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Lakers' Scott likes idea of 'competition at every position'

Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports

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The fight for minutes on the 2015-16 version of the Los Angeles Lakers is stacking up like a legitimate competition rather than the war of attrition it was a season ago.

Save for superstar Kobe Bryant, who may be playing in his final season and could have his workload managed carefully, there's little certainty to the team's starting lineup. There's even little certainty as to primary backups, and especially as to how head coach Byron Scott will manage rotations.

That lack of clarity makes for an open battle, something Scott sounds quite happy about.

"What I like about the roster is there is competition at every position," Scott said at Las Vegas Summer League on Friday. "Guys have to come every day and work and earn those minutes."

Based on the current players under contract, this is how the depth chart may break down:

  • PG: D'Angelo Russell, Jordan Clarkson
  • SG: Kobe Bryant, Lou Williams, Jabari Brown
  • SF: Nick Young
  • PF: Julies Randle, Brandon Bass, Ryan Kelly, Larry Nance Jr.
  • C: Roy Hibbert, Tarik Black, Robert Sacre, Robert Upshaw

To call that imbalanced would be too kind. The Lakers have a fairly deep frontcourt, two capable young point guards, some score-first wings, and a dearth of small forwards.

That could mean Nick Young still has a place in the rotation, despite falling out of favor with Scott and reportedly being on the trading block. The Lakers can use Bryant at small forward or perhaps ask Ryan Kelly or Julius Randle to masquerade at the three, but Young is the only player on the roster who saw most of his minutes at the position last year.

But Young has work to do to convince Scott he's deserving of those minutes.

"I do see him being a core player this year," general manager Mitch Kupchak said. "He has to convince our coaching staff he can play within the system. That doesn't only mean score the ball. That means defending and doing the little things, which I know he can do."

These are the same things the Lakers have been saying about Young essentially since they signed him to a four-year, $21-million contract last summer. At age 30, the affable and entertaining Swaggy P doesn't seem likely to fundamentally change, which could force the Lakers to task Bryant with more time at the three and experiment with two-point guard looks that could be a lot of fun.

For what it's worth, playing Randle at the three doesn't sound like an option the Lakers are presently considering. Scott said he'll compete with Brandon Bass for the starting power forward job.

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