Kobe Bryant (Signed thru 2014): Just get healthy. I don’t have to tell Kobe much (if anything), because I know he’s going to approach his rehab the way he’s approached his entire career–with a relentless drive and passion.
Pau Gasol (Signed thru 2014): I’m one of the people who really hopes the Lakers don’t trade away Pau Gasol this summer. In either event, Pau should simply focus on getting healthy and improve his conditioning. A season ago, he totaled the second most minutes among the whole league, and then played with the Spanish National Team over the summer. Minutes certainly caught up to Gasol as he suffered from tendinosis–a chronic, degenerative form of tendinitis–all season long. According to Mark Medina of InsideSocal.com, Pau may consider receiving a platelet-rich therapy similar to the one Kobe Bryant underwent two summers ago in Germany.
Additionally, I’d like to see Gasol work hard on his strength and conditioning this summer and try to emulate what Tim Duncan has done at age 37. Duncan had this to say after the Spurs eliminated the Lakers on Sunday, via the Los Angeles Times:
“He’s as skilled as there are big men out there. He can do just about everything. … I don’t see why he doesn’t have many years left in him.”
Duncan slimmed down and appeared to find the fountain of youth during the 2012-2013 season, so there’s certainly hope for the highly skilled Pau Gasol, 32, to do the same.
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Dwight Howard (Free Agent): The biggest question this summer will be whether Dwight Howard will re-sign with the Lakers or not. Regardless, Howard has a lot to work on this summer. First, he needs to get healthy and get his explosiveness back. A player who’s always relied on his superior athleticism, Howard certainly looked all too human this season and needs to get back some of what once made him Superman.
Similarly, because of how mortal he looked this season, he needs to develop his post game a bit more as well. As Shaquille O’Neal pointed out on TNT’s “Inside The NBA,” Howard simply doesn’t have a go-to move. O’Neal admitted himself that he often faced players with much better footwork and more moves than him, but he accepted that he was a “power player” and developed a few post moves that allowed him to utilize his power more. Simply put, this is what Howard needs to do. He’s likely never going to become a Hakeem Olajuwon or a Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, but he can certainly learn a move or two from those guys.
Steve Nash (Signed thru 2015): I really feel bad for Steve Nash and how the season played out for him. He was certainly a liability on the defensive end, and his ability to orchestrate an offense looked limited this season, whether due to injury or age (39) or both. However, his greatest asset to the Lakers this season was his potent offense; his shooting never failed him. Nash simply n
It’s no secret that Nash works extremely hard in the offseason while trying to get his body in the best possible condition for the grueling NBA season, so I’m sure he’ll do just that. At the same time, conditioning can only offset age to a certain extent, and it will be up to Lakers’ management and the coaching staff to find ways to limit his minutes to approximately 28 per game during the regular season.
Metta World Peace (Player Option): Here’s another “get healthy” note. World Peace miraculously came back from a meniscus injury just 12 days after surgery. However, he was nowhere near top form. World Peace actually started out the season in great shape and was a solid contributor early on, but then faltered throughout after battling with various injuries.
There’s no telling if he’ll be back with the Lakers next season, but I certainly wish World Peace all the best. He’s given Lakers fans some great moments, and it would be sad to see him go on such a low note.
When healthy, World Peace can truly be a game-changing player as we’ve all seen. The Lakers may look to get younger and more athletic at his position though, and the amnesty option is highly feasible at this point.
Next Page: Role Players
Steve Blake (Signed thru 2014): Another “get healthy” here. Steve Blake began to play extremely well towards the end of the regular season and into the playoffs, but a hamstring injury ended his season. Blake’s defensive tenacity and basketball IQ proved to be an asset for the Lakers, and we saw him play his best basketball as a Laker and how Mike D’Antoni envisioned him playing. Although Blake isn’t the quickest guard or the best defender out there, he definitely puts his heart into the game and is a capable backup for Nash. However, the Lakers may look to get younger and/or more athletic in the back court, which could mean the departure of Blake or Nash or even both.
Earl Clark (Free Agent): Continue to grow. Earl Clark broke into the lineup after multiple injuries to the Lakers’ frontcourt and emerged as a rotation player. His versatility provided the Lakers a much needed added dynamic. However, Clark seemingly hit a wall after the All-Star break and couldn’t seem to get it going consistently. For Clark, he now knows he’ll be a rotation player wherever he may end up, so he simply has to work on his conditioning and continue to improve his versatile game.
Jordan Hill (Signed thru 2014): Continue to get healthy and continue to grow. Hill played for the Lakers briefly in the 2011-2012 season n and then briefly in the 2012-2013 season due to injury. However, he showed the Lakers that he can be a spark for the Lakers on the boards and provides a boost of energy.
Antawn Jamison (Free Agent): Jamison, like most players on the team, went through it all season. From taking less money in order to sign a one-year deal with the Lakers, to not playing much, to then being asked to score more to playing with injury, Jamison certainly had one wild season at age 36. He had stretches where he didn’t get many minutes, and others where he did and flourished. Nonetheless, it was an up-and-down season for Jamison, but I feel as though he was generally a positive for the team. It’s unclear whether the Lakers will look to retain him, but for now, Jamison should just focus on getting his wrist healthy and having a productive offseason.
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Jodie Meeks (Team Option): Work on everything. Meeks was supposed to be Kobe Bryant’s backup and a dead-eye shooter, but he looked like neither. For a shooter, he wasn’t very good at just 35.7 percent from behind the three-point line, and his drives to the basket were often horrendous. He did show signs of being a high-energy defender, though. If he wants to stay with the Lakers or be a productive member of any team, he’s got to work on his overall game both offensively and defensively.
Darius Morris (Free Agent): Continue to grow. Morris showed improvements this season when he got the opportunity to play. His decision-making as well as defense certainly improved. He’ll have to continue to make strides this offseason as a free agent.
Andrew Goudelock (Free Agent): Andrew Goudelock played with the Lakers in 2011-2012, was sent to the D-League at the start of the 2012-2013 season, became the D-League MVP and got called up to the NBA by the Lakers after Kobe Bryant’s injury. Goudelock transitioned into a point guard with the D-League, but came out scoring in the Lakers’ two playoff games in which he received significant time on the floor. He can certainly score and create his shot to an extent, which is something the Lakers need in the backcourt. However, at just 6’2″, his defense of point guards will really be the deal breaker or maker when it comes to whether the Lakers pick him up for next season.
Chris Duhon (Signed thru 2014): Not much advice for Duhon here. He played quite a bit early on and had some decent games, but it’s likely the Lakers will try to move him this summer, perhaps in a package deal. They certainly want to avoid paying $4 million to someone who probably won’t get much playing time, but the problem lies in trying to move him somewhere that’s willing to do so.
Robert Sacre & Devin Ebanks (Free Agents): Just continue to work hard. Devin Ebanks barely got off the bench this season, so it’s likely that he’ll sign elsewhere. As for Robert Sacre, he came off as a hard worker with a good attitude–someone positive to the team. If he can continue to polish his game, he may find himself some minutes.
Next Page: Mitch Kupchak and Mike D’Antoni
Nobody could have predicted the injuries, and fans were pumped up with the starting lineup, but it just didn’t work out quite as planned. Mitch admittedly acted in haste when he fired Mike Brown just five games into the season, so he needs to assess the situation and dowhat he feels is the best option for the team–whether that means blowing the team up and making major coaching changes or simply making a few tweaks here and there.
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Mike D’Antoni: It appears as though the Lakers will continue forward with Mike D’Antoni, so fans are going to just have to get used to it. To D’Antoni’s credit, although it took him a while to do so, he completely changed his philosophy on offense and featured the post more.
For the summer, I would just suggest that after he knows the roster he’ll be given next season, he evaluate who he has and how to best use them. He may also enlist a new assistant coaching staff to best fit what he’s trying to do and possibly seek the help of a defensive coach.
No, he’s not Phil Jackson, but he did manage to get the Lakers playing well towards the end of the season. Perhaps with a full training camp, things will go more smoothly next season. In the meantime, he’s got to do some serious planning over the summer.