The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the most storied franchises in all of professional sports. In 67 years of business, the Lakers have a .609 winning percentage to go along with 16 NBA Titles which is the second most in league history. And in those 67 years of basketball operations, 60 of those years have resulted in a trip to the postseason. But of those seasons that have seen the Lakers fail to qualify for the playoffs, two have come in the last two years. The Lakers are coming off of their worst two-year stretch in franchise history, but they were optimistic that they would be able to strike it rich in free agency this summer. However the Lakers have found themselves shut out in signing big names in this summer’s NBA free agency frenzy.
This is an organization in the Lakers that has had 11 Basketball Hall of Famers play a significant role in the franchise’s success and when it comes to free agency, they don’t exactly have to beg players to play for them. But that is no longer the case.
Kobe Bryant
Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant has spent his entire NBA career wearing the purple and gold. Bryant is a five-time NBA Champion and he’s also the Lakers all-time leading scorer. Bryant will be remembered as one of the NBA’s all-time greatest players, but as good as he has been, he has a reputation of ostracizing himself from his teammates.
Bryant had a legendary feud with former Lakers center Shaquille O’Neal which saw the big man leave Los Angeles in 2004. Bryant’s desire to win at all cost has destroyed the opportunity for him to become friends with his former and current teammates and where you need comradery on and off of the basketball court, he has failed to do it in the past few seasons.
Bryant will be 37-years old next month and he has only played in 41 games over the last two seasons as injuries are catching up to him. But Bryant still believes that he can still be the focal point of the Lakers offense which hasn’t helped the team on the free agent front.
The Lakers front office feels that players should want to play with Bryant, but when a person such as him is not helping to develop a positive work environment for his fellow employees, quality players will not want to team up with him.
The Lakers have also hired a head coach in Byron Scott who’s main purpose within the organization is the he is someone that Bryant respects, but he is also someone that will allow the shooting guard do whatever he wants to which isn’t good for business in any shape or form.
Aside from Bryant, there isn’t a player that is currently signed to the Lakers that has made an NBA All-Star Game appearance and with the big names coming off of the board in free agency this summer, the folks in Los Angeles will once again need to study their media guides this fall to somewhat recognize this team.
The Lakers were holding out hope that they would be able to sign power forward LaMarcus Aldridge, but he has decided to join the San Antonio Spurs. Like the Lakers, the Spurs have a winning tradition. But the Spurs have an unselfish superstar player in power forward Tim Duncan that has taken a lesser role with the team in the twilight of his NBA career which has made it easier for San Antonio to keep talent around him that allows the team to remain in contention for an NBA Championship. It also didn’t help the Lakers that the highlight of their pitch to Aldridge was bringing in singer Adam Levine to one of their meetings which in itself is an utter joke. And the Lakers alternative after missing out on Aldridge is to acquire center Roy Hibbert from the Indiana Pacers as it will only be a matter of time before Bryant blows up at him.
The upcoming NBA season could potentially be Bryant’s last one and he appears to be going out with a whimper which shouldn’t be the case for one of the game’s greatest. Life is about making adjustments which is something that Bryant has never been able to do. Bryant hated taking a back seat to O’Neal which played a role in their ugly divorce. Bryant’s ego led head coach Phil Jackson to leaving the Lakers in 2004 only to return a year later. And Bryant’s my way or the highway approach also saw the Lakers give him a “thank you” contract which will see him earn $25 million next season which is a large sum to be committed to a player who’s best days are behind him. Bryant’s current contract has also prevented the Lakers from being a bigger player in free agency as it ate into the team’s salary cap number whereas Duncan took less money which allowed the Spurs to give Aldridge a max contract and thus ultimately pass the torch to him.
For Bryant’s remaining time as an active player on the Lakers roster, he will find himself in basketball purgatory which is now the equivalent of being in Siberia where he’ll continue to be frustrated, confused, lacking wins, and failing to end his illustrious career on a positive note. Bryant has failed to look himself in the mirror and realize that he his holding the Lakers organization back with his style. And as long as Lakers owner Jeannie Buss makes Bryant feel like he isn’t the problem, this team won’t have a solution to correct their lack of winning. Bryant clearly loves himself more than he does the Lakers. But if Bryant truly loves the Lakers, it is time to check his ego at the door or this team will continue to be an afterthought in the NBA.
Source: Basketball-reference.com
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