With Kobe Bryant dancing along the edge of the precipice of his legendary career, the Los Angeles Lakers are already preparing themselves for that inevitable day: A life without no.24.
Indeed, things wouldn't be the same again sans the Black Mamba, but there's still likelihood the post-Bryant era team would feature several players on the current roster.
In the latest discussion on the Forum, ESPN Los Angeles writer Arash Markazi talked about the future make-up of the team when Bryant hangs his purple and golf jersey for good.
Replacing a future Hall of Famer and arguably the best player in franchise history is certainly a big hole to fill. However, Markazi thinks the Lakers will continue to be a force to reckon with in the coming years, especially if they are able to find a worthy successor to Bryant's throne in the next two off-seasons.
Thanks to multiple expiring contracts and non-guaranteed deals, the Lakers are in position of adding a max player next summer. From Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol to Phoenix Suns point guard Goran Dragic, general manager Mitch Kupchack and his front-office team will try to get their hands on these elite free-agents.
If the summer of 2015 looks loaded enough, the free-agency period the next year will be even bigger when superstars Kevin Durant, Dwight Howard and Anthony Davis become up for grabs. And with Bryant's final half of his lucrative two-year, $48.5M extension coming off the books, the Lakers will have all the luxury in the world to sign any of these players and usher a new era of the franchise.
While adding a star or two is a must for the Lakers to regain its old luster, Markazi stressed the Lakers also need to find reliable role players that will round out the roster.
According to the NBA analyst, Kupchack need not have to look further because Nick Young and Jeremy Lin are perfect fit for that role. Of course, Young and rookie Julius Randle are the only Lakers locked in at least for the next three years, but there's a chance Lin might stick around for a long haul because Los Angeles is just few hours drive away from home.
Averaging roughly 10 points and 4 dimes per game this season, Lin's struggle under head coach Byron Scott has been much publicized, although the former Harvard standout showed he can hold his ground against several top-flight playmakers in several occasions and put up solid numbers in limited minutes.
"There's a lot of good young talent on his team," Markazi stressed during a discussion on ESPN Forum. "Obviously, they need a superstar at some point in the future, but Young is a good role player in this team. I think Lin could be a good role player as well."
The 26-year old Lin is playing in the final year of his current deal that pays him around $15M ($8M against the salary cap). Obviously, his recent performance suggests his next contract won't be as pricey as his current one but sticking around in Los Angeles remain an ideal move for him on the financial side, because of the 2.5 Million Asian-American followers in the city.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
