3 Offseason Moves LA Lakers Must Make to Keep Kobe Bryant Happy

The vast majority of players in the NBA would be ecstatic to make it all the way to the Western Conference Semifinals.

But not Kobe Bryant.

When you already have five championships and an endless supply of other compelling accomplishments, winning a playoff series or two just doesn't yield the same kind of excitement it used to. For Bryant, nothing short of a championship will qualify a season as a legitimate success.

For Bryant's fans, the feeling is mutual.

There's no question the Lakers are still an incredibly good team as currently constructed, but this postseason has revealed a few things about Kobe's team. After a hard-fought first-round series against the Denver Nuggets went six games, it became abundantly clear that Mike Brown's Lakers weren't nearly as dominant as their predecessors.

And after struggling to keep pace with the young, talented and clutch Oklahoma City Thunder, this franchise has inched closer to sounding the alarm.

Kobe needs help, and here are three moves that just might do the trick.

Subtract Pau Gasol

While most of the Lakers' mid-season trade chatter surrounded the prospect of trading Andrew Bynum for Dwight Howard, Los Angeles may be better suited making a less ambitious move.

Of course, there's nothing subtle about moving Pau Gasol, but it would be a far more measured response to this team's current woes. For all of Bynum's faults and immature gaffes, he is the one entering his prime—and looking as productive as ever in the process.

Sure, he can justifiably be blamed for uneven effort throughout the postseason, but that effort has averaged out to 17.3 points, nearly 12 rebounds and 3.4 blocks a game. In comparison, Gasol's postseason averages come out to 12.4 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.0 blocks and 3.8 assists.

To the discriminating eye, those numbers really aren't half bad. Some teams would kill for a big guy willing to pass that often.

But Kobe Bryant's team apparently isn't one of them.

After the Lakers dropped Game 4 against the Thunder, Los Angeles' de facto commander-in-chief placed the blame squarely on Gasol and his unselfish ways (via Johnny Ludden of Yahoo! Sports):

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"Pau's got to be more assertive," Bryant said. "He's the guy they're leaving [open]. When he's catching the ball, he's looking to pass. He's got to be aggressive. He's got to shoot the ball or drive the ball to the basket. He will be next game."

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This may be Kobe's best attempt to motivate a key piece of the Lakers' puzzle, but it could also be a sign that this relationship just isn't working anymore.

Add Depth

There were indications this season that both the Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves were interested in landing Pau Gasol prior to the trade deadline.

The Lakers would be remiss not to look into those possibilities a bit further.

Gasol was as good as gone before the season started (thanks to the Lakers' vetoed attempt to land Chris Paul), and he's had to live through the fallout and uncertainty ever since. Los Angeles would be doing themselves, Gasol and his suitors a favor by pulling the trigger on one of these deals.

Both the Rockets and Timberwolves have precisely the kind of depth the Lakers sorely need. Houston could send power forward Luis Scola to Los Angeles along with young pieces like Courtney Lee, Chase Budinger or Chandler Parsons.

While Scola would be a nice replacement for Gasol in the starting lineup, it's those extra pieces that would come in handy the most. The Lakers don't have a good bench, and they probably don't have a chance to extend Bryant's championship window without beefing up that second unit.

With Metta World Peace and Matt Barnes adding up to a rarely impressive platoon at the small forward position, any trade that netted upgraded wing depth would be especially valuable.

Sign Another Point Guard

The Los Angeles Lakers took a huge step forward by acquiring Ramon Sessions from the Cleveland Cavaliers this season. And while Sessions would continue to make for a quality starter going forward, that doesn't mean Los Angeles' backcourt is set.

Even if the Lakers add depth at other positions, they still need a playmaker coming off the bench—a sixth man to play the role of a James Harden or Manu Ginobili.

This club may not have an abundance of cap room, but it's the kind of team elite players are willing to sign up with on the cheap, especially when they're past their prime.

Of course, adding an iconic veteran like Steve Nash is every contender's fantasy.

Even in a more limited role, the 38-year-old would make a substantial impact with a team like the Lakers, instantly making even subpar role players look surprisingly effective. Guys like Nash are force multipliers in that respect—they instantly make thin rosters look twice as deep.

Aside from Nash, free agent Andre Miller could similarly give the Lakers a premium distributor.

Los Angeles can't sustain such an isolation-heavy approach against teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder or San Antonio Spurs. This team's hopes rest on its ability to share the ball more effectively, and that starts with a floor general who can set that tone.