Can we win it all with current roster (Minus Odom)

[kevin_405]

Our current payroll is already at 84 million and counting, putting us on hook for 14 million $.

Ariza at SF did not give us enough production and hence Odom's scoring was a necessity for the team to do well last year.

This year Artest has potential to double the points that Ariza scored last year and in the process making Odom more of a luxury and insurance.

I rather this team look for a back up PF like Josh who can get spot min rather than bring back Odom at 18 million a year.

I think we are still a championship team ..

What do u guys think

[semi-sentient]

All things considered, no.

[wfiles]

Farmar, Brown, Vujacic, Walton, Morrison, Powell, Mbenga
That's one the of the worst benches.

You need a better bench if you want to beat the elite teams like Boston, Cleveland, Orlando, San Antonio.

[Blackfyre]

No. Our bench sucks without Odom.

[One Love]

We are a contender without a doubt assuming we pick up another veteran such as Barnes, Smith or Wilcox to provide more stability on the bench... Another year of development for Bynum, Brown & Farmar... Kobe, Artest and Gasol are the best trio in the league... Our roster would be as follows:

PG: D fish (6'2") & Farmar (6'1")
SG: Kobe (6'6") & Shannon (6'4") (tired of Sasha's fouls)
SF: Artest (6'7") & Walton (6'8")
PF: Gasol (7'0") & Smith (^'10") (Powell)
C: Bynum (7'1") & DJ (6'11")

Not as deep as last year but I like our chances... I think Shannon will surprise allot of you guys with an offseason under his belt... Artest will flourish in our system and Bynum has allot to prove and will get every opportunity to do just that... Lakeshow...

[Me Like Lakers]

Well, technically, "Yes" would be the answer since any team can win it all.

But IMO, without Odom (or a sign and trade using him) we would still be contenders but not the favorites anymore and it would be a lot, lot harder for the Lakers team to repeat.

[TonyMontana]

I think we will. Unlike a lof of peps on here that are running around scared that losing Odom is going to be a great blow to us. I have to disagree. I think all we need is one decent player to add in Lamars postion and we will do just fine. You guys are jumping the gun so early.
Its not even preseason yet, and we havent even played one game yet and you guys are losing hope.
What if Bynum has stepped up his game, how good does Josh Powell will do if he gets more minutes.
How will Ron Ron do wants he starts fitting in our system.
You guys use to bash Odom for years and now all of a sudden our title is hanging on Lamar. You guys remember you guys wanted to give up Lamar and Farmar to get Artest just a few years ago.
You wanted to trade Lamar and Bynum for J.O and now all of a sudden Lamar is our hope.

The day my hope of my teams success lie in Lamar hand is the day I no longer will be a Laker fan.
You guys are reading to much into all these Tools and Trolls litering our boards as well as G.B with we cant win without Lamar.

I think we can with or without Lamar. If not then Im sure we will play our hearts out and hoepfully tap into all the F.A next year less Lamar.

[daddyfivestar]

The question is-

Does Artest, Ammo, full Bynum stack vs Odom, Ariza, 2/3 Bynum

??

That's the diff going into 09-10

The others are all going to be more or less the same, some up some down

[Erik Eleven]

The luxury of having at least two out of the three Bynum, Gasol, Odom on the floor for 48 minutes every game will be gone. That was one of our major edges last season.

Ron Artest might take 14 years to learn the triangle. We need Odom, or an impact player in his place, i.e. Millsap or Lee. If we can't get Odom back, sign and trade, Mitch?

[iQon]

There is realistically still a chance.

It all depends on how Brown, Powell and Morrison contribute off the bench. Can Bynum stay healthy and earn his paycheck?

This is the unknown and could be the X Factor. In 2007, who here honestly expected Farmar and Vujacic to be legit reasons why the Lakers were arguably the deepest team in the league?

We're crippled without Odom, but we're not dead. I think it just levels us with Orlando, and depending on who you ask --- Boston as well. On paper, we're still better than the team that lost in the Finals last year. I'll take that for the moment.

[iamworthy]

Assuming we pick up a veteran, I think so. How stacked of a team do people want? We have Kobe, Gasol, Bynum, Artest in the starting lineup. Arguebly the best 4 out of 5 starters in the league. Even though Bynum is hated on on RealGM the kid is improving and showed tons of improvement the last two years before getting hurt. But people seem to want to ignore that fact. Also, people want to focus on the Old ron artest when he played for the kings and rockets...as if they ever...ever had a team as solid as the lakers. For the first time Kobe actually has another 17-20ppg player at his side. Again people want to focus on Artest fg% but will ignore the fact that playing with Kobe and Gasol he will see looks at the rim that he has never seen before. If we dont bring back LO of course it will hurt but lets not get crazy. Also, Gasol is now lifting weights in the offseason. Last year was his first year in the weight room, so says him. How did that turn out. Gasol is still improving under Phil Jackson, and that my friends is scary.

[microfib4thewin]

Yes. I expect Farmar and Sasha to improve enough to maintain leads, and while the bench isn't going to be as deep as the beginning of last year it's still good enough to give starters some rest.

[kevin_405]

I think Mitch will stand pat.. wait till trade deadline to make a move..

Say bye bye Odom guys.. I say after years of getting taken by agents (Luke, Sasha, Bynum) , we give it right back to them.. Another agent bites the dust..

[Heat3]

Who can legitimately beat LA? I don't think Shaq helps Cleveland get out of the East. Still need to see how Orlando fares after its lineup changes. They could very well be worse off. Boston? A healthy Boston would beat LA....but I think that a healthy Boston could have beat you this year too. I think this is the last year of their window. In the west, the Rockets are out with Yao's injury. I think the only legit challengers are the Spurs and the Nuggets. I'm not too sure about the Nuggets.

So even without Odom, I see LA as a top 3 team.

[Guy986]

Assuming we pick up a veteran, I think so. How stacked of a team do people want? We have Kobe, Gasol, Bynum, Artest in the starting lineup. Arguebly the best 4 out of 5 starters in the league. Even though Bynum is hated on on RealGM the kid is improving and showed tons of improvement the last two years before getting hurt. But people seem to want to ignore that fact. Also, people want to focus on the Old ron artest when he played for the kings and rockets...as if they ever...ever had a team as solid as the lakers. For the first time Kobe actually has another 17-20ppg player at his side. Again people want to focus on Artest fg% but will ignore the fact that playing with Kobe and Gasol he will see looks at the rim that he has never seen before. If we dont bring back LO of course it will hurt but lets not get crazy. Also, Gasol is now lifting weights in the offseason. Last year was his first year in the weight room, so says him. How did that turn out. Gasol is still improving under Phil Jackson, and that my friends is scary.

It doesn't matter. Even if Artest is open he'll still do a cross over and then an exaggerated fade away off one foot shot. He's a good 3 point shooter when his foot is set but once he gets the ball in mid range area, oh boy.

Heres an interesting fact: Artest played his WORST during his stint with the Rockets when both Mcgrady and Yao were playing. Artest can't play off ball. He NEEDS the ball in order to work. Artest NEEDS the ball like human need water. He can't be a spot up shooter. He has to dribble around and launch an off balance shot. Its just in his blood.

[supaflash]

IF Bynum is healthy and up to form as a 30 min per night guy, with Pau's ability to log high minutes without wearing down we can live without Odom. If Bynum is putting up 15-10 and 2 blocks and Pau is still at around 19-10 we still have the best frontline in the league. I'm confident Powell can fill in those minutes productively enough. He's shown good ability in limited minutes and in some cases actually helps the offense a little more then Lamar because of his nice jumper. Mbenga has steadily improved, if just slightly, but enough to fill and bang when needed.

Is it as good as having LO, no, but if Bynum produces LO is in fact a luxury. Against many teams we can also play Ron at PF for stretches as well, he is strong enough and especially if he gets stronger.

I was hoping we could pick up Matt Barnes or someone similar to have another big wing that could fill in at 3 and stretch the D when Ron plays 4. But I guess we will have to live with Walton (who was actually starting to play quite well in the playoffs) and Ammo. Contract year, Ammo might actually produce but it'd be nice if we coudl move him.

We can also run at times with Fish/Farmar Brown Kobe Ron Pau if necessary and run the floor more and play a more spread pick and roll game with Kobe and Pau.

We still have a very deep team that is young enough to improve. If Sasha gets his shot back and if Farmar and Brown continue to improve we could be better then last year easily even without LO. Artest replaces much of the playmaking and scoring loss of Lamar, Bynum just needs to step up and fill the rest out.


A decent vet like Joe Smith or Gooden with the right attitude and training could be plenty enough for us to fill all of our needs....

Do I still want Lamar? Hell yes, but we are still the champs until someone takes it from us.

[DubaLakers]

We make it back to the finals and take our chances against the now loaded East.

[Mindflayer]

Powell is good enough to take up some of the slack if Odom is gone. If Bynum and Gasol remian healthy then it won't matter if Lamar walks.

[Rain_Maker]

i have a good feeling Sasha will have a good year

we could have a real fast run and gun bench

PG: Farmar
SG: Brown
SF: Sasha
PF: Powell
C: Veteran guy

or if we do resign Odom

we could have

Farmar
Brown
Sasha
Odom
Powell

[chefy]

about the "weak bench" we have 4 allstar starters. if phil does a good a job on players rotation, will survive. we can make one of them (artest or bynum) play short mins with the starting 5, and let one of them play with the 2nd unit.

we just need a decent big man just in case bynum or pau gets injured.

but im worried about our PG, fisher is a year older again if he plays the same way he did in the playoffs or if he plays worst, and if farmar dissapear again in the 2nd half of the season; were dead.

that is whay odom is really importanat because he can play 5 position