Los Angeles Lakers No Longer a Championship Contender

No Phil Jackson. No Lamar Odom. No triangle offense. No ring?

The current Lakers squad cannot win a ring. Not with this roster. Changes need to be made in order to rejuvenate an aging squad that relies heavily on superstar Kobe Bryant. Bryant, by the way, is 33 years old with an assortment of physical ailments that he can’t seem to shake.

There’s no denying his incredible brilliance as a basketball player. For a guy his age to be leading the NBA in scoring is impressive. To be doing it with a torn ligament in his shooting wrist is downright unbelievable. But can the Lakers ride Kobe to another championship? Not with this extremely unathletic roster and the deficiencies that it currently has.

Point guard play has plagued the Lakers for a number of years. As much as I respect and admire Derek Fisher, he just isn’t cutting it anymore as a starting point guard in this league. He’s constantly beaten off the dribble by opposing guards, and when he has the ball in his hands he often turns it over and makes ill-advised passes.

In no way do I want to discount the impact that Fisher has had on the franchise. He's a wonderful influence on the court and in the locker room, and has provided a rock-solid presence on the team for years.

However, the reality is that any opposing team with a good point guard "licks their chops" at the prospect of going against the Lakers. The pick-and-roll especially has been an ongoing issue for Lakers squads past and present. Opposing teams that execute this simple yet effective play have had immense success.

It’s no coincidence that the Lakers thus far in the season have lost to teams with good point guard play such as the Clippers, Bulls, Nuggets and Blazers.

Truth be told, Fisher is a shooting guard in a point guard’s body and has never been known for his passing prowess. In fact, in his 16 seasons in the NBA, he’s only averaged 3.1 APG. That’s a staggering stat for a starting point guard.

Although the facilitator in the triangle offense isn't always necessarily the point guard, 3.1 APG is considerably low.

In addition, this Lakers team is completely void of any consistent outside shooting. They rank last in the NBA in three-point conversions per game. That’s not good when your team is a “big man”-based roster that heavily relies upon entries into the post. When a team is top-heavy in the paint, spacing on the floor becomes imperative.

With the immense size advantage that the Lakers employ on a nightly basis, teams are forced to crash the paint and clog up any space for both Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum.

As a result, in theory that should be a welcomed site for any outside shooter who will get countless, open looks from three-point land. Unfortunately for the Lakers, they just don’t have the requisite shooting needed to hurt teams that double the post.

Jason Kapono was brought in to remedy the situation, but two problems exist in regards to the former UCLA star. First, he just simply doesn’t get enough play time. Secondly, his effectiveness is as a spot-up shooter. This means that his game ultimately is predicated upon dribble-penetration by guards.

This penetration should more often than not draw help defenders, leaving Kapono in the corner to hit open shots. Aside from Kobe, the Lakers do not have a player on the roster that can consistently create his own shot.

With the surprising trade of Lamar Odom, the Lakers bench is not even adequate at this point. The loss of Steve Blake to injury has definitely hurt, as he has been not only the best outside shooter for the team, but also the best point guard option.

Metta World Peace, aka Ron Artest, is absolutely atrocious. His game has tailed off so quickly from what it was the past couple seasons. What happened to the scorer for the Houston Rockets who torched the Lakers in the playoffs circa 2009? That same player is now averaging a scintillating 5.1 PPG.

Other new bench additions Troy Murphy and Josh McRoberts have helped to add toughness and grit, but they simply don’t look to score the basketball.

Kobe is playing too many minutes, there is a next to no bench production and the point guard position has become a black hole. What are the solutions for the Lakers?

A trade for Dwight Howard could certainly be in the cards. Luckily for Los Angeles, they possess perhaps the best trade chip out of any team in 24-year-old Bynum. The center has gotten off to a good start this season, averaging 15.8 PPG and 13.6 RPG.

At this point, he is the second-best center in the NBA to the aforementioned Howard. Orlando is in a conundrum at this point. Do they hold on to Howard in the hopes that he resigns with them after the season, or do the trade “Superman” so they ensure themselves that they aren’t left empty handed at the end of the season?

Either way, Orlando loses leverage day by day, and the Lakers hope to pounce on a possible trade. If the Lakers want to make a championship run, they need a roster shake-up. Is Howard that answer?

He might be. I don’t believe Orlando can do better than a package revolving around Bynum. The young center has had injury concerns but those should be alleviated with the notion that (in my opinion) he’s better than anything that Orlando will be offered.

Also, the obvious elephant in the room is the point guard position. The Lakers definitely need to address that, whether it be this season or next. Deron Williams is a name that’s been bandied about recently. He’s voiced his displeasure over his current situation in New Jersey and he’s not ruling out a move to Los Angeles when he becomes a free agent at the end of the year.

In terms of bench play, a slashing, athletic combo guard would be perfect for the Lakers. Such a player would not only lessen the load on Kobe to score but it would help an anemic bench to put up points when the starting unit is resting.

The team does not get any "easy baskets" and almost all their points come off of set plays. They need a playmaker off the bench, plain and simple.

A player like O.J. Mayo or Leandro Barbosa would suffice, but it’s unknown what the Lakers would have to give up in order to land either guard.

As it currently stands, the Lakers are definitely a playoff team that could win a series or two. But they do not have the youth, depth, or athleticism to advance any further. Playing in a seven-game series with an older team is not easy, especially with the heavy reliance upon one player for scoring.

Younger, more athletic teams such as Portland, Oklahoma City and even the Clippers would pose many problems to the current team in a playoff series.

However, general manager Mitch Kupchak is one of the best in the business, and he’s sure to have a trick or two up his sleeve before the trade deadline passes.

It will be fascinating to watch, that’s for sure.