Lakers Season Preview

Finally, what you've all be waiting for....a Lakers preview! Brought to you by our new Lakers and NBA correspondent, Dan Noyes. He'll be bringing you game previews, reviews, power rankings, commentaries and more likely than not, a few tirades about the Buss family. Leave him a comment and let him know what you think about Kobe and Co.

"At the beginning of every fall, right around the time I start to forget about another late season Dodger debacle, and when the football season is just starting to take shape, the roundball begins to bounce and I begin to get giddy for another season of Lakers basketball, the one team I support that actually gave me something to cheer about when I was growing up. But how quickly things change. It seems like just yesterday I was basking in the glory of back to back to back championships. Now the Lake Show is just trying to sneak in the back door of the playoffs and avoid being swept by the Phoenix Suns.

Now you may think there are several factors that go into why the Lakers have had such a drastic fall from grace. Coaching, injuries, Shaq, Mitch, etc. etc. But the real reason behind the Lakers' struggles for the past 4 seasons is what me and Derek Fisher like to refer to as the "Curse of Chick." The Lakers legendary broadcaster passed away the summer after their third title... and since then, all we in Lakerland have had to endure is... a sexual assault case, an embarrassing loss to the Pistons in the finals, the trading of one of the top 5 players of all time, a losing season, two first round playoff exits, and the best player on the planet demanding to be traded. I just want it to be known that it’s not just franchises who haven't won in 100 years that have curses. Winners have them too. And now that D-Fish is back in the purple and gold., he and I will try to end the 5 year “Curse of Chick” in 2008. Curse or no curse, let's take a look at where the Lakers 07-08 season is headed.

Who’s Gone / Who’s New

Gone: And thank God, Smush Parker.

New: And thank God, Derek Fisher.

Javaris Crittenton

And maybe Coby Karl, Marc Gasol, or Sun Yue.

Position Overview:

Center: Andrew Bynum, Kwame Brown & Chris Mihm

I have always felt we don’t need one “great” center (we had the best ever and traded him), but just two that could put up “good” center numbers. If Bynum has developed like I’ve heard, and if Kwame Brown can stay healthy and catch the ball, and if Chris Mihm can get up to speed; all BIG IF’s, we have the pieces. If the three can combine for 20 points and 15 rebounds a night…I’ll be satisfied. Nothing great, but productive. Personally I say play them all until one proves the job is his.

Forwards: Lamar Odom, Luke Walton, Brian Cook, Maurice Evans, Vladimir Radmonivic & Ronny Turiaf.

While it may not be the deepest or most talented group in the league, the unit can be effective, again IF healthy. Odom is coming off a second shoulder surgery and will miss all of camp. But when healthy he is easily our second best player and is the lone other Laker who can create his own shot….

Walton must prove he is durable enough to last an entire season playing big minutes. He started off well last year but fizzled after coming back from an ankle injury. Walton is an excellent passer who understands the offense and the game in general.

As for the reserves….Cook is always a threat from the outside but needs to be more consistent and take a pay cut….Evans is athletic and a good defender. Mo was one of the pleasant surprises from last year….Vlad Rad’s hand was hurt even before his snow accident and he couldn’t shoot. I’m hearing that he’s healthy now and I’m praying that he might actually make a shot or two this season (and the following 3 he is signed for).…Turiaf is easily my second or third favorite Laker. He provides instant energy on and off the bench. It is clear his 4 years in college served him well, even to the point last year where he was better than Bynum and Brown.

Guards: Kobe Bryant, Derek Fisher, Jordan Farmar, Javaris Crittenton, Sasha Vujajic, & ??????

Kobe Bryant remains as the best overall basketball player in the city, state, league, country, world, you name it. The best there is, period. However he is a bit of a prick so he’s had trouble finding teammates who are both talented and willing enough to play along side him. And as recently as this summer, Kobe felt that his current team didn’t fit one or both of those criteria. He has since apologized and only time will tell how sincere he was. All I know is that he wants to win. And he certainly has the ability to take the team a long way if he can find that ever elusive balance of scoring and involving his teammates.

When I found out Derek Fisher was getting out of his contract in Utah I almost started doing back flips. I instantly knew he would be signed by the Lakers. He always was and will be a Laker (and will forever reside in my living room posing in mid air after releasing that 0.4 second shot against the Spurs—autographed no less). Fish will provide a steadying force on and off the court. He is professional, respectable and above all knows how to deal with Kobe. The Lakers are counting on him to distribute, play defense, and hit his jumper with relative consistency. Whatever happens, he is clearly an upgrade over Smush Parker.

The crew of back-up point guards returns with one more added to the bunch. An apparently much improved Farmar is back. Jordan was kind of thrown to the wolves last year but held his own.…You can always appreciate Sasha’s effort, but no matter what happens I always seem to end up yelling “What the $@#!? SASHA!”....The rookie Crittenton comes in fairly highly touted. He is athletic, tall and is a natural PG. However we all know how Phil feels about rookies.

There is one roster spot available and it will be settled during camp. Early reports on George Karl’s son is that he has nice stroke. All are long shots fighting for a spot on injured reserved (until Kwame gets hurt).

Pre-Season Goals

The Lakers’ training camp started last week in Hawaii, but the team can ill-afford to take a vacation when they are in the islands. A lot of questions remain about the team, and this preseason will be an indicator if whether or not Laker fans should even bother tuning into a telecast this season.

The number one burning issue is health. The Lakers did well last year when healthy, well enough that they made no moves this off season because management actually likes their "healthy roster" and thinks they can actually win. Big questions still remain. Lamar Odom is still recovering from shoulder surgery and K-Lame Brown is still working his way back from ankle surgery. Although neither should miss time in the season, not having the time to get in shape and develop with their teammates will hurt. In addition the Lakers can ill afford any more injuries during camp.

The other question surrounding the Lakers as they approach the season involves their star, best player, and often times their worst headache. Kobe Bryant demanded a trade and blasted the organization this off season (and can you really blame him?). I know he's since retracted, but some things are just not forgotten. I know when #24 walks on the court he is a cold blooded killer and just wants to win, but when Andrew Bynum drops passes and Luke Walton gets beat for a lay-up how will he react? Will he be the team leader we need him to be, or will he run to the papers and demand that moves be made? Only time will tell, and it will also tell how long Kobe will be wearing a Laker’s uniform.

What to Expect

After an off season that garnered more attention for the tirades and rants than it did for free agent signings and blockbuster trades, the Lakers most likely did not put themselves back into championship contention.

However, as bad as this may sound, I actually understand what Mitch and the boys are doing. Winning takes time. You must learn to lose before you can win. The Lakers teams of old got swept from the playoffs for years before they finally won. This Laker team is no different. The core of the team has made it to the playoffs twice and lost. If we were to rebuild, it would take at least three or four more years for the new team to grow, mesh, build, fail and then finally succeed. For now we are hoping that the current team stays healthy and takes the next step, not the finals step, but at least win a playoff series step.

The window of opportunity to ride the best player ever is actually quickly closing. Kobe can no longer afford another rebuilding project. The Lakers did that. Maybe it could have been done a little better, but it’s done. We now have to ride it out and see if Kobe can embrace his teammates, see if Phil can teach and will them, and finally see if anyone wants to go along for the ride (Lamar?).

I see the Lakers finishing 6th in the West at 46-36 and advancing to the second round of the playoffs after pulling a first round upset. It's not the Finals that we have come to know and expect, but it’s a step in the right direction and enough to keep number #24 around for at least one more year.

Watch out for my Pre-Season NBA Power Rankings coming up next week."

-- Dan Noyes