The Los Angeles Lakers came into this summer with a lot of hope that they would be able to land a star player in free agency. Unfortunately that was not the case, but that didn’t stop General Manager Mitch Kupchak and co. from landing a couple of very good veteran players that improved the roster.
The Lakers signed center Timofey Mozgov and wing Luol Deng and also traded for veteran point guard Jose Calderon from the Chicago Bulls.
All of those players are veterans who should help the Lakers both on and off the court, something Kupchak alluded to in speaking with Mark Medina of the LA Daily News:
“We got guys that clearly we thought could help us win games,” Kupchak told Southern California News Group. “In a secondary fashion, they can help our younger players, mentor them and coach them on the court and be role models.”
Even with the new veteran additions as well as the plethora of young talent the Lakers have, Kupchak remains unsure of what to expect from the Lakers this season:
“I’m not quite sure what to expect,” Kupchak said before referring to the Lakers’ summer league that started on Friday at the Thomas & Mack Center. “A lot has to be seen from our young players before determining how much they can help us. With the veterans, they’re going to need some help from the younger players. They need to give them energy and quickness.”
Without a doubt the Lakers will go as far as their young players take them this season. Deng, Mozgov, and Calderon will provide a steady presence, but it will be up to D’Angelo Russell, Brandon Ingram, Jordan Clarkson, Julius Randle, and the rest of the young Lakers to put this team on another level.
The first signs were good as the young Lakers looked very impressive in their Summer League opener. Of course success in Summer League means absolutely nothing once the real season starts, but things are looking promising for the purple and gold.