5 Reasons Why Lakers Fans Should Feel Good About 2015-2016 Season

Trevor Lane
16 Min Read
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Youth and Chemistry

One of the criticisms of the Lakers over the past few seasons has been their lack of chemistry on the court. With nearly every player on the team on an expiring deal, the “me first” mentality started to creep in as the losses mounted. 

That mentality doesn’t appear to be an issue this season. While there are still a number of players that are on expiring contracts, there is a concerted effort to develop a mentor relationship with the younger and older players. Kobe Bryant has taken D’Angelo Russell under his wing. Robert Upshaw has credited guards Lou Williams, Jabari Brown, Bryant, and Russell for helping him with his positioning on pick-and-roll situations, and of course Metta World Peace has been tutoring Julius Randle for most of the summer. With the youth movement in full swing (of the 19 players currently on the roster, 12 are age 24 or younger), that kind of positive learning environment will pay dividends not just for this season, but in the future as well. 

For a Lakers fan base that has spent the past few years watching an aging club struggle to stay relevant, having a group of young guys who ooze potential and play within the team concept is refreshing.  This camaraderie was perhaps best illustrated by Roy Hibbert’s involvement in the scuffle that Julius Randle got in with Jazz forward Trevor Booker:  

https://youtu.be/Rq5PGvN4qzE

Hibbert didn’t hesitate to step up and defend Randle, which speaks volumes about how this team supports each other. We will see whether this team-first approach continues when the dog days of January and February come around, but for now this Lakers group carries with it a very different vibe than last season’s.

CONTINUE: Five Reasons Why Lakers Fans Should Feel Good About 2015-2016

Trevor Lane is a longtime NBA and Los Angeles Lakers fan who had the good fortune to grow up during the glory days of the Showtime Lakers, when Magic Johnson, Kareem-Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy, and the rest ruled the Great Western Forum. He has written about basketball, soccer, fantasy sports, MMA, and even pro wrestling over the course of his career, but the spectacle that is the Lakers is his true passion. He made the leap into podcasting for Lakers Nation and provides voice-over analysis for our YouTube channel. With a who's who of stars gracing the Lakers lineup over the years, including Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Shaquille O'Neal, Pau Gasol, and many others, the Lakers always provide plenty to talk about. When he isn't writing or recording, Trevor can be found spending time with his wife and daughter or on the sidelines for one of the youth teams he coaches. Outside of the Lakers, Trevor is a supporter of the LA Galaxy, US Soccer, Dallas Cowboys, and Los Angeles Dodgers. Contact: trevor@mediumlargela.com
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