Deron Williams: Are the Los Angeles Lakers an Elite Point Guard Away from Great?

It could be argued that the Los Angeles Lakers have the worst starting point guard in the NBA in Derek Fisher, and if he's not at the very bottom of the list, Fisher is definitely very close to it.

Stats like 5.4 points per game and four assists are not going to cut it against the West's elite point guards, and it doesn't help matters that Fisher is only shooting 36 percent from the field.

Time has also diminished Fisher's once-formidable defensive skills, and it has become painful to watch him get battered off the dribble on a nightly basis.

Fisher no longer has the quickness to stay in front of players like Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook, and if he is a liability on defense and he can't score either, why exactly does Lakers coach Mike Brown continue to start Fisher?

It could simply be because Brown feels like he has no other options.

Until injured Steve Blake makes his return the only players Brown can call on besides Fisher to play point guard are rookies Darius Morris and Andrew Goudelock.

Both have had their moments on the court, but neither Goudelock or Morris are close to being physically or mentally ready to run a championship-quality team.

The Lakers as a team are a mediocre 13-9, but they have the West's No. 1 scoring defense and it was recently announced that Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum will comprise two-fifths of the Western Conference's All-Star starting lineup.

It's possible that forward Pau Gasol will also be added as a reserve, giving the Lakers a grand total of three All-Stars.

So how does a team with a great defense and that much talent only manage a 13-9 record thus far?

There may be several other factors affecting the Lakers but the roots of their mediocrity are planted in the shaky soil of poor point guard play.

In Phil Jackson's triangle offense the performance of the point guard was not critical since most players on the court were interchangeable within the confines of the scheme.

But in Brown's motion offense, the lack of a lead guard has exposed Fisher and to some extent Blake as what they really are, which is below-average players at their position.

Brown's offense is based on dribble penetration, and neither Fisher nor Blake has the foot speed to get in the lane and create the size mismatches that optimize Brown's scheme.

Even if either point guard could get consistent penetration in the paint Fisher and Blake's playmaking skills are questionable at best, and an argument can be made that Bynum and Gasol would be even more productive if they played with a point guard who understood how to get them the ball.

Right now Kobe is the team's best scoring option and the Lakers' top playmaker, and in order for this group of players to realize their full potential, Bryant will have to relinquish one of those roles. 

Since Kobe is the NBA's leading scorer at 30 points per game I think it's pretty easy to determine where his talent is best served on the Lakers, but the team shouldn't take an "anything is better than Fisher" approach either.

There have been numerous rumors swirling around the Lakers possibly signing out-of-work point guard Gilbert Arenas and Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Ramon Sessions.

It is a debatable point on whether or not Arenas could even help the team, and while Sessions is certainly an upgrade over Fisher and maybe Blake, can he make a big enough impact in a seven-game series against Russell Westbrook or Chris Paul?

Some Lakers fans feel a player like Sessions could return the Lakers to their place among the NBA's elite teams, but in order to achieve that goal the Lakers may need an elite upgrade at the 1.

Maybe the lingering effects of Jackson's triangle offense is the reason some fans feel a minimal change at point guard is all the Lakers need this season, but Brown's offense is arguably designed for a lead guard who can consistently get to the rim.

New Jersey Nets point guard Deron Williams is one of the top five point guards in the NBA, and he should be on the Lakers' radar if he's not.

Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard has been the subject of most trade speculation associated with the Lakers, but Bynum's continued progression towards stardom has quieted a lot of that talk.

Williams' presence in the Lakers' starting five would dramatically change the dynamic of the team and the offense.

Bynum would definitely get more touches in the paint, but Williams would also understand the spots in the post where Bynum is most effective.

Kobe does make an effort to get both Bynum and Gasol more touches in the lane, but a point guard like Williams would likely give Bynum more opportunities to re-post and establish better scoring position, whereas Kobe's natural scoring instincts would take over after the first pass.

Williams would also make Kobe a more efficient player, and while his points per game may suffer a little, his shooting percentage would go up.

Williams has the size and strength to penetrate the lane when he wants to, and while he may not be one of the league's quickest guards, he's excellent with his back to the basket and he excels in the pick-and-roll.

The Lakers defense would be even more formidable with Williams, and a starting backcourt of Bryant and Williams would be a scary thought for opponents on either end of the court, but is a deal for Williams a real possibility?

It's doubtful that New Jersey will accept a deal headlined by Gasol right now, but what happens if the Nets fail to sign Howard themselves?

Williams' future may be in limbo until Howard reaches a resolution, but I don't think the Lakers should be counted out in the race to acquire his services.

Remember, Paul was a Laker before NBA commissioner David Stern voided a legal trade, and it is widely assumed that Paul may have only been the first piece of the Lakers' championship puzzle.

There is a chance that Williams could serve in the same manner as Paul, and even if Howard is not the ultimate target, the addition of Williams to the Lakers roster would certainly make them finals favorites.