A lot has changed for the Los Angeles Lakers in a short amount of time. Mitch Kupchak and Jim Buss are out at the head of the Basketball Operations department while Magic Johnson has taken over and Rob Pelinka is about to join him as the team’s new General Manager. Lou Williams, arguably the best player on the team, has been traded to the Houston Rockets in exchange for a first-round pick and Corey Brewer.
For now, it would appear that the Lakers rightly have their eyes set firmly on the future. As such, they will do everything in their power to develop the young talent currently on the roster while keeping their fingers crossed in the hopes that they are able to hang on to their top-three protected 2017 draft pick.
Lakers Nation reporter Serena Winters caught up with head coach Luke Walton, who reaffirmed his goal of giving minutes to the team’s young players:
Luke Walton said today giving younger guys a "bigger opportunity, to really grow" becomes the focus, even if that costs games here & there.
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) February 23, 2017
Walton singled out rookies Brandon Ingram and Ivica Zubac as two players who will see an increased role via Winters:
Luke Walton singled out Brandon Ingram & Ivica Zubac as well. Expect B.I. to keep starting & Zu to play a bigger role. https://t.co/IYm9fsCcS4
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) February 23, 2017
Walton had already begun the process of developing the Lakers’ young players when he opted to bench expensive veterans Luol Deng and Timofey Mozgov in favor of rookie Brandon Ingram and fourth-year center Tarik Black. With the arrival of Johnson, it appears that the gas pedal is really being pushed down on those efforts.
With Williams traded, we can expect to see more minutes funneled to young guards D’Angelo Russell and Jordan Clarkson. Zubac, Julius Randle, and Larry Nance Jr. will all be seeing plenty of game time as well. It won’t be easy, but the rebuild is completely underway in Los Angeles.
