The Los Angeles Lakers are 19-52, the second-worst team in the West, and it looks like they're a long, long way from regaining relevance. Still, there exists a belief that since the organization has bounced back before, since it has such a great history of winning, things will magically turn around. The idea is that free agents will flock to the franchise simply because it's the Lakers, and Byron Scott's team will be back in contention faster than you can say Slava Medvedenko. The head coach holds this opinion, as expressed on Saturday, via the Los Angeles Daily News' Mark Medina:
“You have a lot of free agents out there who would love to play for us. They've been making it pretty clear,” Scott said. “You have guys during the games come by the bench saying, ‘Hey Coach, I would love to be in L.A. next year.' That makes you feel good there are players out there that want to be here. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that we're taking it in a different direction. They know this organization and the history of the organization is going to be back.”
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“I'm a very positive person,” Scott said. “I think we're going to have a real good summer. That's just me. I always look at the glass half full over half empty with being in L,A. and the history of this organization and the tradition that we have. We have a lot of things going for us. I think we're going to do well this summer.”
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“Obviously the one or two big free agents you can get, you'll have to sprinkle in some other guys that fill the roster that help you win as well. If you can hit a couple of doubles, that wouldn't hurt,” Scott said. “But if we can hit a couple of home runs in free agency and the draft, we'll be on our way again.”
This makes me wonder which free agents have said that to Scott. He couldn't elaborate on his comment due to the league's tampering rules, but I highly doubt it was Marc Gasol, LaMarcus Aldridge or Kevin Love. And if it's not one of them, I'm not sure that there's a true home run to hit this summer.
Los Angeles is indeed an attractive place to play. It's a big market, it has great weather and the Lakers have plenty of cap room. In fact, when the salary cap spikes in 2016 and Kobe Bryant's massive contract comes off the books, it'd be surprising if they fail to make at least one major acquisition. Until then, regardless of Scott's high hopes, expectations should remain rather low.
