too big to overcome this season.
A growing number of analysts are even suggesting the Lakers bite the bullet and deal Kobe Bryant, something that would only happen if No. 24 went to management and demanded it.
Here is Sports Illustrated's Matt Dollinger on the Lakers' dismal start: "The Lakers might be the wor...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
