Expectations for the 2013-14 season

[Slava]

Zach Lowe puts us in the **** tier with Charlotte & Sacramento, just one tier above obvious tanking.

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/979 ... -14-season

So, what would make you happy this season from the Lakers?

[Kilroy]

My gut tells me we can make the playoffs and be surprising, my head tells me this is going to be a long dreary season... Not sure which to trust yet...

Not really that interested right now either way... Go Dodgers!

[hermes]

82-0, nba champions

[EArl]

Playoffs 7th or 8th seed. Bank on it.

[tugs]

Swaggy P and Xavier being the top gunners and leading us to the promise land. jk. it's just so refreshing to see new faces stepping up.

I'm going with 2005 Phoenix Suns.

[ak7]

Realistically I don't expect more than 35 wins from this team, especially if Kobe won't be back until Thanksgiving at the latest.

My heart wants to give them 45-50, but I doubt it 99.9%.

[Wreckus13]

The homer in me wants to say as high as the 5th seed. But realistically, yea we ain't doing ish. 7th or 8th maybe.

[SlimShady83]

If healthy 6th - 7th seed and 2nd round exit

If not healthy and injury's happen probably tank?
As long as Kobe doesn't injure himself really bad again I'll be happy:)

[EArl]

My gut tells me we can make the playoffs and be surprising, my head tells me this is going to be a long dreary season... Not sure which to trust yet...

Not really that interested right now either way... Go Dodgers!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11Ee02WLxGk[/youtube]

[crazyeights]

If healthy, I expect to buy MDA some clout, develop a deeper bench with young players, and rebuild this franchise's reputation as a destination for free agents. I think we should make the playoffs and put ourselves in a position to, hopefully, re-sign Kobe and Pau, plus a key FA or two.

If not healthy: tank, trade, cultivate youth, and draft.

[TyCobb]

Top 8 draft pick sounds about right.

[chefy]

04-05 dos.

We're gonna miss the playoffs due to Injuries. Without Kobe the Lakers is a 9th/10th seed, and if he's able to come back in Nov/Dec he's not gonna be able to perform at a high level maybe untill after the Allstar break. I also expect other injuries to other players while Kobe's out.

This year is more of a tryout year of whos gonna stay for the long run and who's not. I don't expect us to make a ship push till 2015.

[Wavy Q]

lucky if we're above .500

[Penberthy]

playoff seeds

Grizz
Spurs
Warriors
Clippers
Rockets
Lakers

[Durins Baynes]

Top 8 draft pick sounds about right.

I have them 9th or 10th. I think the late tank will happen too late for 8th, given the plethora of teams throwing the tank in this year.

[DEEP3CL]

I don't see Denver, Portland, Minnesota, New Orleans or Dallas being better or heads and shoulders above us. Those teams have flaws that will show itself as the season progresses.

The locks for seeds 1-4 are : OKC, Clippers, Memphis and Spurs, maybe in that order.

Seeds 5 is GSW, if their shallow depth doesn't derail them...I tend to think it will, that team has no back up PG and it will hurt them more than Warrior fans are willing to believe. They absolutely believe they can survive with either Iggy or Klay Thompson running the 1. But it's no lock they get the 5 seed, I just have them there for now.

Seeds 6,7 and 8 can be had by anybody, the Rockets (another team lacking depth) to me can take the 6th seed but it's no lock. That leave the Lakers and Denver and to me Minnesota going for seeds 7th and 8th. I like our chances to get the same seed we had last season.........7th. But hoping for more.

All I got to say is that if we gel and play with no agenda we'll be fine.

[whitehops]

I hate to say this but it's going to be a brutal year, especially considering the success in recent years.

[Mirjalovic]

We still good enough as a team.

i dont think Memphis, Spurs will be consistent this year, don't know, just foresee if their peak is over. Denver, GSW, etc on par with the Lakers, everthing can happen.. Rockets is a wild card, but look happen to Lakers last season.. OKC ? Same with Kobe, no one can guarantee Westbrook will comeback as his true self.

Lakers criminally underrated. Chemistry always be important part in organized sport.

[Durins Baynes]

I don't see the logic in arguing the Spurs or Memphis are on the way down. They're both teams generally younger than you, and both actually missed guys with injuries last year. If anything I'd think they could have better regular season records next season.

[DEEP3CL]

I don't see the logic in arguing the Spurs or Memphis are on the way down. They're both teams generally younger than you, and both actually missed guys with injuries last year. If anything I'd think they could have better regular season records next season.

Way to stretch the age issue, the Spurs technically this season are older ( 28.3 ) while the Lakers are (28.1). So let's trash the age issue right now.

The Spurs core is still Duncan, Manu, and Tony. Tony is the youngest and he's 31 and will have to shoulder most of the load this season.

It's very foreseeable to expect a dip from the Spurs, anybody thinking they can just keep riding the magic wave is either in denial or delusional. Hell Duncan showed signs of decay in his game outside of a few "reach back in time" games. Same for Manu too, their most consistent player in the Finals was Parker and they got a good game from their role players one at a time but not a consistent effort every game. They have guys that can and will disappear from time to time, and I expect it more so this season.

While I don't think Memphis is on the down side, they do have questions that will have to be answered and no one can deny that. They didn't make a move in the summer so their status quo level remains to be in doubt.

But I have them for now ahead of the Spurs.

And for the record the Heat will enter this season as the NBA's oldest team at 30.1 years of age on average.