L.A. Lakers: Power Ranking the Best Sixth Man Candidates for Lakeshow

In what will surely be a roller-coaster offseason for the Los Angeles Lakers, one of the areas Mitch Kupchak needs to solidify is bench production.

Finding a dependable sixth man is no easy task, but if Kobe and company could secure a dynamic reserve, they would be a more potent team than last season.

There are several possibilities on this year's free agent market, but the key for the Lakers is to keep their bench options affordable, as they're already shelling out dozens of millions on their starting five.

Who are the best alternatives for Mike Brown's squad? Here are the power rankings of the best sixth man candidates for the Lake Show.

10. Tracy McGrady

Picking up an injury-prone, ex-superstar like Tracy McGrady sounds like a horrible idea when you think about how far he has fallen.

However, there are a couple of key reasons why Los Angeles should take a flyer on the 33-year-old veteran: he's as affordable as they come, and he's more efficient from beyond the arc than ever before. 

McGrady won't command more than $1.5 or $1.7 million on this summer's market, and he shot 45 percent from three-point land for the Hawks last season.

9. Reggie Evans

If Los Angeles loses one of its bigs and Metta World Peace due to trade this offseason, one way to replace the size and the toughness would be signing Reggie Evans. He's not a prototypical sixth man, but he could bring a sixth-man level of impact.

The 6'8", 245-pound veteran can flat-out rebound and play defense. His rebounding rate is through the roof, and when given significant chunks of time, he can change the complexion of a game with his energy and nastiness.

Mike Brown could use a wrecking ball like Evans, who will take some of the pressure and attention off the Lakers starters, especially if World Peace is gone.

8. Rudy Fernandez

Rudy Fernandez has been a sixth-man type player all four years of his career, playing 20 or minutes off the bench every game.

He established himself as a shooter and an energy guy during his first three years in Portland, and continued to do the same this past season with the Denver Nuggets.

His 2011-12 shooting percentage (44 percent) was a career-high, and it will probably only get better as he becomes a more efficient pro.

Los Angeles better make a move to pursue Fernandez soon, because it's rumored that he's interested in returning to Spain.

7. Mickael Pietrus

If the Lakers want to bolster their defense and and add someone who does a little bit of everything, Mickael Pietrus would be a superb, affordable fit.

Pietrus has the size and skill to guard several positions, he's an improved rebounder and he's always been able to knock down open threes. He's not a shot-creator, but he would give the Lake Show great energy off the bench.

He shouldn't be too costly at all (no more than $2 million per season), and his contributions off the bench would definitely be worth it.

6. Marreese Speights

The 24-year-old free agent Marreese Speights has the size, youth and rebounding ability Los Angeles needs.

He'll help fill the void left by the Lakers big men who may leave. Even if Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum don't get traded, the Lakers will still likely lose Jordan Hill and Troy Murphy via free agency.

Speights saw a moderate amount of court action in Memphis last season, but he still managed to drop nine points and haul in six rebounds per game.

5. Matt Barnes

Mitch Kupchak should highly consider re-signing small forward Matt Barnes to bolster Los Angeles' bench.

The 6'7" defensive stopper is constantly all over the court. His length and above-average athleticism helps him check guards and forwards.

In addition to shutting down the opposition's swingmen, he rebounds well and has a great shot selection. Although he's 32, he still has plenty of explosiveness left.

His market value will be a little more than $2 million, which is a good deal for a reserve who had a 15.5 PER last season.

4. Randy Foye

He was primarily a starter for the Clippers, but if he switches over to the Lakers locker room, Randy Foye would be a stellar backup for Kobe Bryant.

Even though he started, Foye didn't get heavy minutes with the Lob City crew. But he did make the most of his playing time, scoring 11 points per game and shooting 39 percent from long distance.

His representatives will command somewhere around $4 or 5 million per year to sign him, but that's not too shabby considering he's in the prime of his career.

If he can score double-digits off the bench to support Kobe, Los Angeles will be better off than it was last year.

3. Jordan Farmar

As a former Laker and a terrific role-playing point guard, Jordan Farmar would be an excellent candidate to be the backup floor general again.

All of Farmar's per-minute numbers were up in 2011-12. In just 21 minutes per contest, he scored in double-digits, dished 3.3 assists, shot 44 percent from long range and hit 90 percent of his free throws.

Having a sixth man like Farmar has several benefits. He can shoot, run the offense and he's familiar with the Staples atmosphere.

At $4 million per year, he's not a bargain, but it's not a bad deal for a guy who can notch numbers like he did last year.

2. J.R. Smith

J.R. Smith won't be quite as cheap as some of the other options, but he'd be worth the extra cash for his shot-making ability.

He's been a sixth man his whole career, so he'd be comfortable in the role of coming in midway through the game and providing some offense. If he can get 20-25 minutes per game off the bench, he'll consistently score in double-digits.

Smith would likely sign for an affordable mid-level deal, as long as it's more than New York's offer. He would relish playing alongside Kobe in the bright lights of Tinseltown.

1. Delonte West

Veteran journeyman Delonte West put up similar numbers to Jordan Farmar last season, and could have a similar effect on the Lakers.

The main difference between the two free agents? West would cost less than half of what Farmar costs, even if he gets a salary increase (Wests 2011-12 salary: $1.1 million).

West played for three different teams the last three years, but this past season was the most effective.

At 28, he still has several years of high-level hoops left in him.