Los Angeles Lakers: 10 Things to Look for This Offseason
The Los Angeles Lakers didn't look like defending champions as the curtains closed on their quest for a three-peat Sunday night in Dallas.
The Lakers lost just as they did in 2008—by over 30. When the Lakers end their season, they like to leave no doubt about it. This time, it was the Dallas Mavericks who took it to Los Angeles, sweeping them in the Western Conference semifinals.
The Mavericks knocked down 20 threes, 11 in the first half, to slam the breaks on a team that was looking to win their third straight title. The Lakers had also been to three consecutive NBA Finals before this season. Too many ups and downs plagued the Lakers, who never could quite find their identity.
An offseason after a playoff sweep is never an enjoyable one, but one that's filled with various changes. Even if personnel remains similar, the team's style of play will be changed.
Here's 10 things possibly on the horizon for LA this summer.
New Coach
1 of 10
Sunday's crowd in Dallas potentially witnessed the final game in Phil Jackson's coaching career.
The "Zen Master" suffered his first sweep in 21 postseason appearances, 11 of which ended with another ring on Jackson's finger. The Dallas fans should take pride in the fact that their team eliminated Jackson and the Lakers but also not recall this to reflect any fault on Jackson's part.
The Lakers were a team full of players not knowing their roles. Was Kobe Bryant supposed to hoist 30 shots a game or be a playmaker? Was Pau Gasol supposed to be the go-to guy on offense? Was Andrew Bynum an offensive presence or a decoy?
With all the questions circling the Lakers, they were unable to pull it all together against a team hitting their stride at the right time.
With Phil Jackson most likely retiring, who will take over one of the most sought-after coaching positions in professional sports? Some think it will be current assistant coach Brian Shaw. Shaw used to play for the Lakers but may be too close to the project to see what's wrong.
The Lakers should bring in a coach that can explore new options. A coach that hasn't seen Kobe lead the team for a few years will be able to try and make the team respond to a different chord.
Someone like Jeff Van Gundy or Rick Adelman could be the successor. Van Gundy has coached in New York and understands pressure. Adelman knows how to take a team from the bottom to the top, which he proved in Sacramento—with the Lakers keeping him from the Finals.
It's time for something new in LA—and someone new.
New Offense
2 of 10
The Lakers' current offense is too dependent on Kobe Bryant.
The old Kobe could work for 40 solid minutes and then be able to be the entire offense at the end of games. Now, Kobe has a hard time reaching the 40-minute mark without completely giving up on one end of the ball.
The triangle offense is one designed to take the point guard out of the mix and score with three primary sources. Kobe should no longer be the only person touching the ball on some possessions. In 2011-12, his points per game may take a big hit, but that should solely be because he's taking less shots. He might hit 25 per game again if he gets open shots.
The new attack of the Lakers should be in the post. Pau Gasol has shown stretches where he could be the next top scorer for this team. Andrew Bynum can score with his strength alone and has made strides with 10-foot jump shots. Lamar Odom and Ron Artest also have decent post-up games.
Three-pointers should only come off kick-outs, and the ball should get to the post on almost every possession.
It may not be Shaquille O'Neal in the paint these days, but two formidable big men can't be used so sparsely on offense.
Point Guard Search
3 of 10
Derek Fisher and Steve Blake are far from getting the job done at point guard.
Neither player is going to be the future playmaker, and they need to be afterthoughts for the Lakers next year. Fisher is all you can ask for out of a backup, but his days as an effective starter are behind him. He did exceptionally well for his standards against Chris Paul, and CP3 almost nabbed the Lakers in the first round.
Paul would be the ideal situation for Los Angeles. He could be the next big name for the franchise to hinge on, and perimeter defense would be less stressful on Kobe. Paul would also be able to create open shots for Bryant, Gasol and Bynum, as he's a traditional, pass-first ball-handler.
Assuming the Hornets lose David West to another team, here's a trade that could work if a couple first-round picks were also given to New Orleans. Emeka Okafor would move over to power forward with Bynum taking over the role of center.
If they can't pull off a trade for Paul, they will likely resort to free agency. The best available option in that pool is either T.J. Ford or Mario Chalmers. Both have the abilities of a starter but are in roles where they can't truly be effective. Ford is a backup to Darren Collison in Indiana, and Chalmers is in the shadow of the "Big Three" in Miami.
The Lakers need to get someone this summer that can spread the floor, or they are doomed to stacking another brick on Kobe's aging back.
Shannon Brown
4 of 10
Shannon Brown is clearly the team's most coveted free agent.
His athleticism and energy make him a valuable piece of the Lakers bench. However, Brown has the very unpopular role of usually being Kobe's backup. For Brown, that means he'll be very limited for at least three or four more years.
If the Lakers want to keep Brown but also understand his desire for more playing time, they can try to work him out as a point guard. Brown has the athleticism of a Russell Westbrook or a Derrick Rose, but he's not trained to make plays. If the Lakers work with him on passing and court vision, they could potentially make him their new starting point guard.
He may not be the next Steve Nash, but who knows what would happen with Brown at point? Point guards in the league today are starting to become more threatening scorers, and maybe Brown could be the next to add to the list.
If the Lakers can't get their hands on Paul this offseason, this should be their next effort at finding the point guard of 2011-12.
Odom as Point Guard
5 of 10
The Lakers' only other chance of creating a point guard out of someone on their current roster rests with Lamar Odom.
Odom is a very athletic small forward who is good enough off the dribble to bring the ball up the court. If the Lakers ran some offenses with Odom at the helm, they could create some severe matchup problems.
The Philadelphia 76ers transitioned to using Andre Iguodala at the point after issues with Jrue Holiday, and they made a late run during the season. The Miami Heat allow LeBron to bring the ball up from time to time, as he's so strong and effective with the ball in his hands.
Odom will need significant work to pull this off, but it's better than trying to run the offense with shaky Steve Blake bringing nothing to the table.
Gasol's Strength
6 of 10
Pau Gasol is a tremendously talented offensive big man the Lakers have at their disposal.
Unfortunately for the Lakers, he seems to have lost confidence in his game. He's regularly catching the ball way too far outside the paint, squaring up and letting jump shots go. When Gasol was on, he used to use quick foot speed and an endless variety of post moves to beat the defense.
This offseason needs to be one filled with vigorous strength training for Pau. He needs to work his upper and lower body without losing his quick first step. In the postseason, Tyson Chandler and Okafor bullied him around. When Gasol was ineffective, so were the Lakers.
Pau can redeem his unproductive showing with a "strong" year in 2011-12.
Bynum's Attitude Problem
7 of 10
Andrew Bynum does not like to lose.
He's made that clear with a pair of hard fouls this season that seemed completely unjustified and utterly blatant. However, Bynum needs to realize the NBA is amidst a movement trying to make the players more respected and less childish. If you're not allowed to talk back to the refs, how could you be allowed to do what Bynum's been doing?
His most recent action cost him the first five games of next season and $25,000. Bynum is still a very young player, but there's no excusing his immature behavior. He needs to find a different way to deal with his frustration, even if it's letting out a little steam in press conferences, a la Kobe.
Bynum needs to act his age—well, actually, older than his years suggest.
Moves for Dwight Howard
8 of 10
Speaking of someone that lets loose in some press conferences, let's move on to Dwight Howard.
Howard has repeatedly expressed his distaste with the way things have gone in Orlando. Although he hasn't demanded a trade, he's very far away from signing on long-term with a team that is too dependent on Howard's performances.
The Lakers have been tossed around as being a potential landing spot for Howard. Trading away Andrew Bynum, Devin Ebanks and some first-round draft picks would do the trick financially. The Lakers will definitely ponder a decision like this, even if they don't pull the plug on the deal.
Convincing the Magic to send their All-Star to another team will take a lot of persuading, but they will feel the extra pressure to get something in return with Howard's contract expiring after next season.
If the Lakers add Dwight Howard, they instantly become the favorites to win it all in 2011-12.
Larger Rotation
9 of 10
When I mentioned Devin Ebanks in the last slide, did you know who I was talking about?
In addition to that, did you know the Lakers have Theo Ratliff and Joe Smith on their roster?
Basically, the Lakers need to run a larger rotation of players in each game. With their age, they shouldn't feel the need to play Kobe and Pau in the latter minutes of a double-digit win. There were times it looked like the Lakers didn't trust their backups to hold on to a 10-point lead with mere minutes remaining.
Los Angeles needs to trust its reserves. Players like Ebanks and Ratliff could definitely handle garbage time, with potential for more important minutes if given the chance. A nine-man rotation is in no way small, but there's no need for Gasol to average 37 minutes per game during the regular season.
The Lakers should be comfortable with more than 10 guys shedding the warm-ups to get some minutes, even if it costs them a few wins in the regular season.
Kobe's Role
10 of 10
Kobe Bryant has had the Lakers on his shoulders ever since Shaquille O'Neal was sent to Miami. Although Kobe seemed like he could handle it then, times are different now. Kobe could pass up more shots, shoot closer to 50 percent from the field and play with more human-like expectations.
Kobe's been overworked in the past few seasons, but they ended in triumph. The Lakers thought they could do it all again with their aging star, but fell in the second round of the playoffs. Now, the Lakers must signal a changing of the guard with their team strategy.
Fewer isolations for Kobe and more plays that stress interior passing. No more no-pass possessions, with more inventive, pass-happy offenses being constructed.
The Lakers easily have the talent to get back to the top, but will they take the steps necessary to rise back up to the pinnacle?
