With Kevin Love all set to join the Cleveland Cavaliers for a long haul, the Los Angeles Lakers set sight on another double-double machine who happens to become a free-agent next summer - his name is LaMarcus Aldridge of the Portland Trail Blazers.
After compiling arguably the worst winning total in franchise history last season, the Lakers will go into their next campaign with a roster consists mainly of holdovers from the 2013-14 season, expiring contracts and rookies.
Former MVPs Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash are expected to start the season healthy after enduring all kinds of pains for most of last year. Nash, who will be turning 41-years old in February, isn't expecting major minutes this coming season. The starting point guard role could be given to newly-acquired playmaker Jeremy Lin, who was obtained by the Lakers in a trade with the Houston Rockets last July.
Aside from Lin, the Lakers have also made other solid acquisitions by getting Carlos Boozer via silent bidding and Ed Davis via free-agent signing. They have also re-signed Wesley Johnson, Jordan Hill, Ryan Kelly, Xavier Henry and Nick Young and reportedly plan to bring over Michael Beasley, the former no.2 overall pick in the 2008 Draft.
Still, many analysts aren't convinced the Lakers are going to be a relevant team in a very competitive Western Conference. With all playoff teams from last year reloading and other borderline postseason teams acquiring key players, the Lakers could be in for a tough task once again in squeaking into the postseason picture.
Lin, who averaged 12 points and 4 dimes in backup role with the Houston Rockets last season, believed his new team could surprise a lot of people next year. Lakers head coach Byron Scott also agreed that the Lakers could be an underrated playoff contender, because of the fact that it has the key pieces to efficiently run his plays.
While the Lakers might have a shot at becoming a playoff team, there's one thing they are unlikely to achieve next year, and that is winning another title.
Bryant's Last Hurrah in 2015-16 season!
With his huge two-year, $48 million extension kicking in next season, Bryant enters perhaps the twilight period of his illustrious career. But being a feisty competitor, the Lakers all-time great won't be contented leaving the sport without winning another title.
For Bryant, this year's campaign will serve as a platform for bigger things in his final hurrah year - 2016. With the contracts of Lin ($8 million against the cap), Nash ($10 million) and Boozer ($3 million) contract expiring along with the an option not to exercise Hill's $9M option for 2015-16 season, the Lakers are very much in position to sign a couple of impact players next season. Aldridge could be one of them, as general manager Mitch Kupchack closely monitors his situation with the Blazers.
If they can land Aldridge, the Lakers will be even more attractive destination for other big name free-agent that year like Rajon Rondo, Tyson Chandler and Roy Hibbert, as Bleacher Report writer Arash Markazi claimed.
"Players like Rajon Rondo, Arron Afflalo, LaMarcus Aldridge, Tony Parker, Roy Hibbert and Tyson Chandler are all eligible to be free agents in 2015," ESPN Los Angeles' Arash Markazi stated via Bleacher Report.
For now, let's wait and see how the current Lakers pan out. Perhaps, they can re-sign Boozer and Lin at a bargain price and be pieces for a championship run for the season after this
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