The Los Angeles Lakers were expected to struggle this season. Led by an aging Kobe Bryant and an assortment of young players, no one expected the Lakers to compete for a championship. However, this didn’t mean that the Lakers couldn’t use this season to their advantage. With nothing truly on the line, the Lakers could have easily dedicated this season to developing the youth on their roster, as well as taking the time to try out a few project players.
Instead, the organization began the season with the first of a multitude of missteps. Instead of rounding out the roster with young players who could gain value with time on the team, the Lakers signed a plethora of aging players, most of whom have failed to even be serviceable this season.