It's clear that no one player can fill Kobe Bryant’s giant Nikes as the Los Angeles Lakers approach their first training camp in decades without him. That process will be a group effort, but what the early days of the post-Kobe era have also made crystal clear is this: the Lakers are D'Angelo Russell's team now.
Brandon Ingram could end up being the next big thing, Jordan Clarkson has shown plenty of scoring prowess, and Julius Randle and Larry Nance, Jr. look poised to man the four spot for the next several years. The team brought in expensive veterans like Luol Deng and Timofey Mozgov to help lead the way, but the roster's construction and comments from the team make it obvious Russell is the engine the Lakers expect to run their machine.