30 Teams In 30 Days: Los Angeles Lakers

2007-2008 In Review

Record: 57-25
Western Conference Seed: 1
Playoff Results: Lost to BOS in NBA Finals (4-2)

Summer Of 2008

Key Additions: Josh Powell (via free agency), Sun Yue (via 2007 draft, signed).

Key Losses: Ronny Turiaf (via free agency).

LA’s offseason was rather uneventful, as the biggest move was simply re-signing Sasha Vujacic to a slightly oversized deal of $15 million over the course of three years.

The 24-year-old Yugoslavian sharpshooter did manage to hold career highs in scoring (8.8 PPG), rebounding (2.1 RPG), field goal percentage (45.4 percent), and three-point percentage (43.7 percent) this past season, but unless further progress is made to his overall game (particularly on the defensive end), it’ll be tough for the four-year NBA veteran to live up to that price tag.

Speaking of tasteful contracts, energetic big man Ronny Turiaf certainly received one from Golden State. On July 10, the Warriors signed the former Gonzaga star to a four-year, $17 million offer sheet, in which the Lakers had a week to match. Seven days subsequently passed by without a play from the team, and by the 19th, Turiaf had packed his bags for the Bay Area.

However, the Lakers were able to find a similar and much cheaper alternative in Josh Powell. On August 14, the four-year journey man signed a one-year deal with the Lakers worth the minimum of approximately $826,269.

Powell has spent time with four NBA teams—Dallas, Indiana, Golden State, and the Los Angeles Clippers—in which he has held career averages of 4.6 points and 4.2 rebounds per game.

This past year for the Clippers, however, Powell appeared in 64 games and put together his best professional season with averages of 5.5 PPG and 5.2 RPG in just over 19 minutes per contest. He may not be able to dance like Turiaf, but he has shown that he can get the job done in a limited bench role.

Laker fans shouldn’t be disappointed with this pickup on the court or financially.

There was one intriguing prospect brought to the purple and gold this summer, however, as 2007 draftee Sun Yue decided to make his way over to the US and begin his NBA career.

Why is he so intriguing, you ask? He’s 6’9’’ and has been said to have the ball skills and basketball IQ of a point guard.

Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

Alright, maybe he’s not that good, but with proper patience and tutelage, Yue could develop into a serviceable role player with the ability to cause mismatch problems for the opposition each and every night.

Depth Chart

C: Andrew Bynum / D.J. Mbenga / Chris Mihm
PF: Pau Gasol / Josh Powell / Vladimir Radmanovic
SF: Lamar Odom / Luke Walton / Trevor Ariza
SG: Kobe Bryant / Sasha Vujacic / Coby Karl
PG: Derek Fisher / Jordan Farmar / Sun Yue

Biggest Strength

Big Four

On paper, calling the Lakers’ foursome the most talented in the league is an absolute no-brainer.

Kobe Bryant is, in the majority’s eyes, currently the best individual basketball player on the planet. There is nothing that “Mamba” can’t do at either end of the floor, and his 2007-2008 NBA MVP award is a well-deserved testament to that.

Lamar Odom is undoubtedly one of the most talented and versatile forwards in the game. At a long 6’11’’, he has the ability to handle the ball, lead the break, create for others, defend up to three positions, and rebound the basketball. You just don’t see that on many other rosters.

On the interior, Pau Gasol and a healthy Andrew Bynum is one heck of a duo. Gasol is perhaps one of the most well-rounded big men in the league, with his abilities to score in the post, knock down the mid-range jumper, pass out of the post (especially out of double teams), rebound the ball, run the floor, and use his outstanding length to his advantage.

In essence, he’s very similar to Kevin Garnett, minus the defense and craziness (although Pau will get vocal). To top all of that off, his skill set and style of play couldn’t be a more perfect fit for the triangle offense.

Gasol’s sidekick in the middle is Andrew Bynum, who averaged 13.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game before going down with a left knee injury (subluxation of the patella and a bone bruise) in mid-January, which held him out for the remainder of the regular season and playoffs.

However, a healthy Bynum is one of the best centers in the Western Conference, and perhaps an emerging star.

In short, the overall talent level (and size) of these four combined is absurd.

Biggest Weakness

Toughness

If the 2008 NBA Finals series was any indication, this team is lacking the mental toughness necessary to overcome adversity. Outside of the Game Two comeback that fell just short, this team displayed excessive mental weakness throughout the series.

Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol, in particular, lived up to the “soft” label that they’ve carried around for years. Defensively, this team simply was not cutting it. Not because they weren’t properly schooled or physically incapable of getting stops on a consistent basis, but because they figuratively “laid down” when they were nudged.

As the Celtics started to pull away, or as they clawed and grinded their way back from deficits (Game Four—enough said), you could visibly recognize the frustration within this Laker squad. At times, you could see them mentally collapsing.

The Lakers are as talented as any other team in the league, but if they continue displaying these signs of mental weakness, they’re going to have a tough time raising a banner. That’s not to say that they can’t pull it off, but in order to be a champion, you’re going to have to push back when necessary. That has yet to be seen with this group.

X-Factor

Andrew Bynum

As previously touched upon, a healthy Andrew Bynum is a big time force in the paint on both ends of the floor. Furthermore, he’s turning just 21 years of age on the eve of the 2008-2009 NBA regular season.

One argument that has been thrown around is that the Lakers are a better team than the Celtics with Andrew Bynum in the lineup. The conclusion to that debate remains up in the air until/unless the two teams meet fully healthy once again in 2009, but regardless, the Lakers will need Bynum at full health in order to defend their Western Conference crown and go on to win the franchise’s 15th title.

If Bynum is good to go, good things are on tap, potentially sooner rather than later.

What to Expect In 2008-2009

LA may need a minor adjustment period in order to get acclimated to Bynum’s presence in the offense, but there is no reason to believe that the Lakers won’t be one of the top teams—if not the top team—in the NBA this coming season. Perhaps a healthy Bynum gives them the interior presence needed to take care of business, and reach the ultimate goal of winning another title.

Whether that happens or not, you better believe that they’ll at least be there with the best of them.

2008-2009 Predictions
58-24
1st in Pacific Division
1st in Western Conference

Tomorrow: Memphis Grizzlies