The Los Angeles Lakers' regular season is finished. The team will not be making the postseason after a disappointing 2013 riddled by injuries and inconsistencies. Now the focus shifts to the roster for next year and which players will be staying and which will be leaving. With Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash under contract, who will be joining them?
After the April 16 finale, the Lakers will make several moves very quickly. According to the Los Angeles Times, Nash is 100 percent returning to the team next season. Despite retirement and release rumors, the Lakers will allow the veteran to finish out his contract with retirement likely coming in 2015 after injuries killed his last two years.
Next on the list is Kendall Mashall, a first-round bust that he seen more playing than his stats warrant. The Lakers intend on bringing back the 22-year-old simply because his contract is cheap. He is set to earn $915,243 next season and that is cheap enough to keep him on the bench. He is averaging 8.9 assists, but his shooting accuracy is just 33.7 percent in the month of March. So the Lakers now have three on the roster.
The next big question will be what happens to head coach Mike D'Antoni. Clearly something has to give in this situation. Someone must take the blame for the struggling season for the Lakers. D'Antonio still has one year and $4 million remaining on his contract that will go through next season. However, both Bryant and Pau Gasol have spoken out against his coaching methods. General manager Mitch Kupchak still supports the head coach despite the losses. According to Kupchak, the coach is "doing a great job under the circumstances."
D'Antoni's fate likely ends in being fired. The Lakers will pay him $4 million to simply go away and start fresh with a system. After that, the focus becomes free agency. The Los Angeles Times continues to report a trade for Kevin Love is a top priority for the team. Love is not set for free agency until 2015. It is almost a guarantee that he does not re-sign with the Minnesota Timberwolves who are struggling to show signs of life. With the Lakers a favorable destination, the team is willing to give up draft picks for the All-Star.
IT is unlikely the team chases LeBron James or Carmelo Anthony unless either player expresses interest in joining. If the Love deal does not work out, the Lakers will rebuild in the draft.
