Lakers Rumors: Career Games from Lin, Calderon Make Pau Gasol Decision Easy

The Los Angeles Lakers' down-to-the wire victory over the Toronto Raptors in the final game of a six-game trip allowed them to even their record at 3-3 in that span, but I doubt if Lakers fans can find any measure of comfort from that.

Especially after the Lakers allowed an opposing point guard to post career-high scoring numbers for the second game in a row.

The Lakers survived the Raptors, 94-92, because of some late-game heroics from Kobe Bryant, and a little help from the officials on a crucial five-second in-bounding call on Rasual Butler and a call reversal on a key out of bounds play.

If not for Kobe's late scoring spurt we would likely be discussing the Lakers' collapse after previously holding an 18-point advantage against the Raptors, and point guard Jose Calderon's career-high 30-point scoring effort.

That was directly preceded by New York Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin's 38-point, career-high explosion against the Lakers on Friday night.

It seems like every point guard the Lakers play against has a career night, which just illustrates how dire their situation is right now at the position.

Many people including Bryant have suggested that a slight tweak of the Lakers roster is all they need to emerge from their rut of mediocrity, but I'm not so sure.

Lakers management and their fans are reluctant to break up their post tandem of forward Pau Gasol and center Andrew Bynum, but can their alternative solutions help the Lakers when it really matters?

Names like Gilbert Arenas, Ramon Sessions, Jonny Flynn and Allen Iverson have been tossed around as possible remedies for the Lakers' problem at point guard, and while each of them may help the Lakers now, can they help them win a title?

Anything less than a championship will be a failure for this team when you consider Bryant's diminishing title window, and right now the Lakers are miles away from that goal.

I'm not sure if Sessions, Arenas or Iverson will bring them any closer. Deron Williams, Rajon Rondo or Steve Nash can, but only if the Lakers are willing to part with Gasol in the process.

I know the thought of breaking up the Lakers' biggest advantage scares many fans, but their present course or the failure to significantly upgrade the point guard position should be downright terrifying.

Right now the Lakers are 16-12 and would be the sixth seed if the playoffs started today, but they are only five-and-a-half games from the first seed, and less than three games from the second seed.

I know that record suggests that a small roster tweak can thrust the Lakers back into title contention, but will it be enough to beat Oklahoma City, Dallas, Portland, Chicago or Miami in a seven-game series?

If anyone can truthfully answer yes, then the Lakers should make a move right now, but if an NBA Finals berth is not a real possibility with any of those players, why not build for the future?

Gasol's time as a Laker is nearing a conclusion at any rate, so shouldn't the Lakers seek a trade now while he still has value as one of the league's premier power forwards?

I admit the Lakers would be making a huge gamble by trading Gasol, especially in Lamar Odom's absence, but if you don't remember, general manager Mitch Kupchak was prepared to do it anyway in the failed Chris Paul deal.

A successful deal for Paul would have obliterated the Lakers' famed post advantage since it would have resulted in the Lakers losing Gasol and Odom.

And I'm not so sure the Lakers' size advantage is such a big deal considering it has not really been reflected in the win-loss column.

In fact, the Lakers have the NBA's leading scorer in Bryant and arguably the league's best frontcourt in Bynum and Gasol, not to mention one of the best defenses in basketball.

And all that talent has led the Lakers to 16 wins out of 28 games played.

Many Lakers fans have lost all faith in Derek Fisher and Steve Blake but they still can't stand the idea of losing Gasol.  

My faith in Fisher has also come to an end, but my disappointment does not breed any desperation.

As a living witness to deals that brought Shaquille O'Neal, Bryant and Gasol to Los Angeles, it's hard for me to accept any theory that the Lakers season may hinge on a third-tier player like Arenas or Iverson. If it does, then it's time to build for the future.

Some Lakers fans feel that a player like Iverson can improve the Lakers, and while I don't agree with that opinion, I can accept it.

However, a player like Williams or Nash could make the Lakers a championship team, and they could do it without Pau Gasol.