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.

Smush Parker

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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Posted in General on October 20, 2006

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