With the Los Angeles Lakers headed to the NBA draft lottery for the third consecutive season, there is pressure on Jim Buss (executive vice president of basketball operations) to fulfill his promise of the franchise reaching the Western Conference Finals soon.
However, during the team’s rebuild, there has been constant speculation that current New York Knicks President Phil Jackson could make his way back to Los Angeles.
With the Lakers hosting the Knicks at the Staples Center on Sunday, the legendary coach addressed the speculation that he would leave New York according to Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News:
Phil Jackson on speculation he'd leave Knicks: "Well I'm in LA right now." He pauses and then adds, "I'm still in it. I'm in it to win it."
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) March 11, 2016
With the Lakers losing and how head coach Byron Scott has handled the young core prior to the All-Star break, the franchise has taken a lot of heat. As Kobe Bryant is set to retire at the end of this season, many have questioned the direction the storied franchise is taking.
However, the future is bright as D’Angelo Russell, Julius Randle, and Jordan Clarkson have all shown their potential through different parts of the season. With the young core established, it will be interesting to see what pieces the Lakers can add this summer.
Along with a top-three protected pick (as a result of Steve Nash trade), the Lakers are projected to have as much as $65 million in cap space. While all eyes will be on Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder), the Lakers are reportedly interested in players like Hassan Whiteside (Miami Heat), Al Horford (Atlanta Hawks) and DeMar DeRozan (Toronto Raptors).