DeMar DeRozan will continue last season's flair
Despite getting snakebit by the lottery for the third year in a row, and another low win total last season, the Los Angeles Lakers went into the offseason with a checklist of plans to accomplish, based on what they'd seen the year before:
1. Upgrade the perimeter defense.
2. Improve the bench, whose poor shooting played a major role in the Lakers' outages.
3. Find a star player.
4. If DeRozan hit free agency, bring him back at a reasonable price.
The team drafted T.J. McConnell, Aaron White, and Cristiano Felicio with the 5th, 11th, and 26th picks respectively, after months of rumors that they would deal one of their selections. They also acquired Wesley Matthews, Andrei Kirilenko, and Taj Gibson via trade. Free agency was overall a quiet period outside of the DeRozan drama, as the Lakers retained him on a 5 year, $50 million contract, and made a late pickup of O.J. Mayo on a 3 year contract paying him $2.9 million a season.
Point Guard
T.J. McConnell is ready to take the reins at the head of the Lakers' offense
Additions: T.J. McConnell (Draft)
Losses: Marquis Teague, Jordan Farmar, Phil Pressey
Returning: George Hill, Eric Maynor, Jimmer Fredette
T.J. McConnell - 22 - Rookie
The question still remains as to how much he'll improve in training camp, but the organization is in love with McConnell as a defensive floor general who will hit his shots on the rare occasion that he takes them, and the upside is definitely there to improve. Although considered an overdraft initially at #5, numerous pundits predicted that could very well be the right selection after all was said and done (similar to Walter Tavares). While he'll never produce the sexy stats of other points in the league, in terms of importance to the team's success, he'll be right up there. At the very least, he's a major defensive upgrade already over Jordan Farmar, who patrolled here for most of last year.
George Hill - 30 - 9th Season
Had a down year last season by his standards, but he brings championship experience and a well-rounded game. If McConnell should look unready to be the starter, Hill will very easily step in his place. Like McConnell, he's an excellent point guard for the dribble-drive scheme, and since the team recently announced it won't be trading its expirings so as not to affect their UFA offer status next summer, he'll stay for the entire year.
Eric Maynor - 29 - 8th Season
While Maynor ruined the Lakers' offseason plans by picking up his player option, he gives the team yet another quality backup point guard who could be #2 for a lot of teams in the league. That's a much better situation than last season, where Marquis Teague occupied the spot. In fact, 1-3, the Lakers may well have the deepest point guard rotation in the CSL. Obviously that changes next season, with Hill and Maynor both expiring, but it's still noteworthy for this season.
Jimmer Fredette - 27 - 6th Season
3 point specialist with excellent ball security, but this year he goes from being a part-time starter to the inactive list. There's no greater sign of the Purple and Gold's upgrades at the perimeter spots than to see Jimmermania grounded heading into the season.
Shooting Guard
Wesley Matthews brings his 3 and D game to the City of Angels
Additions: Wesley Matthews (Trade), O.J. Mayo (Free agency)
Losses: Andre Roberson, B.J. Young
Returning: See SF
Wesley Matthews - 30 - 8th Season
3 & D specialist who will finally see a full-time 82 game starting role after years as a part-time starter. He brings with him playoff experience and is one of the players who will be relied on to replace the loss of Farmar's outside shooting. The coaching staff will work with him in training camp to help slim down and become a far more effective defender, as he's been just a touch too heavy to play the defense he's capable of the last few seasons. Also knows how to draw contact - a valued skill under Jestorball philosophy.
O.J. Mayo - 28 - 9th Season
One of the best 3 point shooters in the league signed for a cheap deal, and he's not only a gunner, he's a scorer who will provide balance to DeRozan's inside game. Also fairly strong handling for the SG spot - far above last year's backup in B.J. Young. Can't stop a drive to save his life, but his PA/SF game is strong due to his size. The talk of him being a starter was just that - talk. But he's still going to be more valuable than the players who were in this spot last year.
Small Forward
DeMar DeRozan was not at all amused by last year's All-Star snub
Additions: Aaron White (Draft), Andrei Kirilenko (Trade)
Losses: DeAndre Daniels, Perry Jones III
Returning: DeMar DeRozan
DeMar DeRozan - 26 - 8th Season
Re-ignited his career after coming over in a mid-season trade, and made the Lakers one of the hottest winning teams for a considerable stretch. Charismatic and noted for his feud with Doug McDermott, he became the scorer the Purple and Gold needed. After the highly publicized courtship with the Nuggets, he delayed until Denver pulled their offer, then re-signed with the Lakers like he wanted to do all along. A prolific scorer who attacks the rim and earns the charity stripe trips, he's also a much better defender than scouts grade him. His shift to full-time SF after a split role of the wing spots last year will be an interesting line to watch. Without question, the franchise leader and its soul. His resurgence last year, and the wins he added to the team made him one of the leading vote-getters in the Most Improved Player category, and he's determined this season to prove it wasn't a fluke... and to finally get the All-Star recognition he feels he deserves.
Aaron White - 21 - Rookie
As a rookie, he's already one of the best passing forwards in the game, and as a backup SF, he crashes the defensive glass with the best of the position. He's also an elite inside shooter who will see his game trained to go more inside and take advantage of his promising ability to draw fouls. He could well see time at both the 3 and 4 in a hybrid forward role. Of concern is his defense, but the Lakers have worked on putting defenders around him to hide him. When he develops, the Iowa product could well end up playing three or four positions, in a Lamar Odom type of role, though that will depend on how much he improves his handling and defense.
Andrei Kirilenko - 35 - 15th season
At this stage in his career, he's a decent defender who can draw contact. Worth noting, however, is that on last year's team he would have been the backup to DeAndre Daniels, or maybe even started over him. On this season's edition of the Lakers, he's a third stringer unlikely to see many minutes.
Power Forward
Taj Gibson is ready to attack the rim in purple and gold
Additions: Taj Gibson (Trade), Cristiano Felicio (Draft)
Losses: Amir Johnson
Returning: Robin Lopez
Taj Gibson - 31 - 8th Season
A lesser version of Amir Johnson, whom he was traded for, but he's still a high percentage shooter in his own right who brings defensive toughness and ball-handling upgrades over Robin Lopez, last year's starter. The Lakers may bulk him up in training camp, just as they're trimming down Matthews. Should also see his production go up as a full-time starter after years as a part-timer with the Chicago Bulls. And oh look, it's more playoff experience for the roster.
Cristiano Felicio - 20 - Rookie
The front office loves his starter-level all-around upside, but in order for him to get meaningful minutes, he's going to have a monster training camp due to his current rawness. Far more likely is that he comes deep on the bench as the third string center and deferring to Lopez and White as Gibson's backup. Definitely the long game with this Brazilian kid. But even with his unpolished state, he's still going to be better than Colton Iverson was last year.
Center
Walter Tavares is determined to stop anyone who gets in the paint
Additions: None
Losses: Colton Iverson
Returning: See PF
Walter Tavares - 24 - 3rd Season
The big man is still angry. Three years later, he's still furious about not being voted Rookie of the Year, and after a recent blowup over Marcus Smart being named Rookie of the Year, a media writer commented about Jabari Parker and Nick Johnson as the contenders in his class. Not a single mention of him, which adds to the sense of disrespect as large as his 7'3, 265 lb frame. An elite shooter and strong shotblocker who plays tough defense and rebounds, to say nothing of world-class foul drawing ability, the Cape Verdean signaled he's ready to have a great season by destroying everyone in earning Summer League MVP honors. Of losing his franchise face spot to DeRozan - *that* he's fine with. But with Year 3 traditionally the breakout year, look for Tavares to punish all those who disrespected him.
Robin Lopez - 28 - 9th Season
Shot a career high 51.1% last season after moving to the starting role while initially playing off the bench in a 6th man role. Without question is that he'll be the backup center again and ply his shotblocking and foul drawing trade again. What's up in the air is how many minutes he'll also get at PF. But he's also one of the league's more underrated bigs, and is equally adept at starting or coming off the bench. And he's a huge upgrade over the minutes that players like Iverson saw here last year.
Overall Synopsis
Improved perimeter defense? Check. Upgraded the bench? Check. Retained DeRozan? Check. Found a superstar? Failure. Though that might change this offseason, as the Lakers negotiated themselves into a UFA contract with the Johnson trade. Sources say the team plans to aggressively pursue Stephen Curry next summer to be the starting SG, gifting him the offense and a young, talented supporting cast ready-made to take the team to the next level. Few are predicting playoffs in the impossibly deep West, but the organization believes that in the East, this would certainly be a playoff team this season, due to the roster balance, depth, and system.
Future Outlook
With DeRozan locked-in long-term, and Tavares and McConnell as secured cornerstones, that's a trio of young players who will make an excellent core going forward. If Aaron White and Cristiano Felicio grow into the roles they're capable of, that's more promising youth and a group of five who will add to the Lakers' return to prominence. Obviously much will depend on the upcoming draft, particularly if the team is again in the lottery, and most especially in the offseason with their UFA cap space. But after starting off with the CSL's single worst roster, composed of ancient Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol, not having their own draft pick one year due to the prior regime's stupidity, and getting hammered in the lottery every year of the CSL's existence, there's at last brightness ahead on the horizon.
