Los Angeles Lakers: 2017-18 NBA season preview

The Los Angeles Lakers have injected showtime into their organization once more. What should we expect from them for the 2017-18 NBA season?

Every NBA fanbase has to wander in the desert every once in a while, going through a dry season of low win totals and high draft picks. For fans of the Los Angeles Lakers, they had avoided such a fate for decades — until the last four years, when the team averaged 22 wins and finished no higher than 14th in the Western Conference.

But extended time at the bottom of the standings yields draft picks, and the Lakers have brought in a number of them. From Julius Randle to Brandon Ingram, this team stocked up on young talent from blue-blood schools.

Then this spring the team changed its leadership, bringing in Laker legend Magic Johnson and power agent Rob Pelinka to run the front office. They drafted Lonzo Ball, perhaps the most nationally well-known college player in years, to infuse the roster with the same type of pass-happy, fast-tempo identity that Magic played with — and that brought numerous titles to L.A.

With next summer promising the riches of free agency, the Lakers can realistically expect to be players. But to get to next July they have to play out the season, and do their best to impress the likes of LeBron James, Paul George, and Russell Westbrook.

This team could make a huge leap forward, or they could struggle to pull themselves much higher than last season. While a lot of the pieces are new, there is no confirmation that this team is significantly better. The 2017-18 season still holds plenty of uncertainty for the Los Angeles Lakers — but for the first time in years, it holds excitement too.

2016-17 Vitals

26-56, 4th in Pacific Division,14th in Western Conference
104.6 PPG (17th)/111.5 OPP PPG (28th)
106.7 Offensive Rating (23rd)/113.7 Defensive Rating (30th)

Team Leaders

Scoring:  Lou Williams, 18.6 PPG
Rebounding:  Julius Randle, 8.6 RPG
Assists:  D’Angelo Russell, 4.8 APG
Steals:  D’Angelo Russell, 1.4 SPG
Blocks:  Ivica Zubac, 0.9 BPG

Honors

NBA All-Rookie Second Team:  Brandon Ingram