Did the Deadline Trades Make the Lakers Better?

So much for standing pat.

I know what you're thinking Laker Faithful: Did the NBA trade deadline deals make the team better? I see the trades as a mixed bag of positives and negatives.

On one hand, the perennial problem of weak point guard play has been addressed: Ramon Sessions was nabbed by the Los Angeles Lakers, along with Christian Ayenga, for Luke Walton and a draft pick. This is clearly a short to medium term solution to help the franchise get its 17th championship (and Kobe Bryant's sixth ring).

Sessions brings good pick and roll skills, good ball-handling, and aggressive forays into the hoop that can break down defenses. Ayenga is still raw but superb athlete, which is quite similar to where Devin Ebanks is. It's no accident that Ayenga will be sent to the D-League (where Ebanks spent some time early in the season).

From a financial point of view, the deal is good because the team was able to shed Walton's albatross of a contract. Perhaps this is Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert's way of saying "mea culpa" to the Lakers after nixing the deal that would have sent Chris Paul to the Lakers?

But the deadline didn't come without a price: Lakers fan favorite Derek Fisher was sent to the Houston Rockets for Jordan Hill.

This feels like an end of an era because Walton and Fisher were part of the Lakers' success in the past decade. Fisher's legacy in the Lakers lore is pretty much set, but I hoped he would finish his career in purple and gold.

With the deals, the Lakers' depth chart looks like this:

• PG - Ramon Sessions, Steve Blake, Darius Morris
• SG - Kobe Bryant, Andrew Goudelock
• SF - Metta World Peace, Matt Barnes, Devin Ebanks, Christian Ayenga
• PF - Pau Gasol, Troy Murphy, Josh McRoberts
• C - Andrew Bynum, Jordan Hill

If you ask me, the only problematic area left is the Small Forward position. I guess Michael Beasly would have helped there.

But that's a different story.


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Should the Lakers Make a Trade Now?

The situation: The Los Angeles Lakers are struggling against elite teams in the NBA. This season, they have a couple of 3-game losing streaks, and are getting beat by athletic teams. The team's defense is as inconsistent as Ron Artest's shooting.

Therefore, the Laker should make a deal.

Mitch Kupchak is open to it. Lakers legend Magic Johnson embraces the idea. But should they do it?

The way I see it, the Lakers are playing like the 2002-2003 team. This was the team that was coming off a three-peat and virtually sleepwalked though the regular season. The result? The team barely made 50 wins in the regular season and got their asses handed to them by eventual champion San Antonio Spurs. The 2010-2011 Lakers are demonstrating a similar pattern.

The Lakers did not make a trade during that awful season and logic tells us that if the Lakers are following a similar trajectory this season, then not making a trade will lead to a similar conclusion: a playoff exit.

Even if a deal is the solution to the team's ills, who is the one to go?

The most attractive assets right now are Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum. But I don't think the Lakers front office would be willing to trade key parts to the Lakers' championship machine.

If a deal is to be made, it would be one involving Shannon Brown, Steve Blake, or Luke Walton. As far as market value is concerned, Shannon Brown is the highest among the three. It also helps that Shannon Brown has his contract expiring after this season.

If the Lakers were to make a trade before the deadline, I suggest going for an athletic wing defender who can cover guards and small forwards.


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Lakers Bench Mob All But Gone

The scrappy and energetic Bench Mob of the Los Angeles Lakers is all but gone.

A couple seasons ago, when the Lakers starters took a rest near the end of quarters, a young group of subs took the court. Sasha Vujacic, Jordan Farmar, Shannon Brown, Luke Walton, Josh Powell, and DJ Mbenga were all counted on to spell the starters and provide a spark of energy on the offense. The bench never lacked the drive but often was too eager for its own good.

For every high-flying Shannon Brown Dunk or Jordan Farmar fast break lay-up or Sasha Vujacic three-ball, there were ill-advised shots, turnovers, and poor shooting. Fans cheered and groaned at the inconsistency of the Lakers bench.

But in the upcoming season, the Lakers bench is no longer the Bench Mob. Of the players in the group, only Vujacic and Walton are under contract. And Luke Walton will likely be playing very limited minutes because of a sever back injury. Brown is still under contract negotiations, and the rest are going to play elsewhere.

The new bench now features veterans Steve Blake, Matt Barnes, Theo Ratliff, plus in all likelihood, rookies Devin Ebanks and Derrick Caracter. The rookies might get limited tick, but the veterans will take a lion's share of the back-up minutes.

This new crew will not be as energetic as the previous bench teams, but will be tougher on the defensive end and hungry to win a championship of their own. We'll see less of the bonehead plays, but we probably will also see less of the hustle and speedy basketball.

So my hats off to the Lakers' Bench Mob. You had your moments in the regular season and playoffs, excited fans during garbage time, and provided a lot of off-court humor.



Photo: Jordan Farmar (1) splits the defense of Boston's Paul Pierce and Michael Finley (40) for a layup during Game 1 of the NBA Finals. Credit: Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times


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The Lakers' First Losing Streak of the Season

The Los Angeles Lakers recently lost to the Houston Rockets and now have their first losing streak of the season.

The common thread between their losses against the Denver Nuggets and the Rockets is a very weak second half. In those games, the Lakers mustered an average of 30 points in the second half. That's a stark 46% drop from how they did in the first halves of those games where they scored an average of 56 points!

Kobe Bryant also struggled mightily in those two games. Kobe came into those games leading the league with 31 points a game. In those losses? Kobe netted an average of 18 points and shot a poor 32% from the field.

Granted, the Lakers have played 3 games in 4 nights after the Rockets game, but this can be a sign that the Lakers are fatigued, especially Kobe. To make matters worse, Kobe and Luke Walton are now injured.

The once streaking deep team is now a depleted squad with a losing streak. Damn.


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Top 10 Best Lakers of the Last Decade

I've followed Ball Don't Lie's series on the Top 10 players in the different positions in the NBA of the last decade and I was inspired to come up with my own list of the Top 10 Best Lakers of the Last Decade:

#1: Kobe Bryant - I guess there will be few arguments for this selection. Kobe was part of all the Lakers' 4 championships in the first decade of the 2000's and has won individual accolades as well. He scored 81 points in a game once and held the scoring title for a couple of years. His best season? Personally, I think it was the 2008-2009, when he led the Lakers to the championship.

#2: Shaquille O'Neal - The Big Aristotle was a monster even before the decade started but he won his lone MVP award as a Laker in 2000. He butted heads with almost everyone in the Lakers organization, but maintained his clown-like demeanor in public. But I still think Shaq's reached his peak wearing purple and gold, winning all the Finals MVP's in the Lakers' Dynasty run early in the decade.

#3: Derek Fisher - Derek Fisher's stats won't wow anyone, but he was the Lakers' locker room leader and silent #3 option in the Dynasty years.  Fish also provided some of the most clutch performances in the last decade. Who can forget the ".04" shot he made against the San Antonio Spurs in 2004 and the clutch three's he made against the Orlando Magic last year?

#4: Pau Gasol - Pau Gasol's career Laker is still young but he has been a great #2 option for the last couple of years. After getting slammed by the critics for his weak performance against the Celtics in the 2008 NBA Finals, Gasol toughened up and stood his ground against the towering Dwight Howard. Gasol's skill in the post and basketball IQ also supports his case as #4 in this list.

#5: Lamar Odom - Lamar Odom has made fans crazy with his inconsistency-- in one moment he's a versatile forward who can score, rebound, and facilitate the Triangle Offense with ease, in another, he's a lackadaisical player who disappears in the game. Whatever mode he's in, Odom is good for the top half of this list by his talent and solid numbers. Remember, he was one of the players who was traded for Shaquille O'Neal.

#6: Robert Horry - Like our #3 guy, "Big Shot Rob" gets in because of his intangibles. He lost a great deal of athleticism when the decade set it, so he relied on his wile and shooting to earn his place in the roster. Sacramento Kings fans will never forgive Horry for draining the 3 that sealed the Kings' fate in 2002.

#7: Andrew Bynum - Shaq's replacement? Hardly. But Andrew Bynum is still brimming with potential, despite his early injuries. He has shown flashes of becoming a dominant big man, but he's still enamored with scoring in the low blocks instead of patrolling the middle and letting the offense come to him. Thanks to his mentor, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bynum is slowly getting more polished by the day as he is just about to turn 22.

#8: Rick Fox - Rick Fox may be plying his trade in Hollywood right now, but his role during his Lakers days was the team's resident enforcer. His best statline of the decade was during the 2000-2001where he averaged 9.6 points, 4 rebounds, and 3.2 assists, but his tough play and defense were things that never showed in the scoreboard.

#9: Luke Walton - "Luuuuuuke" chants will always be a fan favorite but fans seems to have forgotten Walton was a solid #3 option when the Lakers' starting lineup consisted of Kobe Bryant, Lamar Odom, Kwame Brown, Smush Parker, and Walton. If you ask me, if Luke Walton played in a different system, his lack of athleticism would make him an NBDL candidate. But thanks to his crafty passing and mastery of the Triangle, Walton's career is still going strong.

#10: Caron Butler - Butler only wore the Lakers jersey for only one season but he came up with above average stats that season (15.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.4 steals). The only problem then was that the Lakers missed the playoffs and the Bryant-Butler combo was deemed a failure. Butler was shipped to Washington for Kwame Brown, who was in turn, traded to Memphis for Pau Gasol.

So that's my list, the Top 10 Best Lakers of the Last Decade. Did I miss anyone? Feel free to chime in.


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Lakers Dismantle Rockets in Game 5

After the embarrassing loss the Los Angeles Lakers had in Game Four of their Western Conference Semi-final match-up against the Houston Rockets, the Lakers won convincingly in Game 5, 118-78.

The Lakers completely dominated the Rockets the way they were predicted to do after the Rockets lost Yao Ming-- the Lakers played aggressive defense for the first three where they built their 40-point lead. They held the Rockets to 32% shooting and had a distinct edge in team blocks and steals. Kobe Bryant only played three quarters en route to 26 points and Pau Gasol had another double-double with 16 points and 13 rebounds.

What went right for the Lakers? Apart from effectively challenging the Houston Rockets on the offensive end, the Lakers played at a pace that has favored them since the beginning of the season. The Lakers scored at least 24 points in a quarter and shot the ball very well. The Lakers' "bench mob" also made a complete turnaround with Jordan Farmar and Luke Walton giving quality contributions on both ends of the court. Finally, Andrew Bynum came up very big in the first half where he abused Carl Landry and Luis Scola in the paint. (I guess Andrew finally realized that he had a massive size advantage against the Rockets' frontline).

The Lakers finally played brilliantly in Game Five and crushed their opponent the way a team that won 65 games in the regular season should. Now the ultimate question comes up: Which version of the Lakers team will show up in Game Six in Houston? The sharp team of Game Five or the apathetic version in Game Four?


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Trevor Ariza & Luke Walton Injured

The Los Angeles Lakers' pair of small forwards are hobbling in the playoffs.

Trevor Ariza and Luke Walton, key players in the Lakers' rotation in the playoffs, have suffered injuries that may limit their effectiveness in the post-season. Ariza is struggling with an ankle injury, while Walton has been confirmed to be out at least a week with a torn deltoid ligament.

What the Lakers could do is play Lamar Odom more on the small forward position or give more playing time to Adam Morrison, the third player in the Lakers' small forward depth chart.

In any case, the Lakers' goal of closing the Utah Jazz in Game 5 of their first-round NBA Playoff series got a little tougher.


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Lakers Bench Comes Alive in Win

I kinda expected that the Los Angeles Lakers would be going away with a victory over the struggling Sacramento Kings, but not with Kobe Bryant, Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol playing limited time in the forth quarter.

Instead, we see Luke Walton dishing and scoring, Shannon Brown playing great energy and Sasha Vujacic bringing the house down with a monster jam over two Kings. (That last one is not a joke-- Sasha did slam the ball on the grill of two Kings).

The scoreboard read 122-104, and the Kings did not offer much resistance in the fourth. It's good that the bench mob took care of business because the Lakers will be facing the tough Denver Nuggets in Los Angeles in a potential late playoff match-up two days from now.

With the win, the Lakers gave closed the gap between them and the Cleveland Cavaliers to a half game for the best record in the NBA.

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Lakers Sweep Rockets for the Regular Season

The Los Angeles Lakers notched their 60th win of the season with a victory over the Houston Rockets, 93-81.

Reigning NBA MVP Kobe Bryant played facilitator for most of the game, scoring 20 points efficiently and dishing out 7 assists. Pau Gasol led the team with 23 points.

With the win, the Lakers have swept the Rockets for the regular reason in all of their four meetings of the season and have gained ground on the Cleveland Cavaliers for the best record in the NBA (The Lakers now only trail the Cavs by one game). If the Lakers can get the best record, that will be huge for their title chase.

The growing concern for the Lakers now is the poor play of the bench. Only reserve center DJ Mbenga provided a spark off the bench. Luke Walton, Jordan Farmar, Sasha Vujacic, and Josh Powell all combined for a measly 13 points and shot 18% as a unit. Seeing Luke Walton blow jumpers and Jordan Farmar make defensive lapses really irks me because I've seen these guys play at their best.


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Lakers Defeat Wafer-led Rockets

The Los Angeles Lakers struggled to beat a depleted Houston Rockets team.

How depleted, you ask? No Tracy McGrady and no Ron Artest.

With the absences one Rocket stood taller than Yao Ming-- Von Wafer. Yup, Von Wafer. The same guy the Lakers drafted in 2005, bounced around the league the past few seasons, has found a home in Houston. Wafer scored a career high 23 points in the 105-100 loss to the Lakers.

The Lakers were bailed out by a deep three courtesy of Kobe Bryant with 27 ticks left in the game. The Rockets failed to execute down the stretch and it enabled the Lakers to win its 31st game of the season.

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The Lakers have been suffering a lot of injuries as of late and Lamar Odom's return in the Houston game was a breather. The Lakers have been without Jordan Farmar, Luke Walton and Sasha Vujacic. Thanks to the Lakers' depth, the team is still winning games with three key players on sickbay and Josh Powell getting extended PT.

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