The LA Lakers are in camp in Hawaii and Kobe Bryant has started off healthy for Los Angeles after missing most of last season with an injury. The team has Julius Randle and D'Angelo Russell trying to prove they should start, while players like Robert Upshaw, Marcelo Huertas, Michael Frazier and Jonathan Holmes are trying to make the roster in camp.
The Lakers are coming into the season with expectations of improvement from last year, as the team made a number of moves to improve the roster. The team traded for Roy Hibbert and also added Brandon Bass and Lou Williams in free agency. Randle is back after missing basically his entire rookie season and he is a new addition in a way because of that, while D'Angelo Russell was a top draft pick and could end up starting for the team, or at least playing heavy minutes this season.
The health of Bryant is one of the keys for the Lakers this year and he comes in after dealing with a shoulder issue that limited him to 35 games last season. Bryant played well in those games while averaging 22 points, but he also shot a career low 37 percent from the field and that is something Bryant said he will be working on improving. Bryant said to ESPN Los Angeles that he felt "pretty good" after the first preseason game against the Jazz and he played 12 minutes in that loss.
Bryant likely will be limited in his minutes, as Byron Scott said to NBA.com that while he doesn't have a "hard cap" on minutes for the star, he likely will put him in the "26-30 minute range" per game. Scott also said that Bryant could get some more work at small forward, which would allow the Lakers to use both Jordan Clarkson and Russell on the court at the same time. The Lakers are excited about the potential of both Russell and Clarkson, but the team also realizes that the two have limited experience and that could be an issue this season.
Robert Upshaw is a candidate to make the roster and how he plays in the preseason could determine if he gets to make the team along with Frazier and Holmes. Huertas has a good chance to make the team, as he could be the backup for Russell, but according to ESPN.com, the Euroleague star is dealing with a hamstring injury. Nick Young also has an injury, while Russell has been dealing with a foot issue. The Lakers are hpping those players can get healthy so they can evaluate things heading into the season.
The team won just 21 games last season and while they may not contend for a championship, the Lakers expect to improve on that number. The new additions from free agency and trades along with Russell should up the talent level for LA and if Bryant can stay healthy, the team has a chance to get back near the .500 mark again after some tough years.
Check here for more on the Lakers, Bryant, Upshaw and the roster in camp.