It’s going to be an interesting season for the Los Angeles Lakers. It is a time of obvious transition, but for a team that’s accustomed to being on top, it’s going to be much different than that.
After a season in which they struggled to simply reach the playoffs, things might be even more frustrating for the Lakers in 2014. So before we dive into the upcoming season, a quick look at all the turmoil from a season ago should help make the picture a little clearer.
In 2012-13 the Lakers had some issues. They fired a coach, had half their team miss serious time due to injuries, saw their longtime owner pass away and ultimately got swept in four blowout games against the eventual Western Conference champions in the first round.
Then, to top it all off, they lost their future cornerstone, Dwight Howard, to the Houston Rockets. Needless to say, it wasn’t a very good season.
Now things are even more uncertain. Will the Lakers even manage to reach the seventh or eighth seed this time around without Howard and with a recovering Kobe Bryant (torn Achilles)? Will Mike D’Antoni manage to stick around for the entire season? Will they actually be able to win a game against the Clippers? All of these things will be told in time, but for now let’s focus on the five main things to watch for this season.
1. How healthy is Kobe Bryant? The big question for the Lakers coming into this season is the health of their star player. Bryant has been the face of the franchise for nearly two decades, but he has never faced an injury as severe as this one.
His eventual return date is still questionable, with some suggesting he will be ready Opening Night, while others think he won’t be back on the court until November or December. Whichever it is, how Bryant looks when he finally does get back is going to be key. After all, thirty-somethings don’t generally recover quickly from shredded Achilles tendons.
If Bryant is able to return and play at a high level, the Lakers could conceivably make a run at a playoff spot. If not, they are likely looking at a season that will end with them outside the top eight in the Western Conference, and therefore outside the postseason.
2. Steve Nash and Pau Gasol. For an old team like the Lakers, it is not surprising that most of their questions revolve around the health of the veteran players. Both Nash (broken leg) and Gasol (knee, foot) missed significant time a season ago, which forced the Lakers into difficult situations. In fact, for Game 4 of the first round of the playoffs, the Lakers threw out a starting backcourt of Darius Morris and Andrew Goudelock. That’s not going to get it done.
Just like Bryant’s health is crucial for the Lakers, the health of Gasol and Nash is just as essential. If both guys are able to play at a high level, the Lakers might have a shot to make a little noise out west. Even though both Nash (39) and Gasol (33) are getting up there in age, they are still able to contribute at a high level when fully healthy.
3. New faces, and an old one. The Lakers have a bunch of new faces that were added to the roster this offseason. Names like Nick Young, Chris Kaman, Wesley Johnson and Jordan Farmar – in his second stint with the Lakers – are a few of the ones that will likely see significant playing time. The problem is that most of those guys aren’t exactly players to build a championship contender around. So how will that work out? Well, likely, just as the Lakers are hoping — one and done.