NBA Rumors: Lakers Must Deal Andrew Bynum for Deron Williams to Make Title Run

Hopefully Jim Buss boasts his dad’s poker skills.

The Los Angeles Lakers shot-caller doesn’t sound ready to go all-in to win one last ring in the Kobe Bryant era.

He better be bluffing, because LA isn’t winning anything if they don’t trade Andrew Bynum.

T.J. Simers of the Los Angeles Times reported that Buss told Lakers fans exactly what they didn’t want to hear following their team’s postseason collapse against the Oklahoma City Thunder. When asked about moves that he plans to make, Buss responded: “We will try to sign Sessions when the rules allow beginning in July. And improve the bench.”

His failure to hint at a league-shaking free-agent acquisition or blockbuster trade in the making prompted a follow-up question, curious about just that. Buss’ response (via Los Angeles Times): “No.”

Either he has a deceptive poker face or the Lakers are screwed. OKC only needed five games to eliminate LA. The difference between the Lakers and Thunder isn’t a couple solid reserves—Hollywood’s core needs plastic surgery.

What they need is a star—and a star that’s bright enough to ignite another dynasty is Deron Williams. While a dream scenario would be to deal Pau Gasol for D-Will and Andrew Bynum for Dwight Howard, that isn’t happening.

Marc Stein of ESPN reported that the Brooklyn Nets would only be interested in a swap with LA if it involved Bynum, and that’s exactly who the Lakers must offer the Nets for Williams.

Los Angeles is never going to defeat the Thunder four times in a seven-game series with Ramon Sessions checking Russell Westbrook. Oklahoma City’s floor general absolutely abused Sessions. He averaged 25.6 points per game in the conference semifinals.

While Bynum is a phenomenal talent, he’s selfish and you never know if he’ll show up from night to night. On top of his mind-numbing inconsistency, you don’t even need a dominant low-post defender to defeat the Thunder. Pau Gasol has twice as many post moves (at least) as Kendrick Perkins and Serge Ibaka combined.

Nevertheless, the Lakers do need a point guard to match up with Westbrook. Fisher wasn’t it, Sessions isn’t it and Chris Paul should’ve been it. Los Angeles isn’t being led to the NBA Finals by any of that trio, though.

I’m sure you’re perfectly capable of concocting countless scenarios where the Lakers make multiple NBA 2K-like trades to complete the perfect championship puzzle. However, if you want to return to reality and see LA make one major move that catapults them back into title contention, Brooklyn is the partner and Williams is the payoff.

Only after that should Buss kick back, relax and improve the bench.

David Daniels is a featured columnist at Bleacher Report and a syndicated writer.

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