Regardless of any lingering disappointment, the offseason for many NBA teams is an uplifting time. Young players are drafted. Veteran free agents are signed. Trades are made. New coaches are hired.
Teams with a strengthened core, like Brooklyn, are confident they have done everything possible to take the final step to win a title.
Teams such as Oklahoma City and Chicago, who were limited by injuries, are optimistic that if healthy, championship dreams are realistic.
Teams that have been building, like Cleveland, are thrilled with the young talent they have added and even though they know they are not championship contenders, they fantasize about that next step to the playoffs. And after that, dare to dream.
And then there are the Los Angeles Lakers, whose fans have had to deal with rejection in a way they have never experienced in their history. The Lakers have always been a destination franchise – a place where Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O’Neal and countless stars and role players wanted to play.
They have history, they have Hollywood, they have Showtime and they play in one of the few major cities – perhaps the only one – where the NBA is far and away the most popular sport.
Which, of course, results in the most irrational fans.
Because of those 16 banners, because of those legendary players, because the Lakers are a way of life, the decision of Dwight Howard – unquestionably the best center in the league – to leave the glamor of LA for the humidity and overall averageness of Houston has had an unnerving effect on the Laker populace.
So you know what has happened? Lakers fans aren’t dealing with it very well. And it does seem the front office has taken on characteristics of the fan base. The result is the Lakers are looking at the off-season in a way they never have before.
Which is to say they are excited about the 2014-15 season.
That is correct. They are excited about next offseason, not this one.
The dream – or delusion, perhaps – is for LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony to opt out of their contracts after next season and join a healthy Kobe Bryant with the Lakers.
That is an honorable goal for the team. It is somewhat like wanting to start a new business with aspirations of having Bill Gates, Warren Buffett and Larry Ellison for partners. Who wouldn’t want that?
While the chances of a LeBron-Kobe-Melo troika are remote, it is fascinating to consider the story behind the story, which was broken by two reputable reporters for ESPN.com. The information obviously came from parties close to the players, the team or both, but it would seem that the entity with the most to gain would be the Lakers.
With Howard gone, Bryant recovering from surgery on his left Achilles tendon, ultra-talented teams in Oklahoma City, Houston, San Antonio and down the hallway, the Lakers do not have realistic expectations of adding that 17th banner to the rafters next year.
So how to deal with that? Easy. Sell the year after. Focus the fanatics on that 2015 championship parade and perhaps they will be a little less restless this season.
If LeBron and Carmelo were willing, of course, the Lakers would sign them quicker than you can say Phil Jackson, who, by the way, might even come out of retirement again to coach those two and Bryant. (And then he could write another book and mention how difficult it is to coach Bryant.)
But all the reasons that have already been stated and written on why James would not go to LA – if he wins a third straight title in Miami, why leave? If he wants to leave, why not go home and repair his relationship with Cleveland? – there is a larger reason.
Whose team would the Lakers be? And at this level with these personalities, don’t think for a second that it is not a major issue.
LeBron went through that in Miami. As much as he deferred to Dwyane Wade, when it became apparent that he was far superior, Wade announced publicly that James was better. When asked why he would say that, Wade replied, “I try to speak the truth. He is.”
Can anyone imagine Kobe saying the same thing?
PC3 @SWHTown says
Their is a new team in LA the Clippers Doc, Cp3 #Stayed, Griffin & Jordan & whole bunch of good role players…. The Lakers are a mess old players, coach doesnt beleive in Defense,The NBA has truned into a running no gunners,Both Gasol, NAsh& Kobe are not worth their contracts which effects the lakers free agency signings basically no bench… Kobe killing chemistry by jacking up shots& doesnt know how 2 lead @35 thats SAD..Kobe has been surrounded with alot of NBA Great Players Shaq, Nash,Horry, Bynum& D12 But Has got on everyone of those players nerves… why wouldnt u amnesty Kobes $30 million coming off a bad season of shooting % & A career injury..Why? BC of his marketing In LA forget winning RT Lets just ride his coat tail for his Marketing Crazy Jim Buss is killing this franchise w/ his ego & I think He should hand over the Franchise 2 his Sister Jenie Buss Who Cares About Winning RT …D Tony is the worse coach for kobe ya kobe shoot as much as u want if u miss them its ok shoot again WHAT? Efficent Anybody? Can WE GEt James Harden On The phone 2 teach Kobe How 2 Be Effeicent? Kobe is going 7-27 everynight is not helping the lakers only hurting them Lucky D12 in his prime got healthy After The AllStar Break so they could generate some wins so they dont embarasse The Lakers.. Should ve of stuck with Mike Brown Who was benching Kobe for All Those unessesary Shots he was shooting intead of getting team involved While D12 was putting up Monster Numbers MAde Kobe Jealous & Asked For Brown 2 Be Fired WHAT? Kobe @35 Demanding Anything a guy who is out of his prime & has been for the last 3 years…. but kobe wanted to be #1st option for this team 12th In the West Anybody RT..The Lakers will not be good until kobe retires or they trade him away……. Melo, Iverson, & Kobe Are Ballhogs But can be stopped by the RT Coach Phil Jackson Any1 They have great scoring talents but really nothing else… but they always forget u need All Your teammates on the same page& playing good 2 be successful… Shaq Won 3 rings While In Orlando he Went 2 finals By Himself 2 years before joining lakers..Kobe was a role player