Lakers’ exit interviews show where the players stand on rebuilding

The Lakers had their exit interviews with the team’s brass Thursday — as, one day after Kobe Bryant capped his 20-year career, the franchise began to turn the page and decide which of its players will be part of a major rebuilding process.

The assumption is that the Lakers will rely on their young nucleus of rookie D’Angelo Russell and second-year players Julius Randle and Jordan Clarkson. The Lakers’ staff also likes the progress Larry Nance Jr. and Anthony Brown made in their rookie seasons.

Now that group has to take the next step, which is something Bryant suggested to the youngsters, telling them after Wednesday’s season finale that they all need to work together to improve.

“I think after this year, we kind of see we have to do it together,” Randle said Thursday. “I don’t think talent around here and on this team is an issue. It’s just about finding the chemistry and playing for each other and not playing for ourselves.”

Russell was the second overall pick in the draft and his rookie season was wildly up and down.

He opened the season as a starter, only to be benched by coach Byron Scott and later went back to starting again.

Russell was also involved in a major story off the court when he secretly recorded teammate Nick Young talking about women who were not his fiancee in a video shot earlier this year and leaked to a gossip site this month. The incident left Russell in a bind with his teammates and other players around the NBA.

Through it all, the 20-year-old Russell said he has grown.

“Everybody was just thrown into a pot and expecting gold to come out,” said Russell, who plans on playing in the summer league. “We struggled all year trying to figure out roles, just what guys could do. I feel just like it was the warmup and I feel like next year we’ll have a better taste of what guys are capable of.”

Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak and Scott met with players at their practice facility to give them input on the expectations for next season after the team had a franchise-worst 17-65 record.

Clarkson is one of the building blocks, but he’ll be a restricted free agent looking for a big pay raise from the $845,000 he made this season.

“I feel confident that I’ll be back here,” Clarkson said. “I want to be here.”

Veterans Roy Hibbert, Metta World Peace, Ryan Kelly and Robert Sacre aren’t as confident that they’ll return.

After the video incident, Russell said he had to apologize to regain his teammates’ trust.

On Thursday, Russell said he wished he had not made that statement because “I don’t feel like I lost my teammates’ trust.”

“I feel like my teammates have been very supportive,” Russell added. “And Kobe has done a great job of being there for me. … I don’t feel like it affected me the way I carried myself.”

As for Young, who has two years left on his contract for $11.1 million, he sounded resigned to not being with the Lakers next season.

“I just want to play basketball again,” Young said. “I just want to enjoy getting out there and playing the game I love. … I know the Lakers are going to make decisions for the Lakers.”

Young added, this season was a “tough one” professionally and personally.

“I’m glad this season is over. Now I get to go and unwind and clear my head and just have fun,” he said.

Follow Broderick Turner on Twitter: @BA_Turner