Is It Time To Blow Up The Lakers?
The two-time defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers surprisingly find themselves in a position to be bounced out of the postseason – the potential victims of a resounding second-round sweep at the hands of the revamped Dallas Mavericks.
No team in NBA history has overcome a 3-0 deficit in a seven-game series, but Lakers’ All-Star guard Kobe Bryant was still talking confidently in the aftermath of the team’s game three defeat.
"Call me crazy, but I still think we can win," Bryant told the assembled press.
While it’s not beyond the realm of sanity to believe a five-time champion with the pedigree of Bryant is capable of leading his team to victory for four straight contests, the reality is it may be time to start thinking about the core of the team’s future as he rounds out his illustrious career.
At least according to retired Lakers legend and Hall of Fame guard Magic Johnson – a five-time NBA champion is his own right.
"I think you can be together too long," Johnson said during halftime of ESPN’s telecast of Game 3 of the series between the Memphis Grizzlies and the Oklahoma Thunder. "This group has been together too long. They’re not in sync. They don’t really believe in one another."
Believing in each other is one of the core building blocks of a successful basketball team. There isn’t a team on the planet that can overcome a lack of trust and sustain a high level of excellence over a long period of time.
Last week center Andrew Bynum alluded to the current Lakers unit having problems with the very same topic Johnson discussed.
"I don’t even know the root of it at this point," Bynum said discussing the then 2-0 deficit the Lakers found themselves under. "Obviously, we have trust issues and unless we come out and discuss them nothing is going to change. We have to get to the root, not candy coat or talk around issues."
Although Bynum went on to alter and downplay the statement a few days later, its apparent something is preventing the team, who has made three straight NBA Finals appearances, from reaching their full potential.
Johnson believes if a sweep is inevitable, a major change must occur and either Bynum or All-Star forward Pau Gasol’s names must be included in a deal.
"You’ve got to pick between the two big men," Johnson added. "Which one do you keep? The Lakers have two problems; they’re too slow and [have] no athletes. This is an athletic league now. When you think about all the teams that are still in the playoffs right now, they can all run fast and jump high."
There always seems to be a great deal of panic circling around Los Angeles when the Lakers suffer a few bumps in the road, but as the Bryant era’s title window rapidly begins to close sooner or later the team’s management structure will have to find a way to retool without rebuilding.
{AUTHOR_BOX}The problem for the Lakers is their position to the current salary cap as we know it.
With a potential lockout on the horizon this summer the prevailing opinion is that there will be a significant cap reduction and a potential limit or elimination of salary exceptions (mid-level / bi-annual). These same exceptions have helped the Lakers maintain their high level of success in recent years (Ron Artest, Matt Barnes, Steve Blake, etc.).
If that’s the case and the Lakers want to bring in a top-tier talent, then trading Bynum or Gasol becomes the only option.
Currently Los Angeles has over $93 million committed for the 2012 season. Bryant ($25.2m), Gasol ($18.7m) and Bynum ($14.9m) account for the lion’s share of the salary on the books.
This season’s Sixth Man of the Year Lamar Odom can be an attractive trade piece but won’t bring in a superstar talent.
The rest of the Lakers’ assets include Ron Artest, Luke Walton, Steve Blake and Derek Fisher. Each of those players’ value around the league has significantly diminished.
Artest had the worst season of his career, Walton is owed $11.4 million over the next two seasons which is a heavy price for a career role player, Blake has struggled immensely learning the intricacies of the triangle offense during his only season as a Laker, and Fisher continues to slip due to age, but not only that he’s a close friend of Bryant’s off the court.
The talk of blowing up one of the most dominant teams in recent NBA history is probably a little too premature. After all they’re down in the series versus a very good Mavericks team who are a lot tougher than in years past. Plus they haven’t been dominated from pillar to post.
But with head coach Phil Jackson reportedly in his final season roaming the sidelines, maybe this is the most opportune time to right a sinking ship before Bryant himself rides off into the sunset.
Also See HOOPSWORLD’s Yannis Koutroupis take on why Pau Gasol shouldn’t be dealt
Jason Terry – A Dallas Maverick Forever?
Mavericks high scoring reserve guard Jason Terry is having a very solid postseason.
The 12-year veteran has significantly improved his scoring and shooting efficiency (field-goal, three-point, free throw) across the board through the team’s first nine playoff contests.
With one year remaining on his deal it may be too early to talk about his future, but the 2009 Sixth Man of the Year knows where he wants to be for the rest of his career.
"I want to be here in Dallas," Terry told Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News. "I want to retire here. I want to be up there next to Brad Davis and Dirk [Nowitzki] and Rolando [Blackman] when it’s all said and done."
If the Mavericks can make another Finals appearance and win the elusive ring, seeing Terry’s number 31 jersey being lifted to the rafters isn’t a stretch.
Blackman scored a total of 16,643 points in 11 seasons in Dallas. Smith scored 8,160 points in 13 campaigns. Terry currently sits at 9,003 points in his nine seasons as a Maverick. If he can duplicate his scoring from this season the next two years he’ll be sit at 11,600 points (as a Maverick).
Of course it goes without saying that high volume scoring isn’t the only prerequisite for jersey retirement, but Terry has endeared himself to the Dallas faithful over the years and remains a fan favorite.
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