Los Angeles Lakers Need To Play For The Future

The Los Angeles Lakers are in an uncompromising position. On one hand, 2015-16 could be iconic superstar Kobe Bryant‘s goodbye tour. On the other, it could be Los Angeles’ chance to build something special.

Sadly, only one of those realities can be fully honored.

Considering this may be Bryant’s final season, Los Angeles is likely inclined to do all it can to win for its longtime legend. The 37-year-old has spent 19 seasons in a Lakers uniform, winning five championships and a pair of Finals MVP awards.

Now in his 20th campaign, the 17-time All-Star maintains his never-say-die mentality.

On the other side of the coin is a trio of promising young players. Jordan Clarkson and Julius Randle are in their second NBA seasons, but the latter has about as much experience as rookie D’Angelo Russell, sinceRandle played in just one game before suffering a season-ending injury in 2014-15.

Thus, a conflict has arisen in Los Angeles. The Laker Way says that the team should win at all costs, but the future of the organization may depend on a slower and more progressive approach.

That all starts with the harsh reality of 2016.

2016 NBA Draft

The 2016 NBA Draft could net the Los Angeles Lakers a third top 10 pick in as many seasons. Jordan Clarkson, a second-round acquisition, is an illustration of how well Mitch Kupchak can utilize the annual selection process, which makes the potential of another top 10 arrival all the more promising.

Unfortunately for Los Angeles, it’s not very likely that it will hold onto its selection.

The Lakers’ 2016 selection is top-3 protected. As orchestrated in the Lakers’ series of disastrous trades over the past three seasons, the Philadelphia 76ers will receive Los Angeles’ draft pick if it lands anywhere outside of the top 3—and there’s nothing Kupchak can do about it.

I’m not one to condone tanking, but if ever there were a reason, it’s this.

The Lakers have a chance to land a transcendent prospect in the 2016 NBA Draft. They also have minuscule odds of making the 2016 NBA Playoffs, which puts an even greater emphasis on landing a player such as Skal Labissiere or Ben Simmons.

The Lakers wouldn’t be trading players who can help the team win; thus, this isn’t intentionally losing. Instead, it’s investing in the future and accepting whatever result may come by actually playing the No. 2 overall selection in the 2015 NBA Draft.

There’s just one hurdle.

Kobe Bryant’s Role

The Los Angeles Lakers won’t have Kobe Bryant for much longer. On Nov. 15, he played 36 minutes and told reporters that he wouldn’t be traveling with the team to face the Phoenix Suns on Nov. 16.

More importantly, he told Baxter Holmes of ESPN that he could barely stand.

Bryant may or may not have been exaggerating, but that’s a sign that the end is close enough to focus on the future.

Bryant can still be a very effective player. He’s an excellent playmaker from the post who, as evidenced by his 6,150 career assists, is a far better passer than he’s given credit for.

Rather than utilizing Bryant as the franchise player, however, Los Angeles must turn to him as the facilitator—in more than one capacity.

His shooting at a high volume isn’t much of an issue if he’s getting his teammates involved. The true form of facilitation that Bryant and the Lakers must execute, however, is turning the organization from one era to the next.

That all starts with head coach Byron Scott giving D’Angelo Russell an opportunity to play when it really matters.

Trust The Future

The Los Angeles Lakers selected D’Angelo Russell at No. 2 overall in the 2015 NBA Draft. At the 2014 NBA Draft, the Lakers landed Julius Randle at No. 7 overall and traded for second-round selection Jordan Clarkson.

The Lakers are only doing so much to commit to that movement.

Clarkson and Randle are being given a significant share of the minutes distribution. Russell, however, has been lost in the shuffle. Detrimentally, he’s often forgotten in the final quarter.

That may have helped the Lakers defeat the Detroit Pistons on Sunday, Nov. 15, but at what cost?

Both of those are negatives for a team that’s now 2-8 on the season.

Through 10 games, Russell is averaging 9.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.2 3-point field goals made in 24.5 minutes per game. He’s done so on a slash line of .394/.308/.667.

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Those aren’t great numbers, but it’s concerning that Russell has played in excess of 30 minutes just once in 2015-16—a Nov. 11 game during which Kobe Bryant wasn’t active.

Bryant deserves to be honored, but head coach Byron Scott should be catering his rotations to the future of the organization. That doesn’t necessarily mean flooding Russell with minutes or going away from the hot hand, but The Black Mamba is shooting 33.6 percent from the field in 2015-16.

The hot hand clearly hasn’t belonged to Bryant.

Moving forward, Russell must not be overlooked in the fourth quarter. Bryant, Lou Williams and Nick Young may be superior players, but Russell, Clarkson and Randle will collaborate as the future of the Lakers—you simply wouldn’t know it by looking at the numbers.

According to NBA.com, coach Scott uses six lineups more often than the trio of Clarkson, Randle and Russell. They may not be the best group just yet, but that young unit needs court time to develop.

Providing the trio with such an opportunity must be the primary focus of the coaching staff.

Next: NBA Power Rankings

The question is, will the, “Lakers Way” allow for Los Angeles to slowly build a contender?