The Los Angeles Lakers are still very much a franchise in transition, but there is legitimate optimism in the air after drafting D'Angelo Russell with the second overall pick and getting last year's first-round pick Julius Randle back healthy.
There's also the maybe-but-not-definite last season for Kobe Bryant, who is entering the final year of his contract. Because of youth and big roster holes, the 2015-16 Lakers aren't likely to make a playoff push in the loaded Western Conference.
Yet it's hard to deny the Lakers will be more interesting this season than they were during last year's disastrous 21-61 effort.