Los Angeles Lakers: 2016-17 Season Outlook
Three Key Storylines: 2. The Need For Leadership
The future stars of the Lakers will be the main focus in 2016-17, but how they’re guided by the veteran crew could make all the difference between failure and progress toward a brighter tomorrow.
More explicitly: Can guys like Luol Deng and Timofey Mozgov have a positive impact on a locker room full of young knuckleheads?
Perhaps that seems like a broad label for one infamous incident, but there’s no question that Russell’s blunder in airing out teammate Nick Young’s dirty laundry divided the locker room and inspired righteous questions about his maturity. Those concerns extend to Clarkson and far beyond that one incident as well.
Haven't dealt much with D'Angelo Russell but my impression of him and Clarkson from an All-Star weekend presser was, damn, they're immature
— Stefan Bondy (@SBondyNYDN) March 30, 2016
Despite his legendary career and extensive list of accomplishments, Kobe Bryant was never known for being a “great teammate.” Though he grew more supportive of the younger generation as the season went on, the Black Mamba’s final season was about him.
Now guys like Deng and Mozgov will be paid handsomely to instill better defensive effort and overall professionalism on an extremely inexperienced roster.
It’s only a matter of time before guys like Ingram (and hopefully Zubac) replace their starting counterparts, so what Deng and Mozgov provide on the floor is hardly as important as what they can do for the locker room — regardless of what their massively bloated salaries might indicate.
Next: Storyline 3: Can Walton Handle The Job?