LA Lakers: Why Lakers Need More Than Just Dwight Howard to Launch New Dynasty

The Los Angeles Lakers imploded in their last game of the season on Sunday against the Dallas Mavericks, and that's putting it lightly.

These were the same Lakers that came into the 2011 NBA Playoffs seeking their third straight championship, who were supposed to be cool and composed, if little else.

But Sunday's 122-86 Game 4 embarrassment, complete with Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum getting ejected from the game due to unnecessary elbows to Dirk Nowitzki and J.J. Barea respectively, marked a violent end to the Lakers' dynasty.

Coach Phil Jackson, who saw his team ignore his advice to make the Mavericks a two-point shooting team, will likely not be back next year. I don't see why he'd want to. The Lakers didn't just quit on him on Sunday, they quit on themselves. The 122-86 score was evidence enough.

Beyond that, this is an aging team, a concern prevalent throughout the season and hammered down in the playoffs. Kobe Bryant is 32 years of age and slowing, Derek Fisher is 36 years old and Ron Artest and Pau Gasol appear to have forgotten how to play winning basketball.

Well, at least they have that injury-prone center who chucks players half his size to the floor instead of trying to actually defend.

But there is hope, even if it doesn't appear so right now.

Assistant coach Brian Shaw is a capable replacement, albeit not a legendary one. He apparently has the backing of Jackson, the Lakers organization and the players.

There are murmurs that former Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan could take over, but that's all speculation at this point.

There are also murmurs of Minnesota Timberwolves coach and former Lakers forward Kurt Rambis taking over, given he attended three Lakers vs. Hornets playoff games. Heck, maybe Rick Adelman might even give it a shot.

But Shaw could be a good replacement, and if the Lakers can land Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard in 2012 when he becomes a free agent, that would significantly upgrade their chances of rebounding.

But that still wouldn't be enough. They need a good draft, some other signings this offseason and, above all, trust, which seemed to waver among the players this postseason.

The Lakers could still land Howard, still find a worthy successor to Jackson and still pick up some postseason-worthy players, but if they can't get back to acting like a championship squad, they'll never get there in the foreseeable future.