By Warren Blatt May 31, 2007, 15:40 GMT
- Wow, how things change! One minute superstar Kobe Bryant wants the Los Angeles Lakers to trade him, and the next he doesn't want to go anywhere.
What's the deal?
Bryant obviously wants to be the go-to guy wherever he plays. He is arguably the best player in the game. If he is not at the top of the list he is definitely two or three at the least,
Now that the Lakers are supposedly going to try and win with Kobe leading the way, what can management do to get their All-Star guard the necessary help to get the franchise back to elite status?
Since sending Shaquille O'Neal packing on July 14, 2004, the Lakers are below .500 (121-125) in three seasons without the All-Star center. They have qualified for the playoffs in two of the three seasons, but have been eliminated twice in the first round. Los Angeles fell in five games to the Pacific Division champion Phoenix Suns in round one of this year's playoffs. In 2006, the Lakers blew a 3-1 lead in the opening round against Phoenix. They fell in seven contests and were eliminated in the quarterfinals for the first time since 1996.
All of the sudden, this offseason has become a very important one for the franchise. Kobe wants to win now, and he knows his current supporting cast is not good enough to compete with Dallas, San Antonio and Phoenix. The Lakers aren't even in the same class as Denver, Houston or Utah.
The Lakers have the 19th overall pick in this year's draft. They should be able to get a decent player, but it won't be someone who can step in and have an immediate impact.
Trades and free agency will be the places that Los Angeles will look to improve its roster. What do the Lakers need and what can they do?
Forward Lamar Odom, who was acquired from the Miami Heat in the Shaq deal, Kwame Brown, Smush Parker, Luke Walton and Andrew Bynum are all decent players with value. But the fact remains, none of them seem to have what it takes to help Kobe lead the Lakers to the promised land.
The seven-foot Bynum is just 19-years-old and has shown that he should eventually develop into a productive NBA center. He played all 82 regular- season games in 2006-07, and averaged 7.8 points and 5.9 rebounds.
Bryant, who averaged an NBA-best 31.6 points per game in 77 contests this past season, probably does not want to wait around for Bynum to develop. It may take three-to-five years for the teenager to hit his stride and become a force in the middle.
Trading Bynum, who probably has the most value after Bryant, could become a reality in the offseason. While the Lakers love Bynum's potential, they know he could be the player that helps them get the player they need to become contenders once again.
Who's available?
Rashard Lewis is the big catch in this year's free agent pool. The 6-10 Lewis averaged 22.4 points and 6.6 boards in 60 games for the Seattle SuperSonics this past season. Lewis, who could be headed to Orlando, is an excellent player, but is not the missing piece to the puzzle.
The Lakers need to make a blockbuster trade without including Bryant. What about Indiana's Jermaine O'Neal or Pau Gasol of Memphis? Those are two big men who could help the Lakers immediately. Any deal involving the two would have to include Bynum.
Jermaine O'Neal is a perennial All-Star. He averaged 19.4 points and 9.6 rebounds in 2006-07. Gasol, who was an All-Star in 2005-06 and would probably welcome a trade to the Lakers, posted 20.8 points and 9.8 boards in 59 contests for the Grizzlies.
LA will try and rebuild once again with Kobe as the center piece. Adding a dominant big man is the answer, and Jermaine O'Neal or Gasol would fit perfectly.
The Pacers and Grizzlies both did not qualify for the 2007 playoffs, and could be headed for a makeover this summer. Acquiring Jermaine O'Neal or Gasol would make Bryant a very happy camper. What would it take?
Indiana will consider a deal if it makes sense. Including Bynum would keep Pacers president of basketball operations Larry Bird on the phone. However, it would be a tricky deal with the strict rules of the salary cap, as O'Neal makes a lot of money.
Here is a deal that makes sense. Jermaine O'Neal and Mike Dunleavy, who was acquired by the Pacers in a blockbuster deal with Golden State during last season, for Bynum, Odom, who averaged 15.9 points and a team-high 9.8 boards in 2006-07, Brown and the 19th pick in this year's draft.
And if that doesn't work. What about Bynum, Brown, Odom and LA's first-round pick in this year's draft for Gasol and sharp-shooting Mike Miller? Memphis missed the playoffs for the first time in four years and was 0-12 in the postseason during its three-year playoff run. The Grizzlies are headed in a new direction and they may primed to make a blockbuster deal.
The Lakers have to be bold during the offseason, and get Kobe the help that he needs. Or the next time Bryant demands a trade will probably be the real deal.
© 2007 The Sports Network
Your Talkback on this Story