Lakers News: Latest on Kevin Durant's Free Agency, Kobe Bryant's Move to SF
After losing a franchise-worst 61 games last season, the Los Angeles Lakers are looking for reasons to remain optimistic entering the 2015-16 campaign.
Fortunately for the Purple and Gold, two pieces of news could have their stock trending up. One revolves around the team's long-term outlook for 2016 and beyond, while the other centers on L.A.'s tactical approach with some new faces in the fold.
So with training camp underway and fresh storylines emerging, here's a rundown of the latest happenings in Hollywood.
Durant Eyeing L.A. as a Free-Agency Destination?
It's never too early to start thinking about free agency, and when it comes to the class of 2016, one name stands out above the rest: Kevin Durant.
According to Black Sports Online's Glenn Erby, Stephen A. Smith appeared on an episode of First Take on Sept. 29 and, citing sources, relayed information regarding Durant's interest in joining the Lakers next summer.
"Regardless of how senseless it may (sound), in one breath I’m hearing that if Kevin Durant doesn’t stay in Oklahoma City, L.A. is his primary objective and landing spot as opposed to South Beach or even his home of Washington, D.C.," Smith said.
However, Smith's reporting is accompanied by a big "if." And as CBS Sports' Ken Berger reported in July, "most league execs informally polled here at summer league expect Durant to stay in Oklahoma City when he hits the market next summer."
With just under a month to go until the regular season gets underway, reports regarding Durant's intentions should be consumed knowing that on-court results this season will likely dictate much of what his future holds.
If Durant can stay healthy and the Oklahoma City Thunder prosper under the leadership of head coach Billy Donovan, don't be surprised if whispers of a departure quiet down.
Kobe Adjusting to Life at the 3
The Lakers have stacked their backcourt with promising young talent over the past two drafts, and that could mean a shift in responsibilities for Kobe Bryant.
After adding Jordan Clarkson in the second round of the 2014 draft and picking D'Angelo Russell with the second overall selection in the 2015 draft, L.A. finally has the ball-handlers necessary to shift Bryant into a less physically demanding off-ball role.
According to Lakers.com's Mike Trudell, the 37-year-old has been playing small forward during early training camp practices in Hawaii:
"I don't have to handle the ball really at all, which leaves more time to catch and shoot," Bryant said, per the Los Angeles Times' Mike Bresnahan. "Makes my job a lot easier."
The move would be a significant one for Bryant. For his entire career, Kobe has been labeled a shooting guard. Since 2000, 89 percent of his minutes have come at the 2 with just 9 percent coming at the 3.
In the 35 games Kobe appeared in last season, 68.4 percent of his made field goals came unassisted, while 31.6 percent were converted following a teammate's pass.
And if Bryant is truly pushed into more of an off-ball scoring position and less of a playmaking one, he could see his percentage of catch-and-shoot attempts increase. Last season, 19.5 percent of Bryant's field-goal attempts came via catch-and-shoot opportunities. Conversely, 51.2 percent were the result of pull-ups.
Russell, Clarkson and a healthy Julius Randle should take some pressure off Bryant, but the aging superstar will continue to be the focal point of opposing defenses' game plans. With a bigger share of the offensive responsibilities, it'll be on the youngsters to deflect attention from their leader and help the offense flow at a more efficient clip.
All statistics courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com and NBA.com unless noted otherwise.
