Los Angeles Lakers Will Survive with This Current Roster

At the end of last season, Kobe Bryant expressed that he thought the team the Los Angeles Lakers had after getting swept would be able to compete for another championship this year, as is. No trades or exchanges needed. Fans, and apparently management, felt differently.

They successfully traded for Chris Paul (it was vetoed for "basketball reasons" but don't be mistaken, the deal was done), which meant the Lakers would have given up two big men in return for an elite point guard. But it didn't happen, so now the Lakers have who they have, and they're just fine.

A huge thing to consider and keep in the back of your mind is that these Los Angeles Lakers had 10 days to implement a new system with a new head coach when the majority of the players had been used to something entirely different.

In addition, it was a new group of men who needed to get together, and develop chemistry, which has not been a strong point for the Lakers. They are not known for being a close-knit team off the court (especially when you look at the cross-town Clippers, who have dinners and bowling nights together).

So, this team is learning and developing chemistry while playing a grueling schedule. The Los Angeles Clippers have a better record and are favored by Vegas, but don't forget that they have also played less games that the Lakers. So, halfway through the season the team is finally settling into their groove and becoming a cohesive unit.

Jim Buss predicted this preseason: "I don't know what our record will be during the first half, but I believe over the last 33 games going into the playoffs we will have the best record in the West."

The team finally gelling was evidenced in the last two games the Los Angeles Lakers played before the All-Star break.

Kobe Bryant only went 11-39 in the last two games, but the rest of the team began to rise to the occasion. Pau Gasol averaged 23 points and Andrew Bynum has found his rhythm this year. He's averaging a double-double with 12.8 rebounds and 16.3 points per game. While some players have yet to step up, like World Peace, others like Goudelock and Blake are filling in the gaps.

The key is getting all these men to have good games every night.

So while many people are saying that the Lakers need Dwight Howard, the fact is the Lakers are functioning just fine without him. John Ireland of ESPN radio reported that Dwight Howard is making it clear that if he gets traded, even to the Lakers, that he won't sign an extension. This means that the Lakers will need to give up Bynum for less than half a season of Howard.

Trading right now for a big man would be silly when what the Lakers really need is a point guard. In the future the Lakers need a point guard who is much faster than Fisher, but for this season, if no moves are made, do not worry.

The Los Angeles Lakers have expiring contracts this year like Matt Barnes, Troy Murphy and Jason Kapono which are taking up roster and salary space. Metta World Peace and Derek Fisher have a player option for their contracts, so they can't be counted on to free up room. The upcoming draft is going to be a diamond mine of players, so giving up a trade pick would be nonsensical if they're looking for point guard of the future.

Jim Buss also said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times:

"

I don't understand the thinking that we need saving as a franchise. We have three All-Stars, and we need saving? Where does this stuff come from? You'd have to be kind of silly to give up two All-Stars like that for Howard. Zero truth to it. We have never been asked for Andrew and Pau and we've never offered them. I think they know we'd either say no or they would sound crazy for asking.

"

While this team could stand to be improved, Kobe and Jim Buss are right. The current roster, as is, is good enough to win a championship if, and only if, the team comes to play night after night, and that is the real problem.