COURTSIDE COLUMN-New Jersey Lakers

Seams Good.

Let's not get confused by the title here. The city of New Jersey hasn't recovered from their Brooklyn Nets hangover by gaining the Los Angeles Laker franchise in some sort of backwards Dodgers deal. This wasn't part of the Magic Johnson ownership plan, to send a ballclub back from California to outside of New York City a century later (although let's give the great city and venue of New Jersey a team after Seattle (I miss those trips from N.Y. to N.J. for gameday)). This is just our way of celebrating the Lakers new garment look for the 2013/2014 season. There's nothing like the purple and gold and with times looking Dwight Howard to Houston bad there isn't much to celebrate in la, la, Laker land aside Kobe Bryant's 35th birthday (Happy Birthday Bean!) and his impending comeback. Sure the team copped the promising Elijah Harris amongst others, but the thing that everyone loved during his Summer League star-turn was his and his L.A. Laker hopeful teammates new jersey's. The kind of fresh, new wear that will have fans reaching for their computors, to order and update their NBA video games looks.

OK, not everyone loved them. Ever since the Golden State Warriors debuted the new NBA jersey side-look last season, there has been some Ben Affleck for Batman style hate. Especially for the Phoenix Suns traffic cones that could stop planes...lets alone traffic. Basketball jersey's with sleeves on?! What is this soccer? What's next jersey's with sponsers on the front like the WNBA? Regrettably yes. Still the special Christmas day jersey extras (which will also be used for the inspired 'Los Lakers' nights....damn my wallet) are something you'll want to see under your tree as well as on your NBA T.V screens this December 25th. These jerseys are just that fresh and clean. Especially the Lakers summer league threads which look like your classic vests over white tee's (now those skinny kids (hello!) and middle-aged men (almost) men who rock that style don't have to dig through the piles of clothes for the cleanest white t-shirt). Who knows if the adapted season jerseys released soon will look the same, but we hope they're not too different. One things for sure, this writer won't look like Kevin Federline anymore everytime he wants to show off the team he supports. My girlfriend thanks you L.A.

These cool new jerseys aren't the only designs for a team that really stepped up it's apparel game as they moved from the Forum and classic Mitchell & Ness vests to the new STAPLES Centre, hardwood classic, modern v-necks to start the new milleniuum of Kobe and championship rings. Remember those cool limited edition black jersey's from back in the day that never saw the light of the wood floor? Well now with a new court campaign, the classic black look will join the Sunday white and the storied, traditional purple and gold in the Lakers locker-room. What more could the fans want? Apart from a free handout of them before games and maybe a few more Taco nights. That means more than 100 points and a few W's please. These black dubbed 'Hollywood Nights' are set to drive Snoop Dogg and the rest of the Hollywood to the hills fanbase crazy. These Hollywood Nights feel like some 80's nostalgia that will be welcome in Malibu unlike that 'Baywatch Nights' spin-off (sorry Hoff, but life-guard by day, cop by night...even you can't do that).

Like 'Lights Out', this new move by a Lakers team reading less than great on paper looks perfect. As does the future of hoops-wear in the new Adidas, adizero technology, 26% lighter uniforms with sleeves. Still as good as this team appears suited and sneaked, what really needs to look good in hindsight is their vision on court. Last year was tight, this one needs to be refreshed. It's time to truly shift a gear. There needs to be more silver linings amongst the purple and gold trim. Sure these special mufti days haven't looked this great since throwback night but this Laker team needs to play like the franchise of old, and bring it back to the real reason Hollywood descenced on the take no prisoners streets of downtown Los Angeles...'showtime'! The name on these new jerseys reads 'Lakers' and it's a proud, storied tradition of legend. As Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash (who believes in freedom of wear and wants to switch up the alternate jerseys all the more by different players wearing different unis on court stating "I don't see why we all need the same tailor, as long as it's pretty uniform,") and Pau Gasol lead the way, the legacy needs to be set in the seams of banners, not just jerseys...unless they are being raised to the rafters. This is the Avenger season...suit up. TIM DAVID HARVEY.