The Los Angeles Lakers are heading into a new era. The NBA is changing with the evolution of offenses using the three-point shot as a primary weapon while the storied franchise moves on from the recently retired Kobe Bryant.
Although it has been a rough few years for the Lakers, with three consecutive seasons without a playoff appearance, the 16-time NBA champions have been able to bring in some promising young talent. D’Angelo Russell, Julius Randle, Jordan Clarkson, Larry Nance Jr., Tarik Black, Brandon Ingram, and Ivica Zubac make up a talented young core that might be able to lead this team into a bright future.
In an interview with Dan Duangdao, Black talked about the team’s potentially bright future. Black believes Lakers fans should be excited about what Luke Walton and company are putting together in Los Angeles:
"Be excited about the new era. Give us an opportunity to make this new era our era" – @TarikBlack25's message to #Lakers fans.
— Dan Duangdao (@DanDuangdao) July 18, 2016
Black also talked about rookies Ingram and Zubac. The recently re-signed forward/center was impressed by the performances of the two rookies, via Duangdao:
"They have a lot of potential. It'll take time for it to manifest along with all of us" – @TarikBlack25 on Brandon Ingram and Ivica Zubac.
— Dan Duangdao (@DanDuangdao) July 18, 2016
The Lakers may not be making headlines like the Golden State Warriors, Cleveland Cavaliers, and San Antonio Spurs in terms of championship contention, but it seems as though Walton has something brewing Los Angeles. There is no doubt, however, this team has a lot to do in order to get back on track in a highly competitive Western Conference.
The combination of all this young talent with a head coach that appears to be on the same page with his players is a step in the right direction for the struggling franchise. Even though there’s no telling how long this rebuild will take, the youth movement is underway with Walton having all the right pieces to build his own legacy as one of the better coaches in this league.
