NBA Free Agency: Will Free Agency Determine the LA Lakers' Title Window?

If you are a fan of the Los Angeles Lakers you can choose to view the start of free agency in two ways. It's either a chance for the Lakers to create more distance from the rest of the NBA, or the rest of the league's attempt to draw closer.

Under either circumstance, what Los Angeles does in the next few weeks could determine how many more titles may lie in the immediate future of the franchise.

I have recently written that the Lakers should tinker as little as possible with a roster that already has a championship pedigree, and I stand by those words, but it's hard to ignore the few nagging issues the defending champs have.

Uncertainty at the point guard position has loomed as the largest issue facing the Lakers in the off season, and when glancing at the roster it's easy to understand why.

Derek Fisher is currently a free agent and most Lakers' fans feel his time as a starting point guard in the NBA has passed, but they are also reluctant to see him depart for another team.

Fisher's value is no longer found as much in the regular season as it is in the postseason, so this is a reasonable stance for anyone to take, but who replaces Fisher in the line-up?

It has been whispered that Jordan Farmar is looking to ply his services elsewhere, and if this is true the Lakers must decide if Farmar still fits the vision management had for him.

It has long been understood that Lakers' brass envisioned Farmar as the potential heir to Fisher's point guard position but his performances on the court have been inconsistent at best.

Farmar looks no more ready to assume the reins of the lead guard position as he was when he first stepped on an NBA court some four seasons ago, and the Lakers' patience in his development is growing thin.

A story on NBA.com today says Fisher and Shannon Brown are the Lakers' main two free agent targets, so that likely means Farmar is on his way out, but how does Los Angeles replace him?

Brown is a great physical specimen but his true value lies in his energy and his athleticism, not his decision-making and distribution skills, so it seems absurd to think the Lakers would place their faith in him.

Brown can definitely serve spot duty at point guard, but if Farmar has fallen out of favor, then emphasis is placed on finding a competent guard who can also serve as a starter.

Any suggestions?

Kirk Hinrich was previously available and the Washington Wizards may still be willing to negotiate a trade, but it could turn out that not acquiring Hinrich when the chance presented itself is an opportunity missed.

Steve Blake has been another name mentioned as a possible target, and he would fit within the scope of the team, but his game still has me hesitant to place him as a starter on a championship team.

When looking at other point guard targets, I continue to reach the same conclusion which is none of the prospects stand out as more talented than players already on the Lakers' roster.

Players like Blake can help for sure, but what you gain in Blake's steady play, you lose in the valuable experience a player like Farmar has garnered over the past three seasons.

The forward position has been mentioned as another area of minor concern for the Lakers, but if draft picks Devin Ebanks and Derrick Caracter pan out, that problem may have been resolved.

Ebanks has the versatility and quickness to serve as an excellent defender on the perimeter, and Caracter has the muscle and lateral movement to be a force in the post.

If either player can show progress in the NBA summer league it may allow the Lakers to keep their primary focus on solving their point guard dilemma, which could be more of a nuisance than once perceived.

Los Angeles does have the benefit of having all of their primary players signed to multi-year deals, and the odds say that Fisher will likely remain a Laker rather than departing for other pastures.

The Lakers with their current roster are already the favorites for next season's NBA championship, but if they make a few smart moves in the coming weeks, they can secure their place in the Finals for seasons to come.