Lakers News: Luke Walton Says Players Were 'Pouting' on Bench vs. Blazers

Los Angeles Lakers head coach Luke Walton said his team was "pouting" on the bench during the team's 95-92 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday night, according to Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.com.

"We're gonna be tired. It's our job to be ready. I didn't think we did a good job of that. I thought guys on our bench were pouting. I thought there was too much feeling sorry for ourselves as opposed to being professionals. The main thing that we do is always about our team and about what's best for the team, how do we win as a team. Our guys have been great at that all year long. I just didn't think we were very in character tonight. Maybe it's this tough stretch we've been through. I don't know. We just didn't seem to be ourselves.

"It just didn't feel like our normal group. There wasn't a great energy. I just didn't feel like our bench was jumping up and cheering guys on that were in and communicating and calling stuff out. It just didn't feel like the same group that was locked in and bought into what's been going on."

Veteran center Andrew Bogut, meanwhile, told reporters that some players on the team were frustrated, in part due to how injuries and different rotations have affected the team. He also suggested that some of the pending business decisions affecting the team, such as free agency in 2018, were serving as distractions, though he added that it was the nature of the NBA and shouldn't be affecting the young Lakers.

He also acknowledged, however, that, "It is hard to tell young guys, 18, 19, 20 that come from a great college environment that are usually great cultures, that are built on team-first, and then you come into a situation like this sometimes where, kind of, guys don't know if they are coming or going."

Indeed, the Lakers are expected to make a splash—or at least attempt to make a splash—in free agency this summer, with players like LeBron James, Paul George, DeMarcus Cousins and Chris Paul eligible to hit free agency. There has been speculation that the team will (or should) try to move on from players like Luol Deng and Jordan Clarkson to clear cap space for this summer. And the Lakers didn't sign Julius Randle to a contract extension this fall, making his future with the team uncertain.

Center Brook Lopez is also set to become a free agent and likely won't be re-signed if the Lakers succeed in their efforts to bring multiple superstars aboard.

Additionally, on Friday ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Lakers and Dallas Mavericks had "initial talks" about a potential trade that would have sent Randle to Dallas and center Nerlens Noel to L.A. Those talks ended once Noel injured his thumb and had surgery, however, though the Lakers have reportedly received interest around the league in Randle and Clarkson.

Finally, the Lakers have lost five of their last six, though that can at least partially be attributed to a brutal stretch that saw them play the Golden State Warriors (twice), Cleveland Cavaliers and Houston Rockets consecutively. The Lakers went 1-3 in that stretch. They're also coming off of nine road games in their past 13 contests. It's possible the young Lakers are a bit burnt out. 

Add it all up, and there are enough factors in play to understand the Lakers' frustration. Regardless, the team's attitude was poor enough that both the head coach and a veteran player felt compelled to speak out against it publicly. It's clear Walton and Bogut recognized a situation they felt needed to be nipped in the bud lest it affects the rest of the season.