2016-17 NBA Season Predictions for Each L.A. Lakers Player

How can one predict the end of an NBA season before it even begins?

In the case of the Los Angeles Lakers, it begins with positive hope and ends with pragmatism.

Nobody realistically believes the Purple and Gold are headed back to their old championship stomping grounds anytime soon, but there is at least a team in place that's starting to make some sense. Gone are all the loopy experiments and basketball refugees surrounding waning and oft-injured superstar Kobe Bryant.

Here is a young and exciting nucleus with some quality veterans on multiyear deals mixed in. Add new head coach Luke Walton, and you start to get a sense of fresh purpose and even stability.

With a looser and more creative array of offensive sets and a greater willingness on the defensive end, this is going to be a much more competitive squad this year.

The joy of basketball has returned to Lakerland!

Additional Reserves

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Marcelo Huertas: Point Guard

Brazilian-born Marcelo Huertas played much of his career in Spain and Italy before joining the Lakers last year. Now, he’s battling for backup point guard minutes against fellow Euro vet Jose Calderon.

"That’s going to be a tough call," Walton said about the choice, per Mark Medina for the Orange County Register. "I’m sure throughout the season we’ll lean on different ones at different times depending on what we need."

But Huertas may have the edge with his table-setting talents. Although he only averaged 16.4 minutes per game last season, he led all Lakers in assists averaged. He’s continuing that trend so far in the preseason.

Predicted Per-Game Stats: 5.5 Points, 2.0 Rebounds, 3.5 Assists, 1.0 Steals

Jose Calderon: Point Guard

The jury is still out on Calderon as a Laker. The veteran point guard has typically been a starter over the course of his career but is now battling Huertas for backup minutes. Calderon’s a smooth shooter, deft passer and below-average defender.

He also has an expiring $7.7 million contract, per Spotrac, and could be moved before the trade deadline.

Predicted Per-Game Stats: 6.5 Points, 1.0 Rebounds, 2.5 Assists, 0.5 Steals

Anthony Brown: Small Forward

Sophomore wing Anthony Brown seems to have all the necessary tools to succeed in the league. He’s athletic, pressures the ball well on defense and was a solid outside shooter at Stanford. But he’s been inconsistent at best in limited minutes as a pro. 

Predicted Per-Game Stats: 4.0 Points, 1.5 Rebounds, 0.5 Assists, 0.5 Steals

Ivica Zubac: Center

Bosnian rookie Ivica Zubac has loads of potential, but the Lakers will probably bring him along slowly. He’s young at 19, huge at 7'1" and possesses classic low-post form while also having some range on his jumper.

Don’t be shocked to see this kid as the team’s starting center in a few years.

Predicted Per-Game Stats: 2.5 Points, 1.5 Rebounds, 0.4 Assists, 0.5 Blocks

Yi Jianlian: Center/Forward

It’s not a given that Yi Jianlian makes the final cut, but the team could use a highly mobile stretch 5 at backup center.

The former No. 6 overall draft pick has been unimpressive so far during the preseason. But it’s also possible he just needs to get his NBA timing back after playing in his native China for the past several years.  

Predicted Per-Game Stats: 3.0 Points, 2.0 Rebounds, 0.4 Assists, 0.5 Blocks

Key Reserves

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Brandon Ingram: Forward

The Lakers are taking a pragmatic, long-term approach with Brandon Ingram. The No. 2 overall draft choice hasn’t yet been thrust into the starting lineup nor has he been shunted to the side. He’s averaged a solid 23.5 minutes off the bench with mixed results—active on defense and sometimes tentative at the other end of the floor.

The 19-year-old will be taught the right way during his rookie season—this is a coaching staff that's heavy on player development, smart conditioning and positive reinforcement. Ingram is also likely to eventually turn the corner in a major way and start lighting it up with confidence.

At 6'9", with a ludicrously long 7'3" wingspan, Ingram will be a mismatch nightmare for years to come and able to defend at least three positions. His evolution will be fascinating to watch.

Predicted Per-Game Stats: 7.5 Points, 4.3 Rebounds, 2.0 Assists, 1.5 Blocks

Larry Nance Jr.: Power Forward

Larry Nance Jr. may best be known for his rim-rattling dunks, but he also disturbs passing lanes on defense and has an excellent all-around court awareness. And while his shooting range continues to improve, he’s still the epitome of an unselfish player—sometimes distributing the ball to a fault.

For now, Nance Jr. is a solid backup option behind Julius Randle. But the more effectiveness he can demonstrate at multiple positions, the more playing time he’ll receive.

Predicted Per-Game Stats: 8.0 Points, 5.5 Rebounds, 1.0 Assists, 1.5 Steals, 0.9 Blocks

Tarik Black: Center

Tarik Black has a high motor and a sneaky ability to dive quickly off the pick-and-roll for finishing hard at the rim. As an undersized backup center (6'9", 250 lbs), he can also switch on defense and guard other positions.

But he hasn’t yet shown any real knack for shooting from beyond the paint or dishing to teammates—areas he’ll need to work on in order to carve out a larger role with the Lakers and the NBA in general.

Predicted Per-Game Stats: 7.0 Points, 5.5 Rebounds, 0.5 Assists, 1.0 Blocks

Nick Young: Small Forward/Shooting Guard

Nick Young has been a cat with nine lives in a Lakers uniform. An effervescent sixth man under Mike D’Antoni, a scourge under Byron Scott and now a resurrection project with Walton, Swaggy P is back! At least for now, the ball-happy scorer is playing a two-way game, making him a potentially useful cog in an open-court system.

Walton commented on Young working his way into the rotation, per Lakers Nation’s Serena Winters, saying: "The way he's playing right now it's going to make decisions tough."

Predicted Per-Game Stats: 12.0 Points, 3.0 Rebounds, 1.0 Assists, 1.0 Steals

Jordan Clarkson: Sixth Man/Shooting Guard

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Jordan Clarkson has been coming off the bench during the preseason, and his coach has continued to use the most constructive spin possible, as related by Joey Ramirez of Lakers.com.

"It’s really a way of getting a starter in with the second unit so you don’t have a lot of drop-off," Walton said. "But he’s very good at that role so far."

This is a far different philosophy from Walton’s predecessor, Scott, who wielded minutes and starting favors like a bludgeon. Clarkson has responded well to his new assignment and the challenge of becoming a defensive stopper.

But it wouldn’t be remotely surprising to see him running with the starters again before long—the result of rededicated efforts on both ends of the floor.

Regardless of which unit Clarkson is in, he'll play a huge part in the Lakers' success going forward.

Predicted Per-Game Stats: 16 Points, 4.5 Rebounds, 3.0 Assists, 2.0 Steals

Timofey Mozgov: Center

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What can the Lakers expect from their new starting center?

If Timofey Mozgov can dial it back to his 2013-14 campaign with the Denver Nuggets, they’ll get a defensive anchor who also possesses a nice array of post moves on the offensive end. That April, the huge Russian helped beat the Golden State Warriors with 23 points and a career-best 29 rebounds.

Mozgov has since been troubled with knee issues, and his productivity has faltered. But he’s now been reunited with his Nuggets head coach, Brian Shaw, (who is Walton’s lead assistant). And  though Walton himself is looking to recast the 7'1" big man in the kind of floor-spacing role that Andrew Bogut fills for Golden State Mozgov responded, per Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News:

"I don’t want to be anybody else. I do the things I do. I don’t want to be Bogut or whoever else."

Fair enough. Forget comparisons to other players or even the past for now. If Mozgov can still be an intimidator under the basket, get back with reasonable mobility and keep opponents honest with his soft shooting touch, the Lakers will have filled a need.

But don’t expect heavy minutes, as that’s counterintuitive for a massive veteran center on a full-court team with plenty of young legs.

Predicted Per-Game Stats: 6.5 Points, 6.0 Rebounds, 1.1 Assists, 1.3 Blocks

Julius Randle: Power Forward

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Randle is no shrinking violet: He’ll rip down defensive boards, run the floor with the ball and blow through the opposition like a linebacker on the loose. There’s still much work to be done, though, including extending his shooting range and improving his man-on-man defense.

Both are doable—the first is a matter of better mechanics and taking those shots with confidence, and the latter involves using smarter angles and avoiding desperation grabs that result in fouls.

This is a pivotal time for a third-year player who has experienced his fair share of trials and tribulations—a broken leg as a rookie and a sometimes-rocky relationship with his former coach. Randle showed his frustration after being yanked late in a game last January, and Scott didn’t exactly respond with olive branches, per ESPN.com’s Baxter Holmes.

"I think the main thing I don't like is, when you take him out of a game, how he acts sometimes," Scott said. "But again, I chalk it up to immaturity and just being inexperienced at this level because it's going to happen again. I'm going to take him out of other games that he's not going to like."

It’s a coach’s job to make the right substitutions and to develop players’ skills as well as their attitudes. It is also valid to observe that Scott’s rigid, old-school approach exacerbated a narrative of faltering team chemistry.

But there’s a different culture developing within the Lakers now, and it’s the kind of positive learning process that could help fuel Randle’s growth as a franchise cornerstone.

Predicted Per-Game Stats: 13 Points, 11 Rebounds, 3.0 Assists, 0.5 Blocks

Luol Deng: Small Forward

Isaac Brekken/Associated Press

Luol Deng was signed by the Lakers this summer as an experienced veteran who can plug multiple holes. The two-time All-Star has typically been billed as a small forward over his long career but has split time between both forward positions. That includes starting 73 games at the 4 for the Miami Heat last season.

This will be a real benefit for the Lakers when they go small—a recent mid-game adjustment found D'Angelo Russell, Clarkson, Ingram, Deng and Randle playing key minutes together. Deng adds a stabilizing presence to that unit while still having plenty of speed to get out and run.

As Medina for the Orange County Register wrote, Deng had multiple opportunities during free agency but was drawn to L.A. in part because of its new head coach:

"I was really excited about the system and also the role that I would play," Deng said. "I’m able to play as hard as I can on the court and lead these guys, while also being a voice in the locker room."

Deng also appreciates the sense of balance that Walton demonstrates.

"He’s new to coaching, but he has a positive mindset," Deng observed. "The way he coaches, he really respects players and demands respect back."

The Lakers have gone through too many years of stopgap solutions and less than satisfying results at the wing position—remember the chameleon act of Wesley Johnson? Deng’s four-year guaranteed contract may be pricey at $72 million but also shows confidence and commitment to a new chapter of Lakers basketball.

Predicted Per-Game Stats: 12.0 Points, 5.5 Rebounds, 2.5 Assists, 1.0 Steals

Louis Williams: Shooting Guard

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Louis Williams brings a healthy dose of scoring power to the Lakers' starting unit. He’s noticeably undersized as shooting guards go—only 6'1" and 175 pounds—but he compensates with a high release point on his shot, as well as the ability to shoot quickly off the dribble.

Now entering his 12th season, the journeyman can score in a number of ways: He's adept at drawing contact off perimeter pump-fakes or crossing up opponents and getting to the rim for a layup while collecting the and-1 in the process.

Williams was signed as a free agent during the summer of 2015 as a way to bring extra buckets to one of the lowest-scoring teams in the league. He flourished in that role, putting up a career-high 44 points against the Oklahoma City Thunder last January.

But the former Sixth Man of the Year can also be a liability. He’s not known for sharing the rock or as a defender—both qualities that Walton stresses heavily.

Despite Williams’ overall limitations, he has been plugged into a starter’s role, at least during the preseason. And it may be that his specific skill set is enough to keep him there, putting up fast points and subbing out for Clarkson, who is likely to play more minutes at the same position.

Predicted Per-Game Stats: 14 Points, 2.5 Rebounds, 2.5 Assists, 1.0 Steals

D'Angelo Russell: Point Guard

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Entering his sophomore campaign, Russell seems hell-bent on getting his numbers. He put up 33 points in a win against the Nuggets and 31 during a loss to the Sacramento Kings this preseason. What’s more, last year’s No. 2 overall pick is connecting from all parts of the floor, thus keeping defenses keyed on him and allowing easy-bucket opportunities for his teammates.

Russell is also showing off other parts of his evolving game, whether it’s picking pockets or dealing dimes. 

The 20-year-old is still a work in progress, sometimes prone to turnovers and not always adjusting his role efficiently enough when his shot isn’t falling. But as Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus recently wrote, Walton is giving his charge the green light to let it fly:

"

At this level, there's a fine line of doing what the coaches want and playing off feel. The guy's got a phenomenal feel for the game. What we're trying to tell him, 'Any time you're open, shoot it. We want you to play-make. We want you to get guys involved from the point guard position, but when you're coming off screens and you're open, the best way to make the defense pay is to shoot it.'

"

In a nutshell, this is the difference between how Scott and Walton approached the same task with the same player. One kept a tight rein, and the other has loosened that grip.

But this isn’t just about empowerment and bonding—it’s also a case of strategic decisions. Russell still has a lot of growing to do, yet he’s on his way to becoming a top-level NBA point guard.

Predicted Per-Game Stats: 20 Points, 4.0 Rebounds, 4.5 Assists, 2.0 Steals