Glaken
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Editor's Note: To preview training camp and the 2005-06 season, John Hollinger addresses three key questions concerning the Lakers.
Will Phil and Kobe get along? History says maybe.
1. Can Phil and Kobe bury the hatchet ... and not in each other's backs?
The Laker dynasty ended in a cataclysmic explosion nearly two years ago, as Phil Jackson departed with the suspected help of a shove from Kobe Bryant. Having suffered through a miserable 2004-05 season, the Lakers lured Jackson back -- but not before Jackson skewered Bryant in his best-selling book.
While both claim that there won't be any problems, it's hard to believe that these two gargantuan egos can peacefully share the same locker room after what happened in the summer of 2004. Unfortunately for Bryant, Jackson now has the upper hand. With a rich three-year deal in place and his legendary status intact, Jackson will be around for a while.
Bryant, therefore, will have to mend fences with Jackson -- or face the once unthinkable prospect of the Lakers trading him and moving on.<OFFER>
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2. What will they do for a point guard?
Phil Jackson has always been a fan of big guards, but he may be taking things to an extreme this year.
<!---------------------INLINE TABLE (BEGIN)---------------------><TABLE id=inlinetable cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3 width=200 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TH style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #205165" colSpan=9>OFFSEASON PLAYER MOVEMENT</TH><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD width=220>Players lost: Chucky Atkins, Tierre Brown, Caron Butler, Brian Grant </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" vAlign=top><TD width=220>Players re-signed: Luke Walton </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD width=220>Players added: Kwame Brown, Andrew Bynum, Will Conroy, Aaron McKie, Smush Parker, Laron Profit, Ronny Turiaf, Von Wafer </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!---------------------INLINE TABLE (END)--------------------->
The Lakers don't appear to have a single credible NBA point guard on the roster, and instead will parcel out the ballhandling responsibilities between Bryant and a number of bigger teammates.
The de facto "point guard" appears to be veteran retread Aaron McKie, whom the Lakers pursued as a free agent despite his horrendous season in Philadelphia last season. McKie is a decent ballhandler and defender, but he was the league's least productive perimeter player in terms of scoring last season.
McKie appears to have the job by default, because coming up with other contenders requires a liberal scraping of the barrel. Sasha Vujacic failed to impress as a rookie last season, shooting just 28 percent. However, the slender 6-7 Slovenian does own enough ballhandling skill to run the point and could be McKie's primary backup.
Laron Profit, acquired as a throw-in to the Kwame Brown trade, is another limited scorer who could be forced into action. Vagabonds like Tony Bobbitt and Smush Parker, each 6-4, also could challenge for minutes in what has to be the league's weakest backcourt rotation.
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3. Can Kwame Brown deliver on his promise?
The Lakers took a big gamble in the offseason by trading starting small forward Caron Butler to Washington in a sign-and-trade deal for perennial disappointment Kwame Brown.
The first overall pick in the 2000 draft, Brown has been a colossal disappointment. While he periodically has shown flashes of talent, his career largely has been characterized by lethargy and indifference. He cemented his reputation by missing a practice last spring with a fake illness, earning a suspension from the Wizards.
Brown is 6-11 and athletic, and he has some post moves, so his poor results are a bit of a mystery. It will be up to Jackson to rehabilitate Brown, and it's a new challenge for him. Developing young players has never been his forte as a pro coach, in part because his teams in Chicago and L.A. came pre-built.
However, L.A. gave up a solid starter in order to acquire Brown, so if he can't be a 15-point, nine-rebound type of player, then the deal might be GM Mitch Kupchak's last.
In fact, much of Jackson's success will be predicated on his ability to develop big men. In addition to Brown, Jackson has to teach the pro game to first-round pick Andrew Bynum, who came to the NBA straight from high school.
Will Phil and Kobe get along? History says maybe.
1. Can Phil and Kobe bury the hatchet ... and not in each other's backs?
The Laker dynasty ended in a cataclysmic explosion nearly two years ago, as Phil Jackson departed with the suspected help of a shove from Kobe Bryant. Having suffered through a miserable 2004-05 season, the Lakers lured Jackson back -- but not before Jackson skewered Bryant in his best-selling book.
While both claim that there won't be any problems, it's hard to believe that these two gargantuan egos can peacefully share the same locker room after what happened in the summer of 2004. Unfortunately for Bryant, Jackson now has the upper hand. With a rich three-year deal in place and his legendary status intact, Jackson will be around for a while.
Bryant, therefore, will have to mend fences with Jackson -- or face the once unthinkable prospect of the Lakers trading him and moving on.<OFFER>
<HR>
2. What will they do for a point guard?
Phil Jackson has always been a fan of big guards, but he may be taking things to an extreme this year.
<!---------------------INLINE TABLE (BEGIN)---------------------><TABLE id=inlinetable cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3 width=200 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TH style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #205165" colSpan=9>OFFSEASON PLAYER MOVEMENT</TH><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD width=220>Players lost: Chucky Atkins, Tierre Brown, Caron Butler, Brian Grant </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" vAlign=top><TD width=220>Players re-signed: Luke Walton </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ececec" vAlign=top><TD width=220>Players added: Kwame Brown, Andrew Bynum, Will Conroy, Aaron McKie, Smush Parker, Laron Profit, Ronny Turiaf, Von Wafer </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!---------------------INLINE TABLE (END)--------------------->
The Lakers don't appear to have a single credible NBA point guard on the roster, and instead will parcel out the ballhandling responsibilities between Bryant and a number of bigger teammates.
The de facto "point guard" appears to be veteran retread Aaron McKie, whom the Lakers pursued as a free agent despite his horrendous season in Philadelphia last season. McKie is a decent ballhandler and defender, but he was the league's least productive perimeter player in terms of scoring last season.
McKie appears to have the job by default, because coming up with other contenders requires a liberal scraping of the barrel. Sasha Vujacic failed to impress as a rookie last season, shooting just 28 percent. However, the slender 6-7 Slovenian does own enough ballhandling skill to run the point and could be McKie's primary backup.
Laron Profit, acquired as a throw-in to the Kwame Brown trade, is another limited scorer who could be forced into action. Vagabonds like Tony Bobbitt and Smush Parker, each 6-4, also could challenge for minutes in what has to be the league's weakest backcourt rotation.
<HR>
3. Can Kwame Brown deliver on his promise?
The Lakers took a big gamble in the offseason by trading starting small forward Caron Butler to Washington in a sign-and-trade deal for perennial disappointment Kwame Brown.
The first overall pick in the 2000 draft, Brown has been a colossal disappointment. While he periodically has shown flashes of talent, his career largely has been characterized by lethargy and indifference. He cemented his reputation by missing a practice last spring with a fake illness, earning a suspension from the Wizards.
Brown is 6-11 and athletic, and he has some post moves, so his poor results are a bit of a mystery. It will be up to Jackson to rehabilitate Brown, and it's a new challenge for him. Developing young players has never been his forte as a pro coach, in part because his teams in Chicago and L.A. came pre-built.
However, L.A. gave up a solid starter in order to acquire Brown, so if he can't be a 15-point, nine-rebound type of player, then the deal might be GM Mitch Kupchak's last.
In fact, much of Jackson's success will be predicated on his ability to develop big men. In addition to Brown, Jackson has to teach the pro game to first-round pick Andrew Bynum, who came to the NBA straight from high school.
