![]() ![]() Unfortunately for Davis, he's going to find himself toward the bottom of the rotation when it comes to big men. ![]() Not only did the Lakers pick up a young, emerging big man to help round out their rotation, but they did it for less than $1 million, as shown by. And while ESPN Insider's Bradford Doolittle (subscription required) might not have him in his top 10 shooting guards (according to WARP projections), he's never been one to back down, especially when he can prove someone wrong in the process.Įd Davis was a steal during free agency. He's still an ultra-skilled player with a killer's mentality. If Bryant can stay healthy, he's going to be more than just the emotional leader of this group-he'll be the runaway statistical leader as well. ![]() That comeback lasted six games, and an injury once again ended his season. The problem here is that Bryant was presumably healthy when he came back most recently. Money aside, we can expect the Mamba to enter the year "100 percent." He said so much himself while being interviewed on Brazilian television (h/t LA Times, Fox Sports West ), which is a good sign for fans in L.A. But at 36 years old and coming off two major injuries, the pressure is going to be on him to prove that the monumental payday was more than just loyalty on the part of the Los Angeles Lakers. Two or three years ago, this type of deal would have made complete sense. With that salary this season, Bryant is the highest-paid player in the NBA, according to. What can we expect out of Kobe Bryant in 2014-15? That is the $23.5 million question. If the team is surprising everyone by remaining in the playoff hunt, look for the veteran to stay in the first five alongside center Jordan Hill.īut if the team flops like many league-wide expect it to, Boozer's short-term production, no matter how good it is, will become less important than getting Randle the experience he needs to jump-start his career as one of the newest faces of the Lakers. The question here is: Will he be a leader and a teacher for Julius Randle, or will he stunt the youngster's growth by stealing minutes?Įxpect Boozer to start early in the year. In L.A.'s rotation, Boozer "'absolutely' expects to start," according to Ding, and he's stated, "I have a lot to prove." With the pressure of being overpaid lifted off his shoulders (although he's still collecting a check from Chicago), it now becomes simply about how much he can produce. ![]() After the Chicago Bulls -with two standout big men in Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson, to be fair-found use for Boozer last season in only the first and third quarters at the rate of $15.3 million, his value was solidified at this low, low price for a limited time only. This is why Boozer has so much to prove entering his 13th season. As B/R's Kevin Ding put it back in July:īoozer has made at least $10 million per season for 10 consecutive years, though he does have two All-Star berths in that stretch. 1 despite being signed on the cheap through waivers. In a ranking of this offseason's "worst newcomers," the 32-year-old was ranked No. Although he's technically the backup 5 on the current depth chart, we're likely to see some imitation centers coming from the power forward position.ĮSPN doesn't think too highly of the Carlos Boozer pickup. Like Kelly, Robert Sacre will be the victim of a loaded frontcourt. He compiled those numbers in 22.2 minutes per game, meaning we can expect a drop in his sophomore season. In 2013-14, Kelly averaged 8.0 points and 3.7 rebounds in 59 contests with L.A. At power forward alone, the team already features Carlos Boozer, Julius Randle and Ed Davis ahead of the 23-year-old. The Lakers chose to bring back Ryan Kelly, but the big man joins an incredibly crowded frontcourt. However, knowing what we know about both players' recent pasts regarding injuries, Clarkson had better be ready just in case. The hope is that he's not needed at point guard, meaning Steve Nash and Jeremy Lin are producing at a high level all year. Los Angeles has officially signed rookie point guard Jordan Clarkson, giving the team a young player who played extremely well in summer league. Two more names will be added to this list if the organization chooses to fill out its 15-man roster. Assuming the Lakers don't expand past a 10-man rotation to start the 2014-15 season, three players from the current roster will find themselves fighting for court time. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |