Three Key Storylines
1. How NBA-Ready Is D’Angelo Russell?
When the Lakers passed up a sure-fire interior scorer in Jahlil Okafor, the pressure was on for guard D’Angelo Russell. The Lakers aren’t used to being this bad for this long, and after striking out in free agency, it’ll be another painful season for a prestigious organization that doesn’t normally dabble in “rebuilding” like the rest of the league.
But when Kobe Bryant hangs up his jersey, Russell will be the face of the franchise. That’s a lot of pressure to place on a 19-year-old, but he’ll undoubtedly be one of the biggest reasons to tune in to Lakers games this season, especially if Kobe struggles with injury problems again. The question is, how NBA-ready is D’Angelo Russell right now?
Russell has plenty of time to develop, but the impatience of Lakers fans is a factor here. Los Angeles’ backcourt is suddenly crowded between Kobe (he won’t take a backseat to anyone), Jordan Clarkson (a promising second-year player who could be on the verge of a breakout season) and Lou Williams (a useful sixth man who will jack up his fair share of shots).
If I coached the @Lakers, rotation would be:
— Andy Bailey (@AndrewDBailey) August 10, 2015
PG—Russell
SG—Clarkson
SF—Kobe
PF—Randle
C—Hibbert
Bench—Lou, Swaggy, Bass, Nance
Will Byron Scott make Russell’s development a priority as a rookie? Will Clarkson get lost in the shuffle? And will Russell or Clarkson ever get to shoot the ball when Kobe or Williams are on the court?
After his NBA Summer League performance — in which he averaged 5.2 turnovers per game — it was clear that while Russell has great court vision and plenty of potential, he still has a lot of work to do too. How much responsibility and playing time he earns as a rookie should be the main focus of another lost season for most Lakers fans.
Next: Storyline: Where Does Hibbert Fit In?