New-look Lakers talk about the future on media day
Luke Walton hurried to answer the question even before the reporter fully finished asking it.
No, he hadn’t taken time to reflect on the opportunity before him, on the fact that he, at the age of 36, is the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. His mind has been elsewhere.
“That’s not going to help what we’re trying to do at all — to sit back and think,” Walton said Monday during his first media day as Lakers head coach. “I know it’s awesome, I know it’s incredible. I know it’s a dream for millions of people to be able to coach this organization. For me, I’m honored to do it. I need to spend my time focusing on how we’re going to attack the season, what we’re going to implement first.”
As the Lakers moved toward their future, a different kind of team presented itself for media day at its training facility in El Segundo.
The media scrums shrank this year, lending a lighter air to the annual rite. As they spent two hours in interview sessions and photo shoots, the young Lakers had more space, just as they have in other parts of their post-Kobe Bryant lives. Monday marked a symbolic beginning for the team that went 17-65 last season. They spoke of their excitement at starting anew, together, their expectation to improve and their understanding that this team has more modest goals than Lakers teams of the past.
“The energy, the vibe is different,” forward Julius Randle said. “Everybody is just enjoying each other. The game is starting to become fun again. You win 15 games, what was it, 17 games we won last year? Everything feels like press, a struggle. Doesn’t make the game fun. We’re just trying to get back to the game being fun.”
The theme of togetherness permeated the session, in discussions about everything from on-court chemistry to the Lakers’ plans to join protests of racial injustice.
“The message is terrific,” forward Larry Nance Jr. said when asked what he thought of San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s kneeling during the national anthem. “Obviously something needs to be done about this in the United States today.”
Nance said the Lakers plan to make a gesture as a team, but haven’t decided what that will be. He said the team met for 30 minutes Monday to begin that discussion. Forward Tarik Black said General Manager Mitch Kupchak told the players they’d have the organization’s support.
“Commissioner [Adam] Silver, the players association are doing a great job of getting behind the players,” forward Randle said. “Obviously guys have concerns. Guys want to have a voice. They’re doing a great job of getting behind us and finding the right meaningful way to make an impact on the community.”
Randle, 21, and Nance, 23, are part of a young group of Lakers who are expected to help the team recover from last season, when it posted the worst record in franchise history.
Perhaps the most critical piece, though, is second-year point guard D’Angelo Russell, who was prodded this summer to assume a leadership role.
“You can guide as a coach,” Walton said. “It’s up to players to take what they want. Some people are born natural leaders and other people learn to become leaders. I’m impressed with how D’Angelo is trying to make that part of who he is as a leader.”
Walton’s work with Russell so far has come during unofficial practice sessions this off-season. Several Lakers spent their mornings at the facility, getting to know each other and the staff.
The Lakers left El Segundo for Santa Barbara after media day finished and will begin a weeklong training camp Tuesday.
Media day took place on a practice court surrounded by championship banners, overlooked by a row of championship trophies gleaming through a window sitting high above the court. They are all reminders of what’s often been expected of this franchise.
For these Lakers, though, the process starts smaller.
“We’re young, we got a lot of room to grow,” guard Jordan Clarkson said. “We can expect that in two years coming on, but not at this point.”
To him a successful 2016-17 season would show progress.
“Can’t win 17 games next year,” Clarkson said. “That would be a sign of us not getting better. Seeing the growth of us getting better [would mark success]. Last year we’d win a game, we’d lose 10 in a row or something crazy like that. Just us progressing as a group to win games.”
tania.ganguli@latimes.com
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