It is really no secret that no one is giving the Los Angeles Lakers a chance in the upcoming season. Dwight Howard departed to the Houston Rockets. Metta World Peace signed with the New York Knicks. Kobe Bryant is recovering from a season-ending Achilles tear. Hope is not high, unless you are Bryant. If the All-Star needed any more motivation, it came in the form of some preseason projections.
ESPN.com recently posted their preseason projections for the 2013 season. In the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder were ranked first, followed by the Los Angeles Clippers and the San Antonio Spurs. All the way down towards the bottom were the Los Angeles Lakers. Bryant took notice.
"12th I see..." Bryant tweeted.
Is 12th that far-fetched? The tam and the fans are still recovering from the disappointment that came with the 2012 season. They were predicted to possibly be in the NBA Finals, but instead sneaked into the 7th spot in the West before getting swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Spurs.
The Lakers did not have a marquee offseason. They opted to cut some contracts while adding affordable mid-level guys to fill the roster in preparation for next summer's free agent run on several superstars. The team has some work to do if they are going to prove those projections wrong.
Bryant already does not lack for motivation for the upcoming season. At 35, many have wondered if Bryant can come back the same player that he was before he was injured. At this moment, the All-Star insists that he has shattered the recovery timeline for a standard Achilles injury and a return by October is not unlikely.
The Lakers know exactly how crucial Bryant is to the team. Since entering the league in 1996, Bryant has only missed the playoffs one time while winnings five titles in the process. Newly hired assistant Larry Lewis thinks Bryant might have the best basketball mind in the league.
"I rarely hear people talk about how smart Kobe is. He is a genius when it comes to this sport," Lewis said via the Los Angeles Times. "My approach to working with him would be to recognize that he already has the blueprint spiritually and mentally."
Even if the press are not giving the Lakers a shot at competing, Bryant's motivation is there. When one of the best players in the league is heavily motivated, anything is possible.
