Mitch Kupchak rolled his luggage into the arena, cognizant the Lakers would fly out of here shortly after their last exhibition game.
Travel bags have already been symbolic of what’s wrong with them — age and injuries — when Steve Nash aggravated his back while handling some luggage last week at his Manhattan Beach home. Kupchak, though, remains upbeat, with the regular season starting Tuesday against Houston.
“I think there’s been a lot of positives. I do,” he said. “I think our two rookies, if they continue to work, have some upsides in this league.”
That would be Julius Randle and Jordan Clarkson, representing the hope and future of a franchise looking for all the pluses it can find.
Randle had 12 points and nine rebounds in the Lakers’ 93-92 loss to the Sacramento Kings at MGM Grand Garden Arena. However, he also elbowed Rudy Gay in the jaw while driving downcourt, earning a foul and some unkind words from Sacramento center DeMarcus Cousins. Gay left the game and did not return.
Kupchak liked what he saw overall from Kobe Bryant, who averaged 19 points, four assists and 26.7 minutes before sitting out the last two exhibitions.
“Yes. Absolutely,” Kupchak said. “It looks to me that he’s made adjustments and he knows how to make a significant contribution. And I still don’t think conditioning-wise he’s where he wants to be. But he’s close.”
Kupchak noted the obvious injury issues as the Lakers ended exhibition play with a 3-5 record: Ryan Kelly and Clarkson missed substantial time this month with injuries, Nick Young was expected out until at least late November and, of course, Nash was declared out for the season.
Kupchak said he would do the Nash trade again, pointing out that the Lakers thought they had a “small window” to win a championship, and Nash seemed a perfect fit when he was acquired from Phoenix for two first-round and two second-round picks.
Nobody expected Nash to play all 82 games this season. Or even 60 games. Or maybe even half of that.
But the Lakers seemed somewhat melancholy to be without him.
“You saw him play in San Diego. He looked terrific,” Bryant said, referring to an exhibition opener in which Nash had 11 points and five assists. “It’s just a matter of the recovery. You get older and older, and the recovery becomes something that’s tough.”
Said Coach Byron Scott: “Obviously it hurts. It hurts the team because he’s obviously the best point guard that we have and one of the best that’s ever played the game.”
The Lakers aren’t looking for another point guard right now. They’ll go with Jeremy Lin, and they’re pleasantly surprised by veteran Ronnie Price. They also have Clarkson, who had 11 points Friday.
Nash’s absence would create a “huge chance” for Lin, Scott said. Lin had 19 points and seven assists Friday.
Price, however, left Friday’s game after banging knees with Darren Collison while taking a first-quarter charge. Price had a sore right knee and planned to be re-evaluated today.
Wayne Ellington left the game because of a concussion after a fourth-quarter collision with Kings shooting guard Ben McLemore.
Twitter: @Mike_Bresnahan
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