Please, & "Tank" You.

   Over many years of gold and glory, draft picks have been anything but an issue for the Los Angeles Lakers. Now, it is a new era.

These last three seasons for the Lakers have been filled with record breaking statistics but for the wrong reasons. Some of these include the worst loss in franchise history, worst start to a season, and longest losing streak (to name a few). Simple to say, it's been UGLY.

In desperate times like these, what is a franchise to do?

The answer is TANK, and TANK hard because they have nothing else to play for.

There are many devout Laker fans who feel strong pride for their team, and rightfully so. Although this is justifiable, I would love to hear someone tell me what they are playing for. A spot in the playoffs? No, it can't be, especially in one of the strongest conferences in all of American sports (arguably).

Now let's assume they don't make the playoffs, which I'm sorry to say, is going to happen. What's the next best thing? Maybe getting the 11th spot in the Wild West? That is of no value what so ever.

This is where the philosophy of "tanking" has it's logic. As many NBA followers know, if Los Angeles doesn't finish in the top 5 worst this season their pick automatically goes to the Phoenix Suns. This is the consequence of perhaps one of the worst trades in the teams franchise, where they acquired the all so fragile, Steve Nash.

If that doesn't give you anymore reason to buy into tanking then I don't know what will.

Maybe here's something that might.

"I hope the Lakers lose every game because if you're going to lose, lose. 
And I'm serious." said Magic Johnson; who then took his rant to Twitter, tweeting, "I don't want the team to finish in the middle of the pack and get a 10th-14th pick because that won't do us any good."

Even a Laker legend is in tune with his senses about the Lakers' poor string of seasons. That's coming from a guy who gave LA some of it's most succesful years, in a tragically short cut career.

As much as it might hurt to watch your team lose and lose a lot, in the long run it can pay off to build a dynasty of players that Los Angeles is all so used to. A winning one.

On the down side, we all wanted to see Kobe Bryant go out on a successful outro but as his game is diminishing so is the team. Unfortunately it won't be a storybook ending for him, but with tanking there is a bright future for the Lakers.