The Los Angeles Lakers have gotten off to a rough start this season. The storied franchise has lost nine out of the first 11 games with no telling when or if the team will be able to turn things around.
Rookie point guard D’Angelo Russell has received his fair share of criticism with the Ohio State product struggling to live up to expectations thus far. Second-year forward Julius Randle is also trying to battle through a tough learning curve early on.
Recently, veteran center Roy Hibbert got to know his younger teammates a little better following the loss to the Orlando Magic. Hibbert claims he sees potential in the team’s young players, and patience is needed to see them grow, via Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times:
“I spent a lot of time with those guys after the game. I had a family member in town and we [all] went to dinner,” Hibbert later said. “After that, we went back to the room. The rooks came up to my room and we were up until 4 a.m., just watching the Spurs play Portland and talking.”
“I learned from them, they learned from me. I see the potential. People just have to be patient.”
The Lakers still have a long way to go this season with only 11 games played so far. A lot can change from now until April with Russell, Randle, and Jordan Clarkson hopefully making considerable strides in their progress.
There’s no question that all three of these players, along with Larry Nance Jr., have shown some flashes of brilliance on the basketball court. Unfortunately, it has resulted in more than two wins with a lot of debate over how long it may take for this group to come together.
It may be only a matter of time before their true potential is put on display, but until then, the pundits will continue to speculate whether the right choices were made in the rebuilding process.