Los Angeles Lakers: A look at the audition process so far

With the new year approaching and the second half of the season close by, the Los Angeles Lakers have had quite a season to say the least. However, with their sights set on the 2018 free agent class, have the young Lakers convinced anyone that they’re a primetime destination once again?

The Los Angeles Lakers (11-23) have been better than their record suggests. As a whole, the Lakers have shown flashes of rapid growth and have some impressive performances on their resume.

From ending the Houston Rockets‘ 14-game winning streak to taking the Golden State Warriors through a thrilling overtime at the Staples Center, the Lakers have been one of the more exciting teams to watch this season.

On top of all that, the Lakers’ young core has been quite good. Brandon Ingram has made some big strides, Lonzo Ball is beginning to adjust more, Kyle Kuzma is a Rookie of the Year candidate, and even Josh Hart has had some nice moments. Speaking of Lonzo, he even had the opportunity to speak to his idol, LeBron James, after a game in Cleveland that saw the Lakers challenge the Cavaliers as well.

So why is all of that important? Well, in many ways, this is an audition year for the Los Angeles Lakers. And so far, I would say they’ve done just enough to make players glance at L.A. on their destination wish list. While the City of Angels has always been a pretty and glamorous place to live in, it hasn’t been a championship contender since 2012.

As a matter of fact, the Lakers have been subpar, to say the least, since they last won a title in 2010. At one point, this proud franchise lured Dwight Howard and Steve Nash to team up with Kobe Bryant. Unfortunately since that trio failed, things haven’t been the same in Los Angeles. After that disaster came more despair.

Within the last four years, the Los Angeles Lakers have suffered their worst records in franchise history and have failed to land a big-name free agent. In that time, L.A. has selected four lottery picks as a result. During that span, it should be noted that Kobe Bryant suffered numerous injuries that plagued the Lakers even more. Their records since the 2013-14 season are as follows:

• 2013-14:  27-55
• 2014-15:  21-61
• 2015-16:  17-65
• 2016-17:  26-56

However, things are starting to look up for this team. At season’s end, the Lakers possess the opportunity to sign two max-level players, and build upon a nice core. What’s impressive about this process is the fact that the Lakers’ lower draft picks have turned into fine players.

Larry Nance Jr. was the 27th pick in the 2015 NBA draft. For L.A., he has been a consistent role player that provides toughness, defense, and rebounding. Another player taken 27th overall in this year’s draft was Kyle Kuzma. No explanation is needed for his performances this season.

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Are the Los Angeles Lakers considered contenders now? Not even close. As currently constructed, they are a few years away from serious contention. However, throw in a big-time free agent or two, and the narrative changes. Perhaps the addition of James, DeMarcus Cousins, Paul George or even Dwayne Wade creates big time ripple effects — especially if guys like James and Wade, who enjoy playing together, actually make their way to L.A.

With all of this in mind, I believe the Lakers have done quite well so far, or at least enough to have big names consider the idea of pairing up with young studs like Kuzma and Ball. However, in order for anything to take place, Los Angeles has a few decisions to make. Will the team keep Jordan Clarkson? Will they trade Julius Randle? Will L.A. make moves out of nowhere, such as trading Nance or Hart?

Despite the number of looming questions, the Los Angeles Lakers are in position to create a contending team. The team has a pure point guard in Ball, an offensive spark in Kuzma, and a few other names that round out the roster. Regardless, any and every big name will hear from the Lakers.

Next: 2018 NBA Mock Draft: End of 2017 edition

Their record may not look exciting, but with the right moves, L.A. has some real potential to jump from bottom of the West to contending for titles. So far, the Lakers are all right. An impressive second half of the season with more growth from the young studs might push the Lakers even higher on some players’ destination wish list.