After winning two-straight NBA titles, the Los Angeles Lakers have failed to get out of the second round of the playoffs. Heading into the offseason it wasn’t clear if the Lakers would look to trim payroll, dump forward Pau Gasol and start to plan for life beyond Kobe Bryant.

Instead the Lakers were able to convince the Phoenix Suns to send Steve Nash to LA via sign-and-trade for Steve Nash, using the team’s sizable Lamar Odom trade exception and future draft picks. When the Orlando Magic finally decided to execute a Dwight Howard trade, the Lakers stepped forward with All-Star center Andrew Bynum to close the deal.

While Bynum is arguably the second-best center in the league, Howard is the best. Given that he’s in the last year of his contract, the long-term success of the Lakers’ offseason will be established if and when Howard signs a new contract, but right now it looks pretty good.

HOOPSWORLD takes a look at the 2012-2013 Los Angeles Lakers:

Five Guys Think…

The Lakers’ offseason was simply historic. It’s getting compared a lot to when they landed Karl Malone and Gary Payton, but this far triumphs that. Payton was a horrific fit in the triangle offense and Malone ended up retiring after one season. Steve Nash fits in perfectly with what the Lakers needed and Dwight Howard is a significant upgrade over Andrew Bynum. He’s the next face of their franchise, something they desperately needed as the post-Kobe Bryant era approaches. With the two seriously favorable trades they made and the quality free agent signings in Jordan Hill, Jodie Meeks and Antawn Jamison, the Lakers will once again be the best in the Pacific and maybe even the NBA.

1st Place – Pacific Division

– Yannis Koutroupis
 

The hype machine is sure to be in full swing when the Lakers take the court this season, even though Dwight Howard is unlikely to be ready to start the season as he continues to rehab his bad back. Once Howard is in place and the chemistry has a chance to come together, Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash and D12 are sure to be one of the toughest outs come playoff time. They lack the continuity that will be Oklahoma City’s primary advantage, but there does not appear to be any other team in the West that can challenge the Lakers.

1st Place – Pacific Division

– Bill Ingram
 

After adding Dwight Howard and Steve Nash while retaining Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol, the Los Angeles Lakers are now the team to beat in the Western Conference. On paper, the Lakers are stacked and anything less than a championship will be considered a disappointment. If any team can take down the Miami HEAT and match their star power, it’s the new-look Lakers. Expectations are high and the pressure is on – we’ll see how the Lakers respond.

1st Place – Pacific Division

– Alex Kennedy

 
There’s no way a team could add Steve Nash and Dwight Howard and not find themselves massively improved. Pairing those two with Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol is right on the cusp of unfair. If Howard is able to accept his role as a fourth option on offense and just focuses on defense, this team could go down as one of the best ever, but there is a concern about how the rock gets passed around here. There are a lot of mouths to feed in Los Angeles, but there isn’t a team in the league that wouldn’t love to have exactly the same problem. No one will be shocked if the Lakers not only make it to the Finals, but win the thing, too.

1st Place – Pacific Division

– Joel Brigham
 

If you’re seeking loads of star power then look no further than the 2012-13 Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers’ front office was able to acquire Dwight Howard and Steve Nash this past summer to pair alongside Kobe Bryant for what amounted to be Andrew Bynum and future draft picks. The team also signed highly productive role players Antawn Jamison and Jodie Meeks in free agency for far below their respective market values. The pressure will be on Los Angeles to compete for a title immediately but there are genuine concerns surrounding the team. How will Dwight Howard return from back surgery? How much does Steve Nash have left in the tank nearing 40 years of age? Can Pau Gasol rebound from a shaky 2011-12?

1st Place – Pacific Division

– Lang Greene

Top Of The List

Top Offensive Player: Certainly Steve Nash will be a major force offensively for the Lakers, especially as a set-up man, this is still the Lakers and they’re driven offensively by Kobe Bryant. Will that change before Bryant eventually retires? While it’s dangerous to go absolutist, this may be a safe "no."

Top Defensive Player: Has Metta World Peace ever been the second-best defender on his own roster? While Peace, as Ron Artest, earned NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2004, newcomer Dwight Howard won the award three-straight years from 2009-2011. Andrew Bynum was learning how to become a consistent defensive presence – Howard is already there. In addition to being a top shot-blocker and rebounder, Howard is extremely agile for a guy his size. His mobility makes him one of the better pick-and-roll defenders in the association.

Top Playmaker: Through the Kobe Bryant era the closest the Lakers have had to Steve Nash was Nick Van Exel, but that was a long, long time ago. Bryant played briefly with a near-the-end Gary Payton, but most of his run was with Derek Fisher. While Fisher was a key reason why the Lakers won multiple titles, he was never a true playmaking point guard. It will be very interesting to see how Bryant adapts to a player like Nash, who averaged 10.7 assists a game last season.

Top Clutch Player: Bryant has been one of the top closers over the past decade. Some years he has a long-list of game-winners. This past season that number dipped, but with Nash, another dangerous closer on the floor, it should be harder for teams to load up on Bryant in end-game situations. Expect Bryant to have better looks and if teams still decide to overload against him, Nash should be able to take advantage.

Top Unheralded Player: While he’s not nearly as well known as the stars surrounding him, guard Jodie Meeks could help make the Lakers nearly unguardable. Outside shooting has not been the team’s strength and with multiple post players, spacing has been poor. Meeks is a very capable shooter, especially off the catch. In addition to backing up Bryant, Meeks will probably get minutes alongside the Laker star who will undoubtedly log some time at small forward. If Meeks can prove his worth defensively (which isn’t his reputation), that will give Coach Mike Brown even more reason to find minutes for the fourth-year guard.

Best New Addition: Dwight Howard. There’s not going to be a better "new addition" on any of the other 29 HOOPSWORLD team previews. If there’s anything to try and find as a negative in the Lakers getting Howard, perhaps it’s the back injury that ended his season early last year. The Lakers are hopeful he’ll be ready for opening night but there will be no push to rush him into the lineup. Certainly Nash is a major addition as well, but Howard takes the Lakers beyond the Bryant era. Of course if Howard doesn’t stay long-term, this paragraph may need significant revision next July.

– Eric Pincus

Who We Like

1. Kobe Bryant: Even Bryant admits he doesn’t have the legs he had five or so years ago, but he’s still one of the most dangerous offensive forces in the NBA. The key for Bryant is blending in his individual scoring ability with the team concept. He’s done it before, not necessarily gracefully, but enough to help win five titles. This season, with the additions the team has made, Bryant both needs to take a step backwards and a step forward. He’ll need to play more without the ball, but then Nash should enable Bryant to stay regularly in attack mode with fewer playmaking responsibilities.

2. Steve Nash: Not every "elite" point guard would work with the combination of Bryant, Gasol and Howard. The Lakers are primarily a post-up team, which means the point guard must be a shooter. Nash is among the best shooters in history at his position. He can create offense or spot up for the catch-and-shoot. He’s going to change how teams defend, or rather try and defend, the Lakers.

3. Dwight Howard: As amazing as Andrew Bynum was in flashes, it’s worth noting that those peaks are Howard’s baseline. Bynum may develop into a better offensive player than Howard eventually, but right now Howard is among the best pick-and-roll finishers in the game. He happens to be paired with one of the top pick and roll creators in Nash. Howard is more mobile than Bynum, which should help in a faster-paced offense and on defense.

4. The Bench: Do the Lakers have the best bench in the league? Hardly, but the team has improved depth. Jodie Meeks is a true shooter. Antawn Jamison is a quick scoring forward. Neither is known to be a lock-down defender, but the Lakers should be able to platoon players like Jordan Hill, Steve Blake, Chris Duhon, Devin Ebanks and Earl Clark to fill in the gaps. The star power is so strong in the starting lineup, the Lakers don’t need to have the best bench. They just need a little more than they had last year, which they do.

5. The Buss Family: The Laker organization is dedicated to winning titles and that starts at the top with ownership. From Dr. Jerry Buss to Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Jim Buss, the Lakers have made a significant financial commitment. This roster will cost $130 million including tax. The team will also make a major contribution to the revenue-sharing system. It remains to be seen if they can carry that same payroll when the graduated tax could push the team’s payroll and taxes to $200 million, but right now the Buss family has pushed their chips into the pot and called, "all in."

– Eric Pincus

Strengths

Not many teams can afford a $100 million payroll (pretax). The Lakers are the exception to the rule and they’ve put together a powerful lineup of superstars. Nash is one of the best point guards of his generation. Bryant may the best overall player of his. Howard is currently the top center. Metta World Peace has been one of the best perimeter defenders throughout his career. Pau Gasol is among the top power forwards in the game. The Lakers have a truly talented, experienced roster that few teams would have the means to put together. The Lakers have also added depth/shooting in Antawn Jamison and Jodie Meeks while retaining Jordan Hill. Backup to Nash is spotty, but between veterans Steve Blake and Chris Duhon, along with second-year guard Darius Morris, the Lakers should have enough on roster to compete at the highest level this season.

– Eric Pincus

Weaknesses

The Lakers are not young. Kobe Bryant is 34-years old with 16 seasons behind him. Steve Nash came into the league the same year as Bryant, but is 38. Antawn Jamison is 36, Metta World Peace 34 and, in comparison, Pau Gasol is the kid of the bunch at 32. If these players were in their primes, the Lakers would be truly dominant for a very long time. The Lakers should have an excellent season but they’ll have to monitor minutes to prevent injuries so that the squad is fresh for the playoffs. Howard still represents the youth movement at 27 years old, along with Jodie Meeks (26), Jordan Hill (26) and Devin Ebanks (almost 23), but overall this team is not built for longevity. The window for Nash/Bryant/Gasol is now and there’s a lot of pressure on the squad to win before it’s all over.

– Eric Pincus

What Needs To Be Said On Opening Day….

Adding Steve and Dwight hasn’t guaranteed us much of anything. In 2003, this franchise added some big names and everyone had them ticketed for a championship. But as that team proved, being great on paper doesn’t mean anything. Every day we will have to focus on meshing as a collective unit. Each of you needs to ask yourselves what you are willing to sacrifice in order to make this TEAM more complete. It won’t come overnight, but with a daily emphasis on being selfless and developing an understanding of what the guy around you needs to be successful, we will come together as a group. And, if this collection of talented individuals becomes a true team, no one can beat us.

– Anthony Macri and Brett Koremenos

The Burning Question

Is Mike Brown the coach to lead this group to a title?

Coach Mike Brown is very likeable, conscientious and hard working. He’s taken LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers to the NBA Finals. Last year he didn’t get much further than Coach Phil Jackson with the Lakers a year prior. Brown is an asset to any staff, but does he have the personality to lead this team back to the Finals and to another championship? Thus far Brown appears to be willing to listen to his players, which can be a good thing at times. Equally a coach has to demand respect and act in what’s best for the team, regardless of how that impacts any individual player.

Brown is known as a defensive coach and last year’s Lakers did not seem especially well prepared offensively. Some of that was due to the rushed training camp, various personnel changes and new offensive/defensive systems all crammed into a difficult 66-game schedule. Brown, along with newly-hired assistant Eddie Jordan, will bring in the Princeton Offense. While it is different than the Triangle Offense, as run by Jackson, the Laker stars are partial to a motion offense and should benefit from it.

Along with Jordan, the Lakers also hired Bernie Bickerstaff as an assistant. Both Jordan and Bickerstaff are long-time coaches in the NBA – neither to be trifled with. Can Brown be the "good cop" to his assistants as "bad?" Doesn’t the head coach need to be the authoritarian, at least to a degree?

Brown has a lot to prove and it may be that his nice-guy, hard-working style fits with this Laker roster. If not, he will be under a lot of scrutiny as the Laker organization expects not just to make it to the NBA Finals but to win championships, multiple times.

Now the Lakers need to start with just one title, this season, and that’s something Brown has never done as a head coach.

– Eric Pincus