By:
Eric Pincus
Last Updated: 9/19/08 12:57 PM ET
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Believe it or not, hoops nation, the 2008-09 NBA season is less than 30 days away. To help you get through the final month, HOOPSWORLD is breaking down each of the 30 NBA teams in order of their records from last season - worst to first. Each day we'll unveil two teams, one in the morning, one in the afternoon. You can see our previews of the entire NBA here!
Now, without further ado... here's a look at the Los Angeles Lakers:
Five Guys Think...
Travis Heath
Last season was nothing short of an amazing year for the Lakers when you consider it in its totality. The Lakers were heavily favored to beat the Celtics in The NBA Finals but ended up coming up short. Next season looks just as bright, though, for LA. Assuming Andrew Bynum is healthy, the only question is really how well he can mesh with Pau Gasol. Given Gasol's ability to play facing the basket, one has to believe the adjustment won't be too difficult. Perhaps the only other question is the big game ability of Lamar Odom. Odom played very well in the first two rounds of the playoffs but had his fair share of struggles in The Finals. There were rumblings about Odom being shipped to Sacramento for Ron Artest that got Laker fans excited, but in the end it looks like the Lakers will head into next season with a roster fairly similar to the one that helped the franchise rise to the top of the Western Conference in 2007-08. 1st Place, Pacific Division
Jason Fleming
The best team in the West, and the team with the fewest questions. The contenders all have a "what if?" attached to them to make it out of this tough conference, but the Lakers' big question – the health and integration of Andrew Bynum – only makes the West's best even better. 1st Place, Pacific Division
Tommy Beer
Anything less than an NBA Championship this season would have to be considered a disappointment. That is a lot of pressure to open training camp with, but the Lakers are hoping that big man Andrew Bynum is healthy and ready to pick up where he left off last January. The Lakers will need him, as they clearly lacked a dominant post presence against Boston last June. If the Bynum is a beast, which much of Laker Nation believes he can be, LA could approach the 60-win plateau. 1st Place, Pacific Division
Wendell Maxey
With the return of Andrew Bynum and Kobe Bryant looking to prove something after faltering in the NBA Finals last season, the Lakers have to be the odds on favorite to win the West again. 1st Place, Pacific Division
Yannis Koutroupis
The Lakers get even better now with Andrew Bynum coming back from a knee injury that caused him to miss 47 games and the playoffs last season. Lamar Odom making a smooth transition back to small forward is key, but this Laker team has the potential to be flat-out dominant and they are definitely the class of not only the Pacific, but the West right now.
1st Place, Pacific Division
Top Of The List
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Top Offensive Player: Chris Mihm? Come on, it's the Los Angeles Lakers. The game will always revolve around the scoring prowess of guard Kobe Bryant. Arguably Bryant is the most lethal offensive force in the league. The challenge this year will be to balance his individual capabilities with arguably the most talented team he has had in Laker uniform since center Shaquille O'Neal left town. Some would contend he has more talent around him now than he did when the team was winning championships – but that's for history to decide. Last season Bryant matured dramatically as a team player, earning his first MVP award. The Lakers will need more of the same from Bryant to get back to the NBA Finals – and beyond to the title.
Top Defensive Player: Andrew Bynum. Without minimizing what the Lakers need defensively from Bryant (a regular on the All-Defensive Teams), LA needs a true center protecting the basket. Bynum has the potential to be a game changer with his shot blocking and rebounding. After watching from the sidelines last year with his knee injury, Bynum says he's and healthy and well aware of what he needs to do to on the defensive side of the ball.
Top Playmaker: Kobe Bryant draws so much attention; he can be especially lethal with the pass. The pick and roll with Bynum last year just carved up teams. Bryant also had great success dishing to forward/center Pau Gasol – the potential with both bigs on the floor is tremendous. The Lakers could be a very special passing team with forward Lamar Odom, point guard Derek Fisher, the two big men and Bryant. Off the bench guards Jordan Farmar, Sasha Vujacic and forward Luke Walton only add to the strength (although Vujacic is far more likely to shoot on the touch).
Top Clutch Player: All the talent in the world can take a team so far. Someone needs to have the closer mentality and that's Kobe Bryant. Enough said.
The Unheralded Player: Lamar Odom. There's a perception that Odom is inconsistent, unfocused and at times invisible. There may be some truth to it quietly he averaged 14.2 points on 52.5% shooting, 10.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists. The numbers don't lie and Odom is an integral part of the Lakers' game plan. Many players are lost when they're not the focus of the offense – unable to find a way to contribute. Odom conversely thrives in that environment. He may be overpaid for a fourth option – but that's likely a worry for next summer.
Best New Addition: Sun Yue. The Lakers didn't really add much at all over the summer. If anything Bynum is the best addition since he wasn't available for any of the playoffs. He alone could be the difference . . . but as far as a true newcomer the most intriguing acquisition is Chinese guard Sun Yue. It's difficult to gauge how quickly he'll adjust to the NBA but he's a 6'9" playmaker who has shown flashes of defensive ability while playing internationally. Ronny Turiaf replacement forward Josh Powell could help. Minutes may be sparse but he's a solid rebounder with a decent jump shot.
Who We Like
1. Kobe Bryant: Obviously the MVP is the cornerstone of the franchise. He's coming off one of his best seasons but still stings from the loss in six games to the Boston Celtics. If his teammates can take on a great offensive role, Bryant should be able to both bring his Team USA doberman-like defense and close out games with his unique arsenal of offensive weapons. This is the year for Bryant to establish his legacy by leading the team to a title.
2. Andrew Bynum: Before he got hurt, Bynum's growth was exponential. As the season progressed he began to look dominant. He still needs to cultivate his low post game but his potential is off the charts. If he can stay healthy, he's arguably a top four or five center. In the 35 games he did play last season, he averaged 13.1 points on 63.6% shooting, 10.2 rebounds and 2.1 blocks. Perhaps even more significant was his 2.8 personal fouls spread out over 28.8 minutes a game. Foul trouble is often the weakness of a developing big but Bynum's body control keeps him on the floor.
3. Pau Gasol: The Lakers' midseason blockbuster acquisition played out of position at center – but it was enough to help catapult them to elite status. Against the Celtics, going against the likes of Kendrick Perkins and Kevin Garnett – Gasol's weaknesses were exposed. He lacks the body to establish and hold position in the post against stronger, meatier players. This coming season he should get most of his minutes at power forward while spelling Bynum at center. Together the two should be able to play to their strengths. Gasol also proved to be an above average post defender against the likes of Carlos Boozer of the Utah Jazz, Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs and Garnett of the Celtics. At center Gasol was a major boost to the club – at his natural position he should be even more effective.
4. Sasha Vujacic: There's something to be said for confidence. Vujacic is a happy shooter. If he gets the ball, it's all but going up. While that might be a liability in most cases, Vujacic shot 43.7% from three-point range last season. Because he's so quick and accurate with the shot, teams must take him as a serious threat. The Lakers will need shooters to spread the floor and Vujacic could get major minutes if he can be even more consistent than he was a year ago. That could mean minutes alongside Bryant in the back court – or as LA did last year, Bryant could slide up to small forward. Vujacic just got a $15 million, three-year deal from the Lakers. If he earns his money, the Lakers will be very hard to beat.
5. Phil Jackson: Let's not forget Phil Jackson who is coming off of his 11th NBA Finals appearance as a coach. Injuries left the Lakers overmatched against the Celtics - but this coming season he should have a powerful combination of players to work with. He'll be asked to reintegrate Bynum, converting Gasol to power forward and Odom to small forward – all while harnessing/empowering Bryant's overwhelming talents. If he can get the team to make defense a priority, the sky is the limit.
Strengths
The Lakers have an impressive starting five. If Gasol and Bynum develop chemistry together both offensively and defensively, look out. Odom is a natural "do everything in the background" type and at 6'10" – he'll be the shortest member of the front court with the two seven footers. Over the course of a game, Odom can spell Gasol at the four – Gasol can move up to center.
Kobe Bryant is Kobe Bryant.
Derek Fisher brings leadership and a steady outside stroke. Off the bench the Lakers have two strong contributors at guard in Jordan Farmar and Vujacic. Forward Vladimir Radmanovic offers another look in the front court with his ability to shoot the ball. Trevor Ariza brings athleticism and defense off the bench. If Luke Walton can get his ankle healthy, the team has another playmaker and (sometimes) low post option to work with.
The Lakers have size, length, quickness, athleticism, depth and experience. They have arguably the best player in the league in Bryant and one of the most successful coaches in NBA history.
If they're healthy, it could be LA's year . . .
Weaknesses
It was apparent against the Celtics last year that the Lakers lacked toughness, especially defensively. The last game of the series was a disaster as the team shrunk in the moment. Obviously the reinsertion of Bynum will make a difference, but is it enough?
Health is certainly a concern. If Bynum, Gasol and Odom stay healthy the team should flourish but if any of three goes down the Lakers have limited depth at the four and five.
The Lakers struggled at times with their perimeter defense. Ariza showed signs of solving that problem but he missed a lot of time with a foot injury last season. Sasha Vujacic improved defensively but has to mature and develop. Bryant's defense comes and goes – often depending on how much energy he's expending offensively. Where the team struggles most is when opposing teams have more than one dynamic perimeter scorer.
The issue may be solved with Ariza (and Bynum) returning.
The Coach's Take
Does anybody realize what a monster year Andrew Bynum was having before he got hurt? His return will give us a potentially dominant front line, and will allow Pau and Lamar to go back to their finesse games. Kobe will lead, and I like Farmar as a starter and D-Fish off the bench to strengthen that group that did not produce in the Finals last year. I would like a ring for each finger and thumb, and the Mamba and I think we have the team to do it. --- Mike Moreau
The Burning Question
Will the frontcourt of Bynum, Gasol and Odom work?
On paper it's certainly intriguing. The Lakers have great size, rebounding and passing in what could be a truly unique frontcourt. It may be unstoppable. Equally, the Lakers may find problems with the mix. Can teams out-quick LA by going small? Can Lamar Odom, who has played power forward for nearly his entire career with the Lakers, defend at small forward?
Odom has really thrived off of playing close to the basket, rebounding and initialing the offense on the run. To date in the moments he did play the three, it seemed harder for him to fit on either side of the ball. He's not a great outside shooter which could be a problem if teams leave him to crowd the big men in the paint. Can he stick to explosive scoring threes like Celtics' guard Paul Pierce?
Ideally Bynum will play in the low block and Gasol up high. It's not a lock that it will work. Gasol has a decent midrange shot but he is better closer to the basket.
Defensively teams may beat all three down court in transition.
There has been some talk of Odom coming off the bench in a sixth man role with possibly Trevor Ariza or even Vladimir Radmanovic starting at the three. The first option will likely be to true the big front court and adjust if it's not working as well as hoped.
The team isn't too worried - Coach Jackson has enough talent to work with. Even if Bynum, Gasol and Odom don't quite mesh perfectly – there are other options.
A low priority could be trading Odom and his expiring contract midseason – although that's not what the team intends to do moving forward (at least at this point and time). The team is facing some difficult financial decisions as their payroll could balloon to over $100 million (including luxury taxes) once new contracts/extensions kick in next year. For now, Odom is the guy – and the Lakers are counting on him rising to the occasion.
In the meantime, if the Lakers remain healthy - they should be primed for another deep, playoff run with a legitimate shot a title.
Eric Pincus is a member of the Professional Basketball Writers Association and has covered the NBA for HOOPSWORLD for five years, powering HOOPSWORLD.COM.
