Here's a question...

[fordronken]

Since we've done a good bit of re-hashing on the Suns' offseason hypotheticals, let me ask something about the Lakers.

Regardless of whether they win the championship, what happens if Kobe stays and Phil stays, but Malone retires and Payton decides to leave(realizing he doesn't fit in the system, and that he wasn't even the best point guard on the team during the playoffs)?

What moves would help them regain a championship calliber roster? With the decline in play of Rick Fox and the all-too-predictable inconsistencies of Devean Goeorge, would the team be ready without any real additions to win a title?

Shaq
Medvedenko
George
Bryant
Fisher

They would need Medvedenko to improve tremendously(on defense particularly), and have Brian Cook and Luke Walton be ready to log some important minutes. Then, as a back up point guard, what happens? Do you revert back to a Jannero Pargo, Mike Penberthy or Joe Crispin(yeah, I said Joe Crispin). I think Kareem Rush may be ready to step up and play well next year with more minutes, maybe even deserving the start over George.

And what trades are out there that would really help them? They would need someone who could step in and be effective in the triangle fairly quickly(so much for signing Glen Rice at the veteran minimum). And it would be difficult to grab somebody in the draft who could start producing come playoff time(Chris Duhon?).

Assuming Kobe stays...is there anything to say they'd win a title for a couple years?

 

[elindholm]

I don't see any trades that could help them, since they don't have any tradeable assets. I suppose one crazy idea would be to trade O'Neal for some other team's two or three best players, but that doesn't seem feasible.

I think they'd be back to where they were a year ago, which is hoping that some quality veterans would be willing to sign on cheap for a chance at a ring. Somewhat amusingly, Antonio McDyess is one possibility. For that matter, so is Rasheed Wallace for the MLE -- and I'd love to see him try to get along with Phil Jackson.

At PG they just go back to Fisher, using Bryant/Fisher/Rush as the three-guard rotation. No big problem there. Bryant handles the point duties alongside Rush while Fisher sits.

I don't see "the triangle" as being that much of an issue necessarily -- they've moved more and more away from it in these playoffs, in order to get the best out of the roster as it's configured.

 

[George O'Brien]

Any team with Shaq and Kobe is a threat. However, when two players add up to close to the salary cap, it certainly limits what can be done. To get back to where they were just a few years ago, some of their younger players would have to get a lot better.