So, I got thinking about the Lakers the other day. Not the current team, but back a bit. Specifically, that 2015-2016 season popped into my head. Why? Well, it was Kobe’s last ride, right? A whole farewell tour. It made me try and remember who else was actually wearing the purple and gold that year alongside him. Felt like digging through an old box in the attic.
Trying to Piece it Together
Okay, first name, easy peasy: Kobe Bryant. That’s the anchor for that whole season’s memory. Then my brain started churning… who were the young guns they were hyping up? Ah yeah, D’Angelo Russell, the rookie point guard. And Julius Randle, coming back after that nasty leg break his first year. Jordan Clarkson was there too, getting buckets. I remember him being pretty solid off the bench, or maybe starting sometimes?
Then it gets a bit hazier. Who else was getting significant minutes? I felt like Larry Nance Jr. was around, doing athletic stuff. And wasn’t Lou Williams there? Sweet Lou, instant offense. Yeah, pretty sure he was part of that squad. Oh, and Nick Young! Swaggy P himself must’ve been there, right? It felt like he was a Laker forever back then.
Had to Look it Up Eventually
Alright, I gotta admit, after those core guys, my memory started sputtering. It wasn’t exactly a star-studded roster, let’s be real. So, I did what any of us would do. Pulled out my phone, opened up a browser. Didn’t do anything fancy, just typed in something like “los angeles lakers roster 2016”.
And boom, the list popped up. Okay, let’s see who I missed:
- Roy Hibbert – Man, how could I forget? The big fella. They brought him in, hoped for something, didn’t quite pan out.
- Brandon Bass – Solid vet forward. Yep, remember him now.
- Metta World Peace – He was back! Kind of a cool story, ending his career where he won a title, mentoring the young guys.
- Marcelo Huertas – The flashy passer from Brazil! Remember some of those behind-the-back assists.
- Tarik Black – Energy guy, backup center.
- Anthony Brown – Young wing player, Stanford guy?
- Ryan Kelly – Stretch big type? Honestly, barely remembered him.
Final Thoughts
Seeing that full list laid out… wow. What a mix. You had the absolute legend on his way out, a bunch of young kids trying to find their way (who mostly ended up finding success elsewhere, funny enough), and some veterans filling in the gaps. It really highlights what a strange, transitional period that was for the Lakers. All about Kobe’s goodbye tour, really. Not much winning, but definitely a memorable season for that reason alone. It’s crazy looking back now and seeing how much things have changed since then. Just a snapshot in time, I guess.
