Lakers Trade Rumors: Kirk Hinrich Would Boost LA's Inept Offense

With so many point guards supposedly on the market, the Los Angeles Lakers should have no problem finding someone to fill the void. The only thing they have to figure out is how much they want to spend, which could make Kirk Hinrich the best option for them. 

According to Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld.com, the Lakers have shown interest in acquiring Hinrich from the Atlanta Hawks. 

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The Los Angeles Lakers have expressed interest in Kirk Hinrich, according to sources. No deal is imminent.

— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) February 29, 2012"

At first glance, acquiring Hinrich does not seem like it would make that much of a difference. He is having the worst season of his career, with just 4.8 points, 2.5 assists and 1.6 rebounds per game, and has played in just 17 contests. 

Those aren't exactly numbers that scream, "This is a point guard we need to take us to a title!" However, he was still a productive player just one year ago, split between Washington and Atlanta. 

The Lakers need to get younger and more athletic at the point. Derek Fisher might be the nicest guy in the world and a great leader that can mentor players, but he is not getting the job done anymore. 

Things have gotten so bad at the point-guard position for the Lakers that Kobe Bryant is leading the team in assists right now. 

Hinrich is not going to revert back to the 16 points and six assists per game player that he was at his peak in Chicago, but the Lakers don't need him to do that if they want to compete for a championship. 

As long as he gives Bryant some relief from carrying the offense and gets more players involved, the Lakers are going to be fine. They are already a playoff team, so there are not a lot of changes that have to be made. 

The offense is the biggest weakness right now. Hinrich would be able to control things for them over the final 25-30 games of the season before the postseason begins. It would be more than enough time to get acclimated, and he can increase their offensive output by four or five points per game. 

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