NBA Free Agents 2011: 15 Targets That Make the Most Sense for the LA Lakers
The post-Phil Jackson era officially began today when the Los Angeles Lakers hired former Cleveland Cavaliers head man Mike Brown to take over a team that, despite being swept by the Dallas Mavericks in the second round of the 2011 NBA Playoffs, still has more than enough talent to compete for a title next season.
After all, the Lakers still boast three All-Stars—Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom—and a roster replete with playoff experience and championship rings.
That being said, the embarrassment of that short series against the Mavs laid bare some serious deficiencies that hindered the team all season, among them poor defense at the point, a dearth of true post depth and a lack of accurate outside shooting.
There's not telling at this juncture how free agency will shake out, if at all, given the tenuous nature of labor negotiations between the NBA and the Players' Association. However, assuming a new collective comes to fruition relatively soon that allows for capped-out teams like LA to make roster adjustments, here are 15 players that would fit in Lakerdom next season.
Tayshaun Prince
1 of 15
Technically speaking, the Lakers don't need a player like Tayshaun Prince, though they, like any team, could certainly use someone with Prince's pedigree and experience.
The Compton native, who boasts career averages of 12.9 points, 2.7 assists and 4.7 rebounds, is an excellent defender who is more than capable of hitting the occasional shot from deep.
So, yes, he is practically a Matt Barnes/Ron Artest clone, though to his credit, he comes with far less baggage than either of the other two.
Michael Redd
2 of 15
The Lakers could also use someone off the bench who can hit shots from the outside, as Steve Blake proved this past season that he probably isn't going to cut it.
Michael Redd would be an interesting option here. Redd's career has been ravaged by a rash of injuries over the past three seasons and, at 31 years of age and going on 32, he isn't likely to return to his previous form.
Hence, Redd sticks out as the type of player who would be willing to bring his diminished but still useful skills to a championship-caliber team while in search of a ring. Should the Lakers choose to bring him on, they would, at worst, end up with a cheap dud who doesn't play much and, at best, a noted sharpshooter who can go off for 20 points once in a while.
DeShawn Stevenson
3 of 15
Should Shannon Brown decide not to exercise his player option, the Lakers would then be in need of a new backup for Kobe Bryant.
The team could opt to hand that role off to Devin Ebanks, or management could go out and pick up a guy like DeShawn Stevenson, whose athleticism, toughness and defensive prowess would be welcome additions to the ball club.
J.J. Barea
4 of 15
There are plenty of Dallas Mavericks who are bound for free agency and would make sense for LA. Perhaps chief among them is J.J. Barea.
The diminutive guard from Puerto Rico shredded Derek Fisher and the Lakers' defense to help boost the Mavs to a four-game sweep, which may turn out to have been an audition for his donning of Purple and Gold in the end.
Earl Boykins
5 of 15
Of course, J.J. Barea isn't the only little guy to have tormented the Lakers in recent year.
Earl Boykins has long been a thorn in LA's side, and now that he'll be a free agent, the Lakers can finally convince him to join up rather than having to constantly worry about where he is and how many shots he's going to hit from behind screens.
Earl Watson
6 of 15
Speaking of guards named Earl, Earl Watson would give the Lakers some nice depth at the lead guard spot, especially if the team finds a way to let go of/trade away Steve Blake.
Watson is eminently familiar with Los Angeles, having played his college ball at UCLA, and has long been a steady veteran presence around the NBA who can do a number of things for whichever club he plays.
Jason Kapono
7 of 15
If the Lakers are intent on finding a sharpshooter at a discounted rate, they might want to seek out the help of another UCLA alum—Jason Kapono.
Kapono hardly played for the 76ers">Philadelphia 76ers last season, which means he should be well-rested and ready to play in the event that LA comes calling for their native son to knock down some threes.
Tony Battie
8 of 15
The Lakers may turn to Tony Battie, another Sixers free agent, but not to solve their shooting woes.
Rather, the veteran big man would give LA another big body to spell Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol, though, at 35 years of age, Battie wouldn't likely be any more reliable than Theo Ratliff, who spent most of the 2010-11 season riding the Purple and Yellow pine in his street clothes.
Kris Humphries
9 of 15
Now, Kris Humphries isn't all that well-regarded for his defensive ability, which is what the Lakers would need from any big man they bring in during the offseason, though he would still fit in quite well with LA's front court.
Why is that? Well, he'd be the second Lakers big man married to a Kardashian, as he and Kim are set to tie the knot soon at a ceremony to which Khloe and Lamar will undoubtedly be invited.
Hilton Armstrong
10 of 15
For a young, defensive-minded big man, the Lakers would do well to turn their attention toward Hilton Armstrong.
At 6'11" and 26 years old, Armstrong would give LA a solid presence along the front line in 10 to 15 minutes per game, or more if needed.
Leon Powe
11 of 15
If toughness and scoring is what Mitch Kupchak is looking for to fortify his front court, he might take an interest in picking up Leon Powe.
The 27-year-old power forward out of Cal has struggled to stay healthy ever since his college days, but, when in playing shape, can put the ball in the basket at will by bowling his way through defenders, big and small.
Glen Davis
12 of 15
The Lakers are already quite familiar with the talents of Glen "Big Baby" Davis after struggling to contain him in two separate NBA Finals battles with the Boston Celtics.
Now that "Big Baby" is an unrestricted free agent, perhaps the Lakers would be inclined to bring him in as an offensively skilled big man off the bench.
Chuck Hayes
13 of 15
Now, supposing defense is more what Mitch Kupchak is looking for, he might instead choose to play the "undersized big man" card on Chuck Hayes.
At 6'6", Hayes is the same height as Kobe Bryant but is eminently more skilled at defending much taller and bulkier players in the post while serving as a "glue guy" in the locker room.
J.R. Smith
14 of 15
One would not be all that far off to say that Shannon Brown is little more than a poor man's J.R. Smith with fewer tattoos.
Well, now that Smith is a free agent and Brown might put himself on the market, it wouldn't be particularly farfetched for the Lakers to give the wily 25-year-old a spot on the roster, as his athleticism and ability to drain threes would be a boon to LA's often moribund bench.
Anthony Parker
15 of 15
As one of the oldest teams in the NBA, the Lakers certainly don't need any more 30-somethings, but should they choose to add one in free agency, Anthony Parker would be the perfect candidate.
The 35-year-old off guard is a 40.9 percent three-point shooter for his career, can do a little bit of everything and, for good measure, spent a season playing for new Lakers coach Mike Brown during his days in Cleveland.
