Winning Isn’t Everything

A championship is the ultimate prize in sports. Every fan of every team wants what is best for the team in order to put their team in the best position to compete for a championship. Sometimes, though, winning sometimes isn’t always the answer to success; and in the Lakers current situation that can’t be overstated.

The Lakers and their fans are hoping to see another title parade soon after a few hard seasons.

For the Lakers organization and its fans, the 2013-14 season is one of the darkest and hardest to watch in the past 30-plus years. In the end, though, it might not be so bad.

After losing out on the Dwight Howard sweepstakes in the off-season and while waiting on Kobe Bryant to return from injury, the Lakers knew the season would be a long one. Countless injuries and poor play have made exacerbated the situation. Currently, at the All Star Break, the Lakers sit with a record of 18-35 and are tied for the worst record in the Western Conference with the Sacramento Kings. So, the question is where do the Lakers go from here?

As the Lakers continue to lose, it all adds up to one step closer to a great lottery pick in the upcoming draft. The 2014 draft class looks to be one of the deepest and strongest draft classes since the 2003, when players such as LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Bosh entered the league. It looks like the Lakers may even have a good chance to get a top-5 pick in the draft, which would greatly improve the team. Combine the good draft pick with all the cap space the Lakers will have this off-season and the Lakers should be back in contention for a title within a year or two.

What makes people skeptical about the future state of the Lakers is the fact that Jerry Buss and Jerry West are no longer with the team and that it is being run by Jim Buss, a man criticized for his poor decisions pertaining to the team. He is accompanied by general manager Mitch Kupchak, who is a fan favorite for his-out of-nowhere great moves. I understand why Laker fans like myself are worried about the future but we have to just trust in management and hope for the best. I mean after all it’s the Lakers right? Whoever is managing the team, I have to believe they will figure it out and bring this historic franchise back to the place it was always meant to be.