Lakers: Thinking Big

The early offseason for the Los Angeles Lakers continues. Before the draft lottery on May 22nd, teams are essentially limited to brainstorming sessions.

In the meantime fans clamor for answers that even Los Angeles Lakers owner Dr. Jerry Buss can't give.

Recently the idea of trading for either Jermaine O'Neal or Pau Gasol has been discussed in this space. The idea being that the Los Angeles Lakers' best trade bait is the young Andrew Bynum whose prime is not likely to coincide with Kobe Bryant's.

Since Andrew Bynum is on a rookie contract and making approximately $2 million, he would have to be paired with at least another player (probably Kwame Brown) to match salaries if LA brought in a big named/big salaried star.

With so much size going out, the Los Angeles Lakers would either have to make a Andrew Bynum deal for a star center or power forward . . . or have another deal lined up to do so.

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Back on May 9th, former shoe magnate Sonny Vaccaro was on local radio and though by his own admission had no inside information predicted that "the Los Angeles Lakers make a monster trade" with "Indiana." He specifically mentioned O'Neal.

The next day Laker Vice President of Player Personnel Jim Buss joined the Loose Cannons on the same station and said, "I agree with fans we have to make some major changes. I listened to your show yesterday I believe Sonny was on there. He was close to what he was saying . . . yes, we will be going after a big name."

Now that isn't exactly confirmation that LA will pursue O'Neal but it certainly is suggestive.

In clarifying his position on the Laker roster, Buss tipped his hand that the Los Angeles Lakers are also eyeing Kevin Garnett.

"I don't know where the idea [came from] that Andrew Bynum was protected by me," said Buss. "When you're talking about another all-star another MVP of the league and I'm going to protect Andrew Bynum for that kind of situation? There's no way.

"What that tells me is that my decision on drafting Andrew Bynum actually got us to the position to get an MVP in the league and we'll use the example of Kevin Garnett. If that's a deal breaker then I did make a great decision drafting Andrew Bynum because that's a deal breaker, meaning he is valuable.

"Now if it was Channing Frye would Minnesota make that a deal-breaker because of Channing Frye? I doubt it. But if they're talking about Andrew Bynum and that's a deal breaker it means we made a great selection at 10."

Buss went on to state that the Los Angeles Lakers would be building around Kobe Kobe Bryant and that he wasn't afraid to shake up the roster.

So with all that in mind, what would be game plan at this early stage?

1) Kevin Garnett: Jim Buss mentioned him in a hypothetical. He's been associated with the Los Angeles Lakers for years. Some think it would take a combination of Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum, but even for Garnett that's too much for the Los Angeles Lakers to give up. If the former-MVP finally demanded a trade from the Minnesota Timberwolves (a reach considering he hasn't to date - and few expect him to this summer) . . . he would have to pressure for a Laker trade.

Some would urge the Los Angeles Lakers to make a Garnett deal, regardless of cost. There's no telling exactly where the Los Angeles Lakers would draw the line but by Buss' comments, it appears that Andrew Bynum would be in the mix.

Probability: Low.

2) Pau Gasol: Some prefer the defensive toughness of Jermaine O'Neal over Gasol's true low post game, but Gasol is a far more efficient offensive player. More importantly he's a cheaper option with less of a history of injury. Though Gasol isn't a banger defensively, he was a big part of the 2005/6 Memphis Grizzlies team that held opponents to a league best 88.5 ppg.

It's difficult to gauge where the Grizzlies stand with Gasol. If they can draft Greg Oden they probably have no interest in Andrew Bynum. If they could pair up Kevin Durant with Andrew Bynum (and Rudy Gay), the Grizzlies would boast a bright young core. Or they may prefer to pair up Gasol with one of the top picks, even though he's been adamant that he wants to leave.

There also hasn't been any word leaked from the Los Angeles Lakers yet on Gasol. They may look at his playoff history and not have as much interest . . . specifically at the cost of Andrew Bynum.

Something to consider . . . Larry Brown is reportedly contemplating the Memphis coaching position. Brown is a big fan of Odom's since their days together with Team USA. Brown tried to trade Channing Frye and Jamal Crawford for Odom when he was coaching the Knicks.

Would the Los Angeles Lakers be willing to send Odom for Gasol?

Probability: Low-Medium.

3) Jermaine O'Neal: O'Neal is considered a franchise player but he's coming off a couple of down years with the Indiana Pacers. He's a talented shot blocker and has an excellent reputation as a defender. Offensively he puts up numbers but is more of a face up shooter with a low percentage for a big man. Though he'd probably improve in the triangle, he's not quite the low post player his reputation might suggest. With a huge contract and an injury history there is a certain amount of risk with O'Neal . . . but then there's risk with any move.

Buss' comments suggest that O'Neal is a target. The Pacers appear ready to rebuild if they can get the right deal done.

For the Los Angeles Lakers, there's an irrational intangible of bringing back a big named O'Neal to play alongside Kobe Bryant.

Probability: Medium.

4) Jason Kidd: The Lakers tried to acquire Kidd at the deadline but Rod Thorn pulled the bait and switch and demanded Andrew Bynum. The Lakers simply can't give up Andrew Bynum for Kidd. Unless the Lakers decide to trade Odom, they'd have to put together a complicated package built around Brown and Jordan Farmar and filler.

Kidd would fill the gaping hole at the point guard but may not have many years left in him. The Los Angeles Lakers would benefit from his decision making, rebounding and leadership. He also remains a strong defender at his position.

The Nets may re-sign Vince Carter but if he leaves, Kidd may be next.

If Kidd is the decision, it's one that probably won't be made until at least mid July.

Probability: Medium.

5) Ron Artest: This is a tricky one. The Sacramento Kings will either refuse to send Artest to a division rival . . . or gift wrap him for cheap as a form of sabotage. Artest has had some serious issues to deal with even before his recent domestic incident.

Coach Phil Jackson has had success dealing with different players (see Dennis Rodman and Bison Dele). Would Artest and Jackson blend or would the Lakers have another J.R. Rider on their hands?

Because Artest makes a reasonable salary, it wouldn't be terribly difficult for LA to come up with a package. A Luke Walton sign and trade would work. So would Brown straight up. The Kings might have interest in Jordan Farmar as well.

LA needs to dramatically improve their defense but they also need a point guard and help inside. If they move Brown, the Los Angeles Lakers lose their biggest expiring contract . . . making a blockbuster nearly impossible unless they in turn trade Odom.

The only way that LA would move Walton (a steady, dependable player who fits the triangle like a glove) for Artest is if Walton gets contract offers well beyond what the Lakers are willing to pay. That exact number isn't clear at this time.

While Artest's defense over Walton's defense may be more valuable to some . . . if Artest is incapable of reigning in his behavior it's a moot advantage.

It seems unlikely the Kings would take Vladimir Radmanovic and the 19th pick for Artest considering the four years remaining on Radmanovic's contract.

Though Sacramento may be desperate to be rid of Artest, next year is probably the final season of his deal (he's expected to opt out one season early) . . . an even earlier buy-out may not be out of the question.

Kobe Bryant and Jackson would probably welcome Artest in a second but the Buss family may be far more hesitant.

Probability: Medium.

6) Zach Randolph: Definitely a dark horse candidate considering he too has off the court issues that seem to crop up regularly. He is a powerful scorer but has yet to blossom as a playmaker. Though he is a tough rebounder and is physically strong . . . he's not known for being an especially strong defender. It's also not clear if the Blazers are committed to moving him yet.

There's also been no suggestion that the Los Angeles Lakers are actually interested.

The Blazers have a young point guard in Jarrett Jack who would fit the triangle well . . . but at this early moment it's nothing more than speculation.

Probability: Low.

7) Everyone Else: The brainstorming has just begun. There's still a lot of time to pass before a move is made. Odds are the "big" decision comes as a surprise.

Probability: Medium-High

The Bottom Line
Think home runs in May. Shoot for them in June. Settle for singles, doubles and if lucky a triple in July.

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