The road back to relevance is long and littered with question marks for the Los Angeles Lakers, but that trek officially got underway Thursday night.
Los Angeles, in the draft lottery for the first time since 2005, used the seventh overall selection to snag high-motor big man Julius Randle out of Kentucky.
"He's got big-time skills," general manager Mitch Kupchak said, via Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times. "He can put the ball on the floor. He can drive and get to the rim."
The Lakers later traded for the draft rights to Jordan Clarkson, the 46th overall pick. The combo guard, who Bleacher Report's Daniel O'Brien noted has "the size of a shooting guard and the quickness and creativity of a point," gives L.A. another piece to a still largely empty puzzle.
Assuming Clarkson sticks, the Lakers have five players for next season's roster—six if they guarantee the contract of point guard Kendall Marshall. Considering they're building an NBA squad and not forming a three-on-three team, they have plenty more moves to make.
From casting their line in hopes of catching a big fish to rummaging through the league's bargain bin, here are the next logical steps for the franchise to take.
Aiming High, Probably Settling for Less
The Lakers have the right to dream big. Heck, their market and rich history (16 NBA championships) might demand that they do so.
When it comes to offseason plans of attack, L.A.'s are reportedly as optimistic as anyone's.
The Lakers, according to ESPN.com's Ramona Shelburne, have been searching for a way to pair All-Star forwards LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony since before the players opted out of their current deals.
According to Sam Amick of USA Today, that's the reason the Lakers "took their time in their still-ongoing coaching search as a way of leaving eve...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
