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Looking at the Lakers’ Roster

With the start of the NBA season just three weeks away, it’s time to take a closer look at the Lakers roster and dissect the squad by position.

Guards
When you think of the Lakers the first name you have to mention is Kobe Bryant. Kobe is the reigning NBA scoring champ and commands serious attention from every defense the Lakers face. Kobe is good for 30, 6, and 5 every night. However, the key to the Lakers backcourt is fourth-year player, Smush Parker, who averaged 11.5 ppg., but only 3.7 apg, too low for a primary ball handler. If Parker emerges as a legitimate scoring threat he can alleviate some of the defensive pressure off Kobe.

Forward
Arguably the Lakers deepest position. They feature one of the league’s most versatile players in Lamar Odem, who has the capability to play point forward or settle on the block and work-out down low. The Lakers also added swingman Vladimir Radmanovic to the roster via free agency with the expectation he will give them a consistent outside scoring threat. Off the bench the Lakers will bring Luke Walton and Brian Cook to the rotation; two players that understand the game and can score, rebound, and pass.

Center
This position is the biggest question mark for the Lakers. They will rely on Kwame Brown to give them a reliable contribution for 82 games. With Bryant and Odem carrying much of the scoring burden, Brown will not be asked to score big for the Lakers; rather Phil Jackson will expect Brown to become a functional offensive threat while focusing on owning the boards and defending.

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Farmar Nice Fit for Lakers

Following a two-year career at UCLA, rookie Jordan Farmar figures to spend most of his first year in the league on the Lakers bench, learning from the Zen Master and taking his lumps in practice. Farmar was a much ballyhooed recruit out of Taft High School in Los Angeles. From the time he stepped on the Westwood campus, Farmar was hailed as the next great point guard at UCLA. Farmar’s two year at UCLA were impressive, earning Pac-10 Freshman of the Year, but his early departure from campus prevented him from realizing his potential.

Two years removed from high school graduation, Farmar was selected by the Lakers in the first round of the 2006 NBA Draft. During his sophomore year Farmar was on the fence on whether he would enter the draft, but a stellar NCAA Tournament and a terrific Final Four convinced him he was ready for the next level. The jury is out on Farmar, who is a shoot first point guard. At 6’2” he is undersized by NBA standards, and lacks the athleticism of a Smush Parker. His jump shot is improving, yet spotty, and his defense is sure to make Phil Jackson cringe.

The good news for Farmar and the Lakers is that he is not expected to come in and run the program, at least not immediately. Farmar will back-up Smush Parker and Sasha Vujacic and can be paired in the backcourt with Kobe. There’s no doubt Farmar has the goods to play in the NBA, but he’ll need to improve his defense and decision-making before he becomes a key component to Phil Jackson’s rotation.

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