LA Lakers: 5 Free Agents Who Could Make Them Title Favorites

Nothing is free these days—most notably free agents in the NBA.

The Los Angeles Lakers pay dearly for their championship-caliber roster, yet they find themselves in need of more pieces as they seek another title to add to their 16 banners that adorn the rafters of Staples Center.

If and when the Grand Canyon of NBA lockouts is over, Kobe Bryant and the Lakers will try to uncover a free agent or two who could put them over the top and make them title favorites again.

Their dismal disappearance from the playoffs this past spring was proof that the team that started the 2010-11 season as a favorite to three-peat was actually two or three players short of taking another crown.

Los Angeles needs a strong point guard, a consistent perimeter shooter and a strong, defensive forward who will play with passion every night and be a complement to the seven-foot tandem of Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum.

The chances of the Lakers taking care of any one of these needs through a free-agent signing are rather slim, given that their current payroll is in excess of $91 million.

If the new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) that is still to be ironed out by owners and players determines that the luxury tax is a thing of the past and that revenue sharing is the new business model, then the Lakers will be hard pressed to scoop up one of the top free agents.

Still, there is reason to hope—Los Angeles always seems to find a way to bring in a piece or two every offseason. The key question is, can the Lakers sign the free agent that’s going to make them the odds-on favorites to capture the NBA championship in 2012?

Let’s take a look at five gems the Lakers would love to bring to Los Angeles. We'll leave the math up to the bean counters.

5. Jamal Crawford, Guard, Atlanta Hawks

If there's one player who would fit into the Lakers' second rotation without a hitch, it's Jamal Crawford of the Atlanta Hawks.

The 2010 NBA Sixth Man of the Year dramatically increased his value with a sensational postseason against the Orlando Magic—LA and the rest of the league took note.

The 6'5", 11-year veteran guard exploded against the Magic as the Hawks upset Orlando in six games. He averaged 20.5 points per game against the Magic, including over 24 per contest in the first four games.

Crawford, at 31, may sign with a team that is a serious contender, and in the case of the Lakers that may be for the mid-level exception. He has not won a title, and he's not getting any younger.

4. David West, Power Forward, New Orleans Hornets

This would be a dream signing for the Lakers. Despite a season-ending knee injury, New Orleans forward David West is still considered one of the premier free agents.

West has spent his entire career of eight years with New Orleans. The two-time All-Star ranks in the top five in franchise history in games played (third with 530), minutes played (fourth with 17,160), points (second with 8,690), rebounds (second with 3,853) and blocks (third with 435).

The 6'9" power forward averaged 18.9 points in 70 games last season before the serious injury forced him to the sidelines. West, who will turn 31 later this month, is a solid rebounder (7.3 last season) who plays a lot of minutes (averaged 35).

Would the Lakers entertain trading Lamar Odom to New Orleans and signing West to a three-year contract? Again, it might be the allure of playing in LA, with Kobe, and having that rare opportunity to go for a championship.

Stranger things have happened.

3. J.J. Barea, Point Guard, Dallas Mavericks

Jose Juan (J.J.) Barea drove the Lakers crazy with his "now you see me, now you don't" style of play in this past season's Dallas sweep of LA. So what better way to combat your enemy than to sign him as a free agent and put him in purple and gold?

This is a deal that could truly happen. Barea apparently loves the bright lights of the big city, so LA and New York may be high on his shopping list. He'd like to cash in, and now is the perfect time for this diminutive 27-year-old point guard.

Barea must be truly grateful to Mark Cuban and the Dallas Mavericks for holding on to him and allowing him to find a place where his game would fit. He's a deft passer who likes to hold on to the ball and can also drive to the basket with the best point guards in the game.

In about 20 minutes per game this season, Barea averaged almost 10 points on 45 percent shooting.  He also dished out four assists per game, which would translate to about eight or nine if he were playing most of the game.

Barea could be the Lakers' starting point guard for the foreseeable future and would team up very well with veteran Derek Fisher to give LA a tremendous lift at the position.

2. J.R. Smith, Guard, Denver Nuggets

Does Lakers head coach Mike Brown want another "personality" on the team to go with veteran forward Ron Artest? J.R. Smith, currently a member of the Denver Nuggets, would bring grit and scoring prowess at small forward and shooting guard. He would also bring his luggage, though, and there's a lot of it.

But what makes the 6'6", 220-pound shooting guard so desirable is that he's a seven-year veteran of the league who is still just 25 years old, having gone directly from high school to the pros.

Smith averaged 12.3 points in 25 minutes last year for the high-octane Nugget offense. What's more, he hit on 39 percent of his three-point shots in the regular season and upped that to 43 percent in the postseason.

Smith is accustomed to taunting the opposition and did his fair share when facing the Lakers. Still, he brings the energy and enthusiasm the team seemed to be lacking last year.

Smith could be the odd man out in Denver with Arron Afflalo coming into his own and Ty Lawson secure as the lead guard. LA would be an excellent fit.

1. Jason Richardson, Guard, Orlando Magic

He's not a point guard, but so what? Jason Richardson is a hired gun who is arguably one of the best shooting guards in the NBA, and he's a free agent.

In a recent July 25 article for the Orlando Sentinel, Brian Schmitz ranked Richardson as the NBA's ninth-best 2 guard.

At 6'6" and 220, the 10-year veteran would be an ideal fit for the Lakers as someone to spell Kobe Bryant or occasionally play together and have one of them move to small forward.

Richardson averaged 15.6 points per game last year, splitting 80 games between Phoenix and Orlando. He hit on close to 45 percent from the field, including 40 percent from three-point range.

This marks the first time Richardson is a free agent in his career, so he'll most likely go where the money is. Still, there is that slim chance he may want to come to Los Angeles to play with Bryant and have that opportunity for a title.

In another Orlando Sentinel article (July 14 by Zach McCann), Richardson is quoted as saying he really wants to go somewhere where he can contribute to a title. “I’ve been blessed by God to play in the NBA for a lot of money,” Richardson said. “I’d like to go someplace that has a chance to win a championship.” 

Mike Brown has a car waiting for you, Jason, at LAX.