Lakers Nightmare Season Is Over. Now What?

After being swept, routed and embarrassed, the Lakers have several issues to deal with this off-season. The team’s management has to find a way to solve a unique problem with multiple concerns:

1) Should we make another run with the existing roster? 2) Should we re-sign (center) Dwight Howard? 3) Should we rebuild the team? 4) Should we trade (forward) Pau Gasol? 5) Should we use the amnesty provision and if so, on who?

The issues most responsible for sinking the 2012-13 season were injuries, defense, chemistry, coaching and bad front office decisions. In search of answers to the above mentioned questions, there are a few possibilities:

1) The Lakers could bring everyone back and make another run. This team desperately needs an identity and much more athleticism. It appeared that the they had no idea who they were. Management seems convinced that their older roster will return to health, hold up for the entire season and be able to compete.

The team did have three men roaming the sidelines last season. When head coach Mike D’Antoni took over, the Lakers went 7-15 in his first 22 games and 28-12 in his last 40 before being swept in an opening-round playoff series for just the second time in franchise history. That is certainly enough to secure his job for awhile.

“Mike’s job is safe and he is going to coach the Lakers next year,” General Manager Mitch Kupchak said regarding his coach.

You have to wonder if Kupchak’s statement was just semantics or an indication of someone holding on by a thread — solely because the Lakers made it to the post-season. In light of everything that happened last season, has the bar been lowered?

2) In the NBA you need as many star players in their prime as possible. Dwight Howard is the only player on the Lakers’ roster that falls into that category. The two-part dilemma is that Howard becomes a free agent on July 1 and the Lakers have to answer the question of whether to offer him a max contract and build a team around him.

Los Angeles can offer the center a five-year, $118 million contract, but if he leaves, the most another team can give him is a four-year, $88 million contract. The last time there was a ‘Will-he-stay-or-will-he-go?’ situation, Howard — in all honesty — failed to handle it like a mature adult. Knowing that his decision would not go over well, he appeared paralyzed by both fear and indecision.

The Lakers need to prepare themselves for the possibility that Dwight Howard might have plans other than being the next center in a line of renowned Lakers’ big men; the likes of George Mikan, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Shaquille O’Neal. During his exit interview, the chance for Dwight to rectify the damage he’d done to his reputation by making a bold and decisive decision presented itself.

However, that golden opportunity came and went when Howard stated that he needed time to clear his head. Why the delay? He is a talented player, but at the cost of a max salary, one has to wonder about the Lakers’ return on their investment. Howard’s indecision, limited amount of post moves and limited court vision might give pause to some in the Lakers’ organization.

3) The Lakers are a franchise that has very rarely had to rebuild. It behooves them to make the focus the 2014-15 season more than the near-future. Every player except guard Steve Nash will be off the roster during 2014-15. L.A. needs athletic wing players and shooters. Kobe Bryant can and will return from his Achilles injury, although it might be around the All-Star break. He is big for a shooting guard, has tremendous footwork, strong and is productive at operating in the post.

This guard will have to adjust his game due to the injury which could cause him to lose some athleticism, explosion and quickness. An Achilles injury is devastating and has ended several NBA careers. Bryant is fighting being added to a list that includes Maurice Stokes, Billy Cunningham, Charles Barkley, Isaiah Thomas, Dikembe Mutombo, Yao Ming, Jay Williams and Shaquille O’Neal. All of these men were NBA stars whose careers ended due to horrific injury.

When Bryant returns after six to nine months of rehab, he can finish his career at point guard. The Lakers have to reshape the team as if he has already retired.

4) Pau Gasol’s name was heard in trade talks for a while due to his $19 million salary, age and dip in production. The fact of the matter is that Pau is one of the most skilled big men in the NBA.

He is a finesse and not a power player. Bryant was emphatic about wanting Gasol in a purple and gold uniform next season. It would be wrong for Lakers management to make a snap judgment on any of the Lakers after a season where no one was immune from injury and nothing went as planned. If the team chose to move Gasol, it would be impossible to expect equal value in return. If the possibility is there, and the Minnesota Timberwolves were willing trade partners, a trade for power forward Kevin Love and a late 1st round pick would be palatable.

5) The Lakers could use the amnesty provision, but it makes more sense to do so in the 2014-15 season. Financially, it makes sense to amnesty Kobe, but the black mamba means too much and has given too much to Los Angeles. Bryant is a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer who will have a statue commemorating his legacy after his career ends. If he were amnestied, Jim Buss (V.P. of Player Personnel) would have to leave L.A. and join the witness protection program. The most likely player to use the amnesty provision on would be forward Metta World Peace, who is due $7 million. However, it would not put the Lakers in play for a big name free agent next season.