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NLL Insider - Team by Team: Los Angeles Lakers

by vt, updated on Friday, October 24 2008, 06:47 pm EST

Los Angeles Lakers Review

2007-2008
Finish: 46-36

What went well

That Wizkid is a crafty GM. After turning the Suns into All-Star central (only to have it dismantled by his successor), Wizkid turned the sad Lakers into a playoff caliber team. In less than a season, he came in and brushed out all the damage the Brazilian bum did for seasons. As one GM put it, “I wouldn’t want to trade with Wizkid. He can talk you into a taking a bag of crap.” Nicely put.

The season began with a handful of inconsequential free agents handing the Lakers their walking papers. No one wanted to stick around this stinker. So, the Lakers had to re-model the team around star Allen Iverson. Unfortunately, only the bottom of the barrel wanted to come to place with such a bad reputation. When Eddie Gill and Awvee Storey are your big acquisitions, there is a definite problem.

All it would take was a little Wizkid magic to turn things around. After a few weeks, he sent Iverson to the Knicks for Corey Maggette and Travis Outlaw. Both of these players are extremely athletic and the one superstar mentally wasn’t getting things done in LA. Slowly, the Lakers began to play better. The team also dumped Antonio Daniels’ contract for chump change and the Lakers finished the season in the 5th seed and clinching their division. Maybe Wizkid should be coaching the Magic.

What went worse
Unfortunately, the team wasn’t ready for primetime and the Spurs brushed them off 4-1 in the playoffs. But making such a big jump in one season more than satisfied the Lakers fans, who are now hungry for more. (NB: The Lakers finished 33-49 the season before)


The Star

Corey Maggette, GF -
Maggette, a 6-foot-6 swingman led Los Angeles in scoring last season, fits in well with Wizkid’s fast-paced style of play. He averaged 21.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and 0.8 assists last season, finishing slightly off his career highs in all three categories.


Looking to the future

The Lakers may need to go under another facelift again next season if Maggette bolts for free agency. He notoriously gets big NLL contracts whenever his latest expires and after such a great season, he may try it again. Wizkid will try everything to keep him in LA, but it might not be enough. That said, he does have almost $40 million in free salary and LA is looking like an attractive place again for free agents. Both Outlaw and Tyson Chandler are attractive teammates. The team still really needs a starting PG and PF (sorry, Landry just isn’t good enough).

Besides Channing Frye, the bench is a big mess. This team will really need to re-invent itself in the offseason. In the draft, the Lakers selected Darrell Arthur and a trio of 2nd rounders (Sonny Weems, Kyle Weaver and Malik Hairston). Arthur has a lot of upside, but may not be ready to contribute right away. Who knows about the others? There is still a lot of work to be done in LA if Wizkid wants to make last year look like anything but a freak year.

 

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