The Tribune

By Inigo ‘Naughty’ Zenicazelaya

“All that glitters isn’t “Purple and Gold in NBA Free agency!”

“Are the Lakers losing their lustre?”

“The Lakers have lost their appeal”.

“Kobe is ruining it for LA”.

“Today’s free agents not moved by stories franchises”.

THOSE are just some of the sentiments being made by the “Basketball Gurus” about my Los Angeles Lakers. Empty barrels always make the most noise so I’m not surprised.

To begin things this week, let’s quote former President Bill Clinton: “First off, you all need to relax”. Calm your passion Laker haters, this is all part of the master plan.

Yes, Mitch Kupchack has a contingency plan in place, setting a solid foundation for future Laker success. A combination of a talented youth movement sprinkled with talented veteran leadership and experience should hopefully lead to more banners being hung from the ceiling of the Staples Centre in the not too distant future. Some other intangibles will have to fall into place, and things seem to be shaking up just that way for the Lakers.

That old saying “Patience is a virtue” is spot on in describing this painstakingly slow and painful process of rebuilding for the once mighty Lakers, but now there are several bright lights at the end of the tunnel - with an eye on more.

This year, you see, is still part of the rebuilding process; courting this year’s prized free agents was just a smoke screen, similar to our present administration’s creative distractions to take the spotlight off pertinent national matters at hand.

Saying they were going to sign LeMarcus Aldridge, Marc Gasol, DeAndre Jordan and Kevin Love was the Lakers version of “Carnival”.

Designed to pacify season ticket holders and loyal fans at large and to distract the other NBA GM’s from their real “Free Agent” crown jewel, who happens to become an unrestricted free agent in 2016, ironically the same season the NBA salary cap balloons. (Very similar to how “Carnival” distracted us from all our national ills plaguing society for a moment and took our focus away from several controversial issues of national importance and security).

I guess you’re saying ‘ah yes, Kevin Durant’. No, it’s actually his teammate, LA native and former UCLA star Russell Westbrook. (The Oklahoma City Thunder stand to be depleted during “Free Agency ‘16”).

Hopefully the Lakers can get this one done after whiffing the past two off seasons, posturing or not!

Westbrook is the perfect candidate to lead the post Kobe Lakers era! (That was really hard to say let alone write. My chest tightened a bit and I’m nauseous).

Yes, Laker fans and haters alike, we’ve been “hustled” like a pool shark by Kupchack!

I say nicely played. It’s obvious to all with an above average Basketball IQ that the Lakers were always eyeing the free agent class of 2016 ,where they would have the most money to spend on two prized free agents and the biggest on the Lakers list again, Russell Westbrook not Kevin Durant. (No smoke screen here, the Lakers are salivating like Pavlov’s dog over Westbrook).

Drafting DeAngelo Russell and Larry Nance Jr to go along with Jordan Clarkson, Julius Randall, Tarik Black, the newly acquired reigning NBA Sixth Man of The Year guard Lou Williams, defensive ace centre Roy Hibbard and rugged, durable forward Brandon Bass (a solid addition to the bench by the way) are quality pieces. Key pieces being given the opportunities to contribute, gaining invaluable on-court experience and the chance to “gel” in pursuit of quality team chemistry during this final year of the rebuilding process, as the Lakers eagerly await with cautious optimism on the arrival of Russell Westbrook in next year’s free agency period.

Don’t factor out Kobe either. He says he’s got two more seasons in him (less the gargantuan contract) and switching to small forward to accommodate the young lions in the back court may prove more than advantageous to the Lakers, seeing how Kobe is a beast on the block with a very “Jordanesque” turn around jumper, who can facilitate the offence through the post. Even at 36, Bryant can still defend the position well, and it adds to the overall vital necessity for the Lakers to improve immensely on defence, especially in the paint, to protect the young and talented but still inexperienced first round pick from last season’s draft, Julius Randall. (Randall broke his leg on the opening night of last year’s NBA season and missed the remaining 81 games).

All of these elements, along with a few other ingredients and Max Level contract, factor in to courting and signing Westbrook, in my opinion.

However, until then ‘Laker Nation’ must deal with another season of growing pains and rebuilding.

• An opening day starting lineup should look like this:

C - Roy Hibbert

PF - Julius Randall

SF - Kobe Bryant

SG -Jordan Clarkson

PG - DeAngelo Russell

Bench: Lou Williams, Brandon Bass, Tarik Black, Larry Nance Jr, Robert Sacre.

Last night the Lakers were working on sign and trade deals that would send C/F Jordan Hill and SF Nick Young to Golden State for C/F David Lee.

The second deal in the works is Jeremy Lin to Dallas for future draft picks.

Whether these trades pan out or not and the Lakers add one or two more talented players I’m thinking they’ll finish the sixth or seventh seed in the Western Conference, a first-round upset and an exit in the second round.

(Before you snicker and make your snide remarks, need I remind you all of the monumental hit streak “Naughtydamus” is on?)

More importantly, the seeds will be sewn for what should be a fruitful post-Kobe generation of Lakers and the opportunity for me to run my mouth properly again!

Until next week: remember “Success doesn’t come and find you, you have to go out and find it”.

• Naughty presents ‘Mischief and Mayhem in da AM’ on KISS FM 96.1 from 6am to 10am, Monday to Friday. Comments and questions to naughty@tribunemedia.net