EL SEGUNDO, Calif. - With Kobe Bryant retired after two decades in purple and gold, the Los Angeles Lakers are entering a new and somewhat uncertain era, featuring a first-year head coach and a roster built around several promising young players.
And as the illustrious franchise seeks to reclaim its place among the NBA's elite after three straight seasons missing the playoffs, and after posting their worst record ever last season, the Lakers looked ahead Wednesday to one of the most exciting, and certain, elements of their future: their state-of-the-art $80-million training complex.
Standing before an imposing shell of a two-story, 120,000 square foot structure that is expected to open by summer 2017, Lakers officials offered a glimpse Wednesday into the new facility while also announcing a "long-term" partnership with UCLA Health, whose name will grace the not-yet finished building.