Lakers Need a Player To Step Up in Place of Lamar Odom

Well I don't want to speak too soon, but it's looking like the Lakers are going to be stuck with their current roster.

Minus Lamar Odom of course.

They tried to make a move for Chris Paul , but I guess it wasn't meant to be. That, or David Stern is just acting as a puppet for the owners who don't want to see the Lakers get anymore help.

So I think it's time Laker fans start facing the facts.

They have lost one of the most versatile players in the NBA and the reigning Sixth Man of the Year to the defending champions, Dallas Mavericks.

Pau Gasol is surely not too happy with the fact that he was almost a Rocket.

The chances of Dwight Howard becoming a Laker are becoming slimmer and slimmer. At least that's  the report today, you just never know with the NBA nowadays.

The only addition the Lakers have made is Jason Kapono, a shooter who plays no defense and lacks almost any kind of athleticism.

The starting lineup is looking the same as it did last year with an old and slow point guard at the reigns and an aging Kobe Bryant with no more help than last season surrounding him.

Laker fans are still holding onto the hope that Andrew Bynum will come around. Yes, he's still young and is showing steady signs of improvement, but let's be honest. He will never be a Dwight Howard or the Shaq that played alongside Kobe Bryant.

Sure, Kobe Bryant will probably start the season off healthier than he has in a long time.

But he's no longer the Kobe scorching teams for 40 points day in and day out.

He is definitely still considered one of the top 3 players in the league, but everyone knows he only has a few years left.

The Lakers are going to need someone to step up and fill the shoes of Lamar Odom.

Clearly the team needed to make some adjustments after getting swept this past year, despite the common belief by Kobe Bryant and the Laker front office that they can win with the group of men currently on the roster.

Clearly Mitch Kupchak and company didn't believe this since they tried to trade away two key players for Chris Paul.

I assure you the team chemistry is a little off right now in the Lakers' training camp. I feel for Mike Brown.

But at the end of the day these men are professionals.

Will it be a healthy Matt Barnes who comes off the bench and brings some energy, a solid scoring threat and intense defense?

Can Metta World Peace increase his production on the offensive end?

Will Pau Gasol start the season off with a chip on his shoulder and a new toughness in the paint?

These are all questions that cannot be answered until the season starts, but are very important questions nonetheless.

Contrary to popular belief, the Lakers are not in trouble. But they do need someone to step up and if nobody does, it could be a very ugly season for Kobe and company in an improving league.