A lost season with hope...

Is it me, or am I just a delusional Lakers fan that thought this team had a chance to make the playoffs a few weeks ago? Call that prediction crazy, but in the midst of what is a lost season there is hope that lurks in the distance, and who knows maybe the basketball gods will give the Lakers some marquee star players who will shoot them back into contention in the next few years. In reality, the Lakers are now living in the light of hope; hoping that someone will come in and restore the greatness and that this organization had up until now. A marquee free agent in the next two years and a lottery pick from this year’s draft could very well put the Lakers back on the NBA's landscape of contending teams, instead of being with the rest of the bottom feeders.

This season should be considered a lost one, and if you have been watching any recent Lakers games this season you'll realize they have no shot at the playoffs; with or without Kobe.

Going forward the rest of the year is going to be a tough watch for all Lakers fans and supporters because the Lakers have no direction of where they want to go. Should they rebuild or reload? It's simple, do both at the same time! With the talent already on the roster, this is considered a try out season for most of these guys not named Kobe. Some of these guys on the current roster will be back, and some won’t. So, having a lost season may not be all that bad at this point because there is a glare of hope at the end of this season.

Hope is the one word that the Lakers organization is going to have to get used to hearing. They hoped Dwight Howard would resign, and he didn't. They also hoped that Kobe would be the old Kobe, but he came back and broke his knee. Now, the hope is a star will come to the purple and gold willingly in the next two years, and maybe a lottery pick will fall into their laps this year. These are the lines of hope that the Lakers are looking up at.

"This franchise is a franchise that you really don't have to worry about too much, because no matter what happens, whether it's a year from now, two years from now, whatever the case may be, they're always going to find a way to have an impact on this league."

- Kobe Bryant, June 4, 2013

The Lakers have always found a way, but the problem now is no one is willing to help the Lakers out in any kind of way. But, the Lakers are an organization that can't stand to lose for too long. Even though upper management has made some really bad decisions over the last three years, they will not give up. They will get it together sooner rather than later. There are certain players who are being linked to the Lakers because of the Lakers financial flexibility and their status as upcoming free agents.

Carmelo Anthony's name has surfaced as of late in part due to his Knicks team playing so poorly, with a laughable record. Melo is a scorer point blank. He's averaging 26.2 points this year. His career average is 25 per game. His defense has always been questionable, but his ability to rebound and play inside and out should not be overlooked. He can also play multiple positions and gives every defender a headache because of his ability to get space and create his own shots.

Melo is still in the prime of his career, and maybe the opportunity to help Kobe win his sixth ring, while getting his first would be enticing enough to leave his home state of New York in favor of sunny L.A. Melo has been compared to Allen Iverson for his "ball hogging" numbers, but could change that perception by going to the Lakers. He would have to share the ball with Kobe and whoever else the Lakers have that point. Carmelo Anthony is a good and solid option for the Lakers because he's a star and a top 10 player in the league right now.

Next, Kevin Love, he's not available until the summer of 2015, whereas Anthony will be available this summer. Kevin Love is averaging a career best this year with 26.3 points per game. He also has the inside and outside game that the Lakers are obviously coveting. He's averaging 13 rebounds per game and has the ability to stretch the floor. He's ultimately the best fit for the kind of offense that Mike D'Antoni runs. Love is also from Southern California, and a former UCLA Bruin. So coming back to L.A. wouldn't be a culture shock.

His positive and scrappy look would fit right into LA. He's probably the best option for the Lakers because he is also younger than Carmelo. Love can come in and be the face of the Lakers for the next ten years where Carmelo would probably be there for only three to four years. The downside to Love is that he has had injuries throughout his career already, but it looks like he is finally healthy, while finding his stride as a star player who may be capable of carrying the heavy load of the Lakers franchise on his shoulders.

Those are the potential lines of hope for the Lakers as far as max level free agents; they are without a doubt the best options. I didn't mention Lebron James because he's not coming to the Lakers. He's found success in Miami, and they will continue to build around him even if it means moving his buddies Wade and Bosh. Lebron is not an option for the Lakers. Sorry... 

The draft is now knocking on the Lakers door, but the problem is the Lakers have too much pride to tank a season, but with how the team is currently constructed they may not be tanking on purpose. With the way things are going, the Lakers are headed there, and they will have one pick! If they can get in let’s say the top 7, then this line of hope would benefit along with a free agent signing of Anthony or Love because in reality, the Lakers will get one of those guys. They can't get both; they can only have one because they are max salary players who will command about 20 plus million a season.

If the Lakers landed a lottery pick to pair with Anthony or Love, and Kobe the rebuild would be complete and having that combination sounds like enough to contend in the rugged western conference. The bright side of having a high lottery pick means a potential star playing on a rookie deal for about four years. This dream and lines of hope, not only help the Lakers win now, but also helps them stay relevant for the future. How can the Lakers start this process?

The Lakers should trade Pau Gasol for anything at this point, and tank the rest of the season, and cross their fingers and hope that the basketball gods will give them a young transcendent talent that will be the face of the franchise for the next ten years along with preserving enough cap space to pursue a player like Anthony or Love. Those should be the real lines of hope for the Lakers at this point. They have no trade assets, or any first round picks again until 2016. So, the process of clearing out space, having try outs, and having hope should begin now instead having a repeat of lost seasons.

Rebuilding and reloading are what the Lakers are going to have to do at the same time in order to get back to relevancy. This lost season may end up being a blessing in disguise for this storied franchise that has prided itself for having a winning culture. The next star is waiting for the Lakers, but until that time comes, this lost season is only for a little bit longer because the Lakers don't stay down for long, even when there is no clear path back to relevancy. Hope is a word that the Lakers will have to get accustomed to especially if they want to get back into contention. Hope and a little bit of luck are what the Lakers need at this point because even the most storied franchise in sports has a string of tough times.

- Rio