Los Angeles Lakers: 3 players facing make-or-break 2017-18 seasons

Based on how the 2017-18 NBA season goes, these Los Angeles Lakers could be paving paths toward bright futures or setting themselves up for failure.

The start of the 2017-18 NBA season is still two months away, and there’s plenty to look forward to as it relates to the Los Angeles Lakers. Unfortunately, until training camp starts, it’s pretty much all speculation at this point.

So let’s speculate on a few Lakers facing turning points in their careers. By that, I mean the following players are heading into make-or-break seasons that could define what the future holds for them in the NBA. It seems a bit overstated, but one year really can have that type of impact.

These Lakers have more riding on the 2017-18 campaign than may be obvious. Whether they’re looking to earn an increased role down the road or a shiny new contract next year, these players are under plenty of pressure to perform. Essentially, it’s an opportunity for them to put up or shut up, as the old cliche goes.

In the end, though, it’s up to Magic Johnson and the rest of the Lakers front office to determine these players’ futures. We’ll see how things play out in the coming months, and should have a better idea of what the next steps are before the end of the season arrives.

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So here they are — three Lakers who are headed into make-or-break 2017-18 seasons. It’s going to be a hoot watching these storylines unfold, regardless of whether it leads to prosperity or misfortune.