Blueprint of Los Angeles Lakers' rebuilding process

How the high and mighty fall. The Lakers never, ever, played for a playoff spot. No, that’s their birthright. They were always a contender for the title. They have not made it to the playoffs just 5 times in their 65 year existence. They have won the championship title 16 times. VERY impressive. However, their upcoming season will bear no resemblance to the above mentioned statistics. That’s right people, the mighty Lakers might not make it to the playoffs this season.

The Lakers were spurned by Dwight Howard last season, something that players just don’t do to the purple and gold. After they traded Andrew Bynum, all plans rested on the young and swashbuckling defender, Howard. Now their top players are: a 35 year old legend (Kobe Bryant) who’s returning from a torn Achilles heel, a 33 year old power forward (Pau Gasol) who just had the worst and most injury plagues year of his career and a 39 year old point guard (Steve Nash) who’s “ageing like fine wine” process seems to have come to a sudden and dismal end. Oh, they cut loose Meta World Peace too.

The Lakers are currently in a heavily stacked conference. The West has always been competitive. But this season, it has become even more so. Oklahoma, San Antonio, Memphis, Timberwolves, Clippers and Mavericks will all fight for the top 4 teams this time around, with Golden State, Denver, Trail Blazers acting as extras in the playoff race. In this highly competitive conference, what chance do the Lakers stand? What should be their rebuilding strategy?

This is one team which hardly ever rebuilds. They just have a continuous inflow of stars or budding rookies. However, they’re on new terrain now. The Lakers, while having a slightly older team, have a large payroll as they have, in addition to their “big three”, Chris Kaman (free agent) too. This will limit their options. In other words, they’re screwed this season.

The Lakers’ official statement from Mike D’Antoni says:

We expect to have a great season, and we expect to go into it hard and do everything we can to win every game possible.

He doesn’t want to even think about tanking. That’s right people, D’Antoni feels that the t-word should never be associated with them.

That’s not even, it’s not reality. It’s a lottery, so you’re not even guaranteed. That’s crazy to do that.

They’re going to treat this season as any other. It’s ironic that the Lakers feel tanking is a lottery while they’re planning to bet everything on LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony on opting out of their teams using their early release clause. To paraphrase their plan, they expect Kobe to be back at peak form, supported by Gasol, Nash and Kaman. Oh and that’s right, no tanking. And hope to sign LeBron or Melo (if luck prevails, both).

There’s just one thing wrong with this plan. Ironically, it’s the same man who took the Lakers to new heights. Bryant. He always wants to be the no. 1 man in the team, no matter what. Remember Dwight’s reasons for spurning the Lakers? LAL cannot really expect their team to bounce back, sign LeBron or Melo who’re some of the biggest stars right now and expect them to play whole-heartedly as second fiddle to Bryant. Their only option is to hope signing a new player from the 2014 draft and hope Bryant will mentor him for a year. Which they can’t do because of their high payroll.

There’s one another approach which is generally left to the league’s lesser talented teams, which is also exactly opposite to what D’Antoni feels. The Lakers could temporarily tank. It’s pretty clear now that the Lakers have no chance of putting up a performance of any repute this season. By voluntarily tanking this season, the Lakers actually might be able to form a better team by the 2014-15 season.

The 2014 draft is considered to be one of the deepest drafts since the incredible one of 2003, which featured talents the likes of LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Bosh. The name of Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker, Marcus Smart and Julius Randle keep popping up as future stars.

By tanking this season, the Lakers might be able to re-sign Kobe and Gasol at discounted packages next season. With this added money in their coffers, the Lakers might be able to snatch up one or two hot young talents depending on whether they plan to keep both Pau and Nash or cut one of them. Also, their poor performance might finally give the LAL management enough cause to finally fire Mike D’Antoni.

The 2015 free agent class is at first look, unbelievable. It features Kevin Love, Rajon Rondo, Marc Gasol and LaMarcus Aldrige. Depending on who they decide to keep in their roster, the Lakers might be able to sign one of these stars from the free agents class.

At this moment, they have to choose between D’Antoni’s plan to choose pride over what needs to be done, or the traditional last ditch effort of tanking. Of course, like the Dallas Mavericks have shown, planning your team’s future on free agency is a huge risk. But, the Lakers are no ordinary NBA team. They have a brand name which no other team, save the Celtics (who are also rebuilding), can boast about. Who knows? The Lakers may be able to sign a couple of young talents, Kobe and Pau return to fitness by the next season and the Lakers will come out smelling like roses. Again, it’s filled with a lot of ifs and maybes. It will be interesting to see how the Kobe dominated, mismanaged Lakers will be able to come out of this “rebuilding” year.