Los Angeles Lakers NBA 2K16 Ratings (9/27/15)

LOS ANGELES LAKERS (9/27/15)
85/SG: Kobe Bryant (Crafty Offensive Star)
80/SG: Lou Williams (Aggressive Scorer)
77/C: Roy Hibbert (Faceup Center)
77/PG: D'Angelo Russell (Offensive-Minded Point)
75/PG: Jordan Clarkson (Offensive-Minded Point)
74/PF: Brandon Bass (Offensive-Minded Four)
74/PF: Julius Randle (Offensive-Minded Four)
73/SF: Nick Young (Two-Way Wing)
70/SF: Metta World Peace (Wing Defender)
69/C: Tarik Black (Raw Rebounding Center)
69/C: Robert Sacre (Two-Way Center)
68/SF: Andrew Brown (Shooter)
67/SG: Jabari Brown (Aggressive Scorer)
66/SF: Ryan Kelly (Scrapper)
66/PF: Larry Nance Jr (Faceup Four)

POINT GUARD (Average Starter = 80)
77/PG: D'Angelo Russell (Rookie)
75/PG: Jordan Clarkson (16.9 PER, 25 MPG)

• D'Angelo Russell is a strong candidate for Rookie of the Year, and it's a near lock if he can wrest control of the offense from Kobe (healthy or otherwise).
• Jordan Clarkson was the steal of the 2014 draft, earning a selection to the All-Rookie First Team despite being drafted 46th overall.  He could start next to Russell at SG in a dual-PG lineup.

SHOOTING GUARD (Average Starter = 78)
85/SG: Kobe Bryant (17.6 PER, 35 MPG)
80/SG: Lou Williams (19.9 PER, 25 MPG)
67/SG: Jabari Brown (11.0 PER, 30 MPG)

• Last season Kobe Bryant's shooting was awful and unacceptable.  Now 37-years old, he needs to accept a smaller role and defer to his younger teammates for the team to have any level of success.  He could start at SF this season, a move that Michael Jordan was also forced to make in his late-30s.
• Lou Williams was the 2015 Sixth Man of the Year, averaging 15.5 PPG in only 25 MPG off the bench for Toronto.  Sweet Lou will look to replicate that success with the Lakers.  His weaknesses (small size and playmaking) are more than compensated for by the other members of LA's backcourt (For gameplay purposes I would consider Crawford a SG and Williams a PG).
• Jabari Brown was a big-time scorer in the D-League before injuries lead to a major opportunity with the Lakers last season.  With the team's added back-court depth his scoring skills won't be as necessary, and it's doubtful he makes the team.  He'll need to hold off Michael Frazier and Marcelo Huertas in camp.

SMALL FORWARD (Average Starter = 79)
73/SF: Nick Young (14.2 PER, 24 MPG)
70/SF: Metta World Peace (11.7 PER, 13 MPG)
68/SF: Andrew Brown (Rookie)
66/SF: Ryan Kelly (8.6 PER, 24 MPG)

• Nick Young had a disappointing season after a career year in 2014.  Swaggy hasn't been able to stay healthy, and has stopped attacking the basket as a result.  He'll be hard-pressed for playing time if Kobe stays healthy.
• Anthony Brown was an excellent spot-up shooter with Stanford and his 6'11.5" wingspan gives him defensive potential.  He could find playing time given that Crawford and Kobe are below average 3pt shooters.
• Ryan Kelly is more of a stretch-four who can't rebound than an actual SF.
• Metta World Peace returns to LA after a two-year exodus playing in New York, Italy, and China.  MWP wasn't very effective in his last NBA stint and is being looked at strictly in a mentorship role (for Julius Randle).  He is one of seven players with a non-guaranteed contract vying for three open roster spots, though it does seem like he'll make the team if none of the others impress.  It's probable that he'd play more PF than SF at this stage of his career.

POWER FORWARD (Average Starter = 80)
74/PF: Brandon Bass (16.3 PER, 24 MPG)
74/PF: Julius Randle (-7.5 PER, 14 MPG)
66/PF: Larry Nance Jr (Rookie)

• Julius Randle went down for the year in last season's opener.  The Lakers are hopeful he can start, though it's not the end of the world if he needs to be brought along slowly at first.
• Brandon Bass is effectively replacing Carlos Boozer on the roster.  He has started for a number of years, and his defense/shooting make him a solid insurance policy if Randle can't handle a starting role just yet.
• Larry Nance Jr is an energetic athlete, though he won't ever be confused with his father.

CENTER (Average Starter = 79)
77/C: Roy Hibbert (15.4 PER, 25 MPG)
69/C: Tarik Black (14.7 PER, 19 MPG)
69/C: Robert Sacre (10.9 PER, 17 MPG)

• Roy Hibbert played his way out of Indiana over the years.  While the Lakers are desperate for defense and size it's questionable whether Hibbert's mental makeup can handle one of the world's biggest markets, which makes him the biggest X-Factor on the team.
• Robert Sacre 
• Tarik Black will try to hold off Robert Upshaw (and to a lesser extent, Jonathan Holmes) in camp for a role as the team's 3rd center... though either player could leap Robert Sacre in the depth chart as well.