For one, the beginning of the off-season marked three areas in which the Lakers needed to improve; the point guard position, the lack of scoring off the bench, and a solid backup shooter/defender in the back-court. As of now, only two of these issues have been fixed. Steve Nash should be a success as a point guard and the bench has been upgraded due to a few key veterans.
If you remember last season, the Lakers played Kobe-less for a good number of games. Some were due in part to his shin injury. The Black Mamba also put sickness aside and geared up for the court a few times for the better of his team.
Still, having a back-up shooter would alleviate the pressure on Kobe to play injured or sick. Think about it; Kobe Bryant is someone you can always rely on, but as he gets older, the probability of him injuring himself, or having an off game or two is higher.
The Lakers need to focus on getting a back up shooter to be able to support this aging star, ensuring that he actually plays better. I would rather have a healthy Kobe missing a game or two here and there, than a mediocre Kobe who hasn’t had a chance to rest and exhausts himself.
Suki Thind of Lakers Nation has a bit more to say on the issue of Lakers needs in his post today. But what he also does is successfully break down the team’s current acquisitions and explain where they will fit this coming season. Make sure to check out his piece if you also have questions on where the Lakers are weak, as he offers some suggestions on how to strengthen the team on the road to a hopeful 17th championship.
With the team’s lack of a back up shooting guard, I still feel like the Lakers have a shot at a championship. But not everyone agrees. Lakers legend Magic Johnson isn’t convinced that the current roster is ready to compete for a title. And Magic sites the lack of a shooter as his reason why. Magic’s opinion is respected; he said not too long ago that Jim Buss will have done a great job if he was able to bring in Dwight Howard via trade. This is still a possibility, but the Lakers focus may go somewhere else. General Manager Mitch Kupchak seems intent on signing at least one more free agent.
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Eastern Conference Off-season Report Card[Fox Sports]
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