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Lakers Summer League Recap: Managing expectations

After being feted as the Lakers' best summer league team ever, the Mark Madsen-led squad heavily disappointed in Las Vegas, even though there were quite a few endearing things to take from the team's performances.

Summer League shouldn't be this complicated. For most teams, their time in Las Vegas is a humdrum affair, observing their rookies and perhaps a handful of moderately interesting undrafted free agents and journeymen who might challenge for a spot in training camp come fall. Coaches implement a few simple schemes to provide at least some semblance of structure, accepting that things will devolve into playground ball because that's what happens when twelve players who have, for the most part, never played with one another are thrown together in a week's time.