Los Angeles Lakers: 2015-16 Season Outlook
2015-16 Roster:
Brandon Bass, F
Tarik Black, C
Anthony Brown, F
Jabari Brown, G
Kobe Bryant, G
Jordan Clarkson, G
Michael Frazier II, G
Roy Hibbert, C
Jonathan Holmes, F
Ryan Kelly, F
Larry Nance Jr., F
Julius Randle, F
D’Angelo Russell, G
Robert Sacre, C
Lou Williams, G
Nick Young, F
Offseason Additions:
Brandon Bass (free agent-Boston), Anthony Brown (draft, 34th overall), Michael Frazier II (free agent-undrafted), Roy Hibbert (trade-Indiana), Jonathan Holmes (free agent-undrafted), Larry Nance Jr. (draft, 27th overall), D’Angelo Russell (draft, second overall), Lou Williams (free agent-Toronto)
Offseason Subtractions:
Carlos Boozer (unrestricted free agent), Ed Davis (unrestricted free agent-Portland), Wayne Ellington (unrestricted free agent-Brooklyn), Jordan Hill (unrestricted free agent?-Indiana), Wesley Johnson (unrestricted free agent-Los Angeles Clippers), Jeremy Lin (unrestricted free agent-Charlotte), Ronnie Price (unrestricted free agent-Phoenix)
Quick Thoughts:
Linsanity is gone, Ed “Value Deal” Davis is gone, Boozer is gone and Jordan Hill is gone…which is to say the Lakers didn’t really lose much this summer. What Los Angeles lost in frontcourt depth, they made up for it with the additions of Hibbert, Bass, Nance Jr. and Holmes.
Hibbert provides the Lakers with temporary relief as a defensive anchor who should help improve one of the league’s worst defenses from last year, but with only one season left on his contract, his long-term future in Hollywood is unclear. That’s not the end of the world however, since most of the Lakers’ roster is now made up of first and second-year players to keep cap space open for free agency next summer.
The return of Kobe Bryant (and possibly his last hurrah) will be the highlight of the season for most Lakers fans, but everyone will have their eye on D’Angelo Russell, the second overall pick who is already being hailed as the next great Lakers point guard. Still, with Jordan Clarkson and Lou Williams onboard, head coach Byron Scott will need to commit to playing Russell and much as possible while still finding minutes for everyone else.
Next: Storyline: Is Russell Ready?