When the Lakers take the floor on opening night this upcoming season, they will not only look different, they will feel different.
Behind a flurry of offseason moves that saw eight new players added (so far) and headlined by the acquisition of Russell Westbrook, the team not only reconstructed their roster but also their identity. Amongst the new — and familiar — faces the team signed, a distinct skew toward offense is something simply out of the ordinary for the franchise.
Only a year removed from winning the championship, it was the Lakers’ defense that was ultimately their backbone and security blanket.