Top 5 Los Angeles Lakers’ Storylines To Follow During Preseason

The Lakers have been in a dark place since the departure of Phil Jackson in 2011. Three other coaches have tried, but they have failed miserably. The Lakers are trying to regain the swagger of yesteryear and win like they always have. Byron Scott, a former Los Angeles Laker, will be expected to win, and win early. With a 416 wins and 57 playoff appearances as a coach, he has the experience to get the job done.

As part of the new-look Lakers, Jeremy Lin will play in the backcourt this season. Since his “Linsanity” phase with the New York Knicks, Lin has slowly digressed. His average of 12.5 points and 4.1 assists were lesser than that of the year before and even lower than his time with the Knicks (14.6 points and 6.2 assists per game). This will be a chance for Lin to make a new name for himself.

Steve Nash has battled back injuries ever since becoming a Los Angeles Laker in 2012. Now at age 40, can he stay health long enough to help the Lakers win? Only time will tell, but his track record hasn’t be good to date. Nash has only played in 60 games within the past two seasons.

One of the biggest storylines this offseason was the departure of Pau Gasol from the Lakers, as he was a big part of the franchise for 6.5 seasons. He helped the Lakers win two championships, but now they must figure out a way to win without the 7-foot big man. With the addition of Carlos Boozer and players like Jordan Hill in the post, Los Angeles will have their work cut out for them.

After almost 1.5 years out of the game, Kobe Bryant is looking to regain control of his team and the NBA. Many doubt the abilities of Bryant after his Achilles injury, as he will have to battle age, a stacked Western Conference, and a fairly new team. Bryant seems to thrive under stressful circumstances, so this should be interesting.