Coming off their worst record ever, the Los Angeles Lakers enter the 2015-16 NBA campaign hoping to find their way back into the highly competitive Western Conference playoffs. The storied franchise has now missed the postseason two years in a row—a third wipeout would be historically bad and completely unacceptable.
L.A. trudged to a 21-61 finish last spring, following on the heels of their 27-55 debacle in 2013-14.
There have been some silver linings in this epic free-fall with two straight trips to the NBA draft lottery. The Lakers now find themselves with an intriguing and evolving roster—one that tilts toward youth while still including a handful of name-brand veterans.