Source: NBADraft2008/09 Los Angeles Lakers Payroll: $75.9 million
2008/09 Estimated NBA Salary Cap: $58 million
Roughly: $17.9 million over cap
The Good
The Lakers needed to add an all-star caliber player to their line-up in order to go anywhere in the playoffs and they needed to do it without giving up anything of value. They did just that when they fooled the Grizzlies into giving up Pau Gasol for little more than table scraps. They didn't have to give up Lamar Odom or Andrew Bynum, they didn't even have to give up good, young role players like Luke Walton and Sasha Vujacic
The Bad
Now there is talk that Bynum wants a five-year, $80 million dollar extension. Are you really comfortable paying that to a guy who has only played at a high level for 35 games and is coming off a lengthy injury? I mean, that is Dwight Howard money, and Bynum is no Dwight Howard.
The Future:
Even though the addition of Pau Gasol was a catalyst and Kobe Bryant got all the attention, the real reason for the Laker's resurgence was the improvement of many of their role players. Farmar, Derek Fisher, Sasha Vujacic, Vladimir Radmanovic, Luke Walton, all those guys were giving the team quality minutes and making plays when needed.