Topic: We wonder which Lakers newcomer — between Carlos Boozer, Jordan Clarkson, Ed Davis, Jeremy Lin, or Julius Randle — will have the best season.
Context: The Lakers will be boosted by the return of Kobe Bryant this season. Additionally, players like Nick Young, Jordan Hill, and Xavier Henry are all coming back and will be major contributors.
But the Lakers have also brought in a number of newcomers, all of whom could play a big role in the Lakers’ fortunes this year.
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Carlos Boozer is the lone veteran of the group. After 12 seasons in the NBA, many people are counting out the former All-Star. He will likely begin the season as the starter at power forward and log major minutes all year.
Clarkson is a second-round pick, but flashed serious potential in summer league. He is young, athletic, and could blossom if given the minutes.
Davis was an under-the-radar signing. He has been around the league for a few years, but has never been given a chance to play consistent minutes. He could be the Lakers best chance at a true rim protector.
Lin will probably get the most minutes of the group and could easily be the starter at point guard, one of the weakest positions on the Lakers. He has also proven that he can play at the NBA-level consistently, which can’t be said for everyone.
Lastly is the Lakers’ prized first-round pick Julius Randle. He definitely has the potential, but as a rookie, you can never be sure how good he will be immediately.
But who will have the best season of group? That remains to be seen.
Verdict: We went to Twitter to ask our faithful followers which Lakers newcomer will have the best season. These are some of the responses:
@TheeCoreyH @LakersNation Ed Davis is going to be a huge surprise. He's been locked in a cage in Memphis. Randle is a close 2nd.
— Sam Vijeh (@samv7oh) August 17, 2014
@TheeCoreyH @LakersNation hopefully Randle but I'll say Lin
— marksmen (@QofCashmere) August 17, 2014
@TheeCoreyH @LakersNation i belive in Carlos Boozer.
— Seba Bianchi (@Sebabianchi311) August 17, 2014
@TheeCoreyH If allowed to play and play his style Clarkson will be huge. Its doubtful so i will say Lin.
— IdiotPlayOfTheGame (@IDIOT4SALE) August 17, 2014
@TheeCoreyH @LakersNation i say lin, more elusive on his own, can do more of his linsanity with our offense like he did in ny 2yrs ago
— Rodriq (@RigzRagz) August 17, 2014
.@TheeCoreyH @LakersNation from best to worst: 1) Randle, 2) Davis, 3) Clarkson, 4) Boozer and then 5) Lin
— Frank Jones (@MrBasket2000) August 17, 2014
This question brought a wide range of answers and was actually relatively even. I was rather surprised to see Clarkson be mentioned as much as he was.
Overall, the fans seemed to edge towards Jeremy Lin ever so slightly and I tend to agree with them in this instance. But not by much.
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I have been a supporter of Ed Davis since the beginning of the off-season and I do believe that he will have a breakout year. He will grow into the Lakers’ best rim protector and become a fan favorite by the end of the year.
However, I don’t believe Davis will get the consistent minutes at the outset of the season. In the case of Lin, that won’t be an issue. He will get the minutes from the beginning and will have the ball in his hands a lot.
All five players will have the opportunity to make an impact at some point this year, but in my opinion, it will be Lin who has the biggest impact.
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