Lakers Look To New Coach, Youth Movement In Season Opener

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — For the Los Angeles Lakers and their fans, things can only get better.

Coming off their worst record in an otherwise championship-filled history, the Lakers will kick off the 2016-17 season Wednesday against the Houston Rockets at Staples Center in what will be the first game of the post-Kobe Bryant era.

Bryant retired this summer, capping a 20-season NBA career in which he helped lead the Lakers to five NBA titles and ending up as the league's third all-time leading scorer.

Tonight's game will also be the regular season debut for coach Luke Walton, who was brought on in April after serving as an assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors for two seasons under Steve Kerr.

Walton succeeds Byron Scott, who was fired following the worst two seasons in the team's history, including a 17-65
record last season. The Lakers have missed the playoffs for three consecutive seasons - a team-record.

After notching a 2-6 preseason record, the Lakers roster includes two rookies - forward Brandon Ingram, the second
player chosen in the draft, and Croatian center Ivica Zubac, the 32nd choice -- three second-year players -- guard D'Angelo Russell, forward Larry Nance Jr. and Brazilian guard Marcelo Huertas -- and three third-year players -- forward Julius Randle, guard Jordan Clarkson and forward-center Tarik Black.

Four other newcomers are also set to make their debut in the purple and gold: former Cavs center Timofey Mozgov, forwards Luol Deng and Thomas Robinson, and point guard Jose Calderon, acquired in a trade with Chicago.

While team expectations are still relatively modest, Walton says he just wants to see effort out on the court.

"Winning in this league is difficult," said Walton,. "We got a young team that's growing and we shoot ourselves in the foot every time we send the other team to the free throw line 30 times."

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