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The Los Angeles Lakers appear to have struck gold with rookies forward Devin Ebanks and Derrick Caracter, and recent free agency signee Steve Blake should be an upgrade over the departed Jordan Farmar, so by all accounts the Lakers' bench should be improved next season.
Lamar Odom is back to lead the reserve unit, and the Lakers can also utilize Shannon Brown, Sasha Vujacic, and Luke Walton, but the development of Josh Powell and DJ Mbenga could determine how good the Lakers' bench really is.
Powell and Mbenga have languished on the end of the Lakers' bench for the past two seasons, despite each player displaying glimpses of tantalizing potential when given the opportunity to play.
Mbenga is more of a project than Powell, but his seven foot frame, athleticism, and agility makes him an interesting prospect, if he could ever show any real progression in his game.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar served as a mentor and tutor to Lakers' center Andrew Bynum, and I can only question why Mbenga didn't choose to sit in on some of their sessions.
Mbenga is more athletic than Bynum, he could be stronger and he doesn't get injured with the same frequency, but he has none of the basic fundamental skills that Bynum has acquired.
Although he has a strong seven-foot frame, Mbenga seems to fancy himself as a jump shooter, and he is much more comfortable facing the rim than playing with his back to the rim.
Mbenga also seems lost at times on the defensive end of the floor, although he has the potential to be a shot-blocking force if he could work on his timing and defensive principles.
Powell has none of Mbenga's fundamental flaws, and his only knock may be his decision to leave college early when his game could have used some more fine-tuning.
Powell is also a good athlete, and even though he is not over-powering at six-foot nine, he has a knack for getting excellent position for rebounds, and he also has a decent offensive game.
The Lakers have installed Powell as their honorary bench captain, and Kobe Bryant calls him one of the more edcuated basketball minds on the roster, so it's time some of the accolades translate to his game.
Powell's best offensive weapon is his mid-range jumper which is usually accurate from 15 feet in, but he is also comfortable playing with his back to the basket in the paint.
At times it seems Lakers' coach Phil Jackson is reluctant to play Powell and Mbenga, because they have yet to earn his trust, but he may not have that same luxury next season.
The Lakers' decision to stay mostly quiet in free agency means more of a burden will be placed on the Lakers' reserves, and in truth, that's not such a bad idea.
Powell and Mbenga both have the experience that comes from two consecutive NBA championship runs, and they are well aware of what is expected from them should they be called into action.
Powell has the talent to be an immediate contributor, but Mbenga is just as important because he gives the Lakers the luxury of having three athletic seven-footers at their disposal.
That's not something many teams can boast of, and Mbenga becomes more valuable if his game has progressed enough to merit more minutes than the 7.2 per game he played last year.
The Lakers' reserves should be an improvement over last season's group, but just how much depends on the progression of Powell and Mbenga and whether or not they are prepared to take the next steps in their development?
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