What Might Have Been


Heading into this NBA season, people were skeptical of the chances of the Los Angeles Lakers being good. There were questions about the health of Steve Nash, and no one knew when Kobe Bryant would be back in the lineup. In fact, the pre-season pundits guessed the Lakers would finish no better than 12th in the Western Conference.

Bryant publicly questioned that prediction. He said he was making great progress, would be back early in the season, and believed in the roster. Kobe didn't take long to come back, and he wasn't back long before he got injured again. On Wednesday they declared him out for the rest of the season.

Nash, too, hasn't been a factor. He's never really recovered from the injuries that plagued him last year, and he's struggled to string together a half dozen games at any stretch in his two years with the Lakers. In fact, the picture above — of Kobe, Nash and Pau Gasol playing together for the Lakers — feels more like a pipe dream than a reality. Kobe won't be back until next season, Nash may never really come back, and Gasol is set for free agency.

Gasol has played this year under duress. He's played with a lack of talent, and received a lack of respect from coach Mike D'Antoni. In fact, it's clear D'Antoni is the wrong coach for the Lakers, and he'll likely be gone at the end of the season, too.

The Lakers are 22-42 right now, and that 12th place prediction seems too optimistic. In fact, it's the worst season the Lakers have had in Los Angeles, and it's a true crater of a season that most Lakers fans never expected to see. But it's here, and the question is how to move forward.

The Lakers will get a high pick during a draft that will be full of good young talent. With the contracts coming off the board, the team can make a play for a big star to play alongside Kobe and/or Nash next season, providing either of them can make a go of it. In short, the future could still be bright for the Lakers.

But you can't help but feel that this has been a lost two seasons for Los Angeles. Looking at that picture, you can't help but wonder what might have been.

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