Kobe Bryant and the Lakers' Fortunes

The NBA's Western Conference features three established, dominant teams. The Spurs return everyone from the team that won the 2007 NBA Championship; the Mavericks have virtually the same roster as the team that went to the 2006 NBA Finals; and the Suns were a few plays away from the Finals in each of the last two seasons.

After the established three, Houston and Utah appear poised to join the conference's elite. Utah made a run to the Conference Finals last season and returns its key players, minus Derek Fisher. Houston has been a perennial play-off disappointment over the past few seasons, but a new coach (Rick Adelman), power forward (Luis Scola) and health (Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady) should be enough to push the Rockets into the top of the conference. These five teams appear to be play-off locks, unless one or more face a season-ending injury to one of its stars.

Beyond the power five, there are several good teams and several improved team, and only one team moving backward, the Los Angeles Clippers due to injuries. Denver and Golden State made the play-offs last season, and most assume they will again this year. Denver adds a healthy Kenyon Martin, while Golden State traded Jason Richardson to acquire a young post player (Branden Wright) to complete the make-over which started with last season's blockbuster trade with Indiana that saved the Warriors' season. New Orleans narrowly missed the play-offs last season and suffered all season from injuries. If they remain healthy, the Hornets, behind star PG Chris Paul, appear ready to breakthrough and become a play-off team.

Sacramento missed the play-offs last season with a new coach and introduces another new coach this season. If the Kings believe in Reggie Theus, they have the veterans to make the play-offs, as few teams outside the power five can match the experience and success of Brad Miller, Ron Artest and Mike Bibby.

The improved teams may be even more dangerous. Memphis struggled last season after starting without Pau Gasol. However, this year, the Grizzlies have a new coach, a healthy Gasol, Darko Milicic, Juan Carlos Navarro and Mike Conley, Jr. They are bigger, faster and deeper than last season and appear to be in their 2006 form, when they were a play-off team. Seattle added top five picks Kevin Durant and Jeff Green as well as veteran big man Kurt Thomas, and they get Robert Swift back from a knee injury. However, they lost Rashard Lewis and Ray Allen, so Seattle is a completely different team, with a different coach. Portland added Greg Oden, and then lost Oden for the season. However, as such a young team, they will continue to improve. They have the interior play, guards and balance to beat anyone on any given day.

Finally, we have the Los Angeles Lakers. All summer, Kobe Bryant complained that the Lakers did not do enough to surround him with talent. He has demanded to be traded. He is the most talented player in the league. He is a tenacious defender and a gifted scorer. However, the excuses must stop.

LeBron James led a far worse supporting cast to the NBA Finals. Sure, he plays in the mediocre Eastern Conference and benefited from playing an injury-depleted Washington Wizards in the First Round, but he and the Cavs took care of business. Currently, two pivotal members of last year's team are unsigned, yet James is not making public demands. He is not calling out his young teammates or blasting his General Manager.

The public, thus far, has sided with Kobe. Analysts agree that the Lakers have not surrounded him with the necessary talent to be competitive. I disagree. Lamar Odom is one of the best #2 players in the league. The Celtics have the best #2, Kevin Garnett; Amare Stoudemire is an impressive #2 in Phoenix and San Antonio boasts Tony Parker. Odom is a 6'11 forward who blocks shots, scores and passes. He is a great weapon to play alongside a superstar like Bryant.

The Lakers lack a true 3^rd weapon. Luke Walton is a valuable player at small forward, but he is not a weapon like Manu Ginobili, Ray Allen, Caron Butler or Shawn Marion. However, the Lakers possess astonishing depth in the post with a number of long, active players who can defend the basket and score in the pivot. Andrew Bynum drew the wrath of Kobe during the summer, but for a kid who just turned 20, he is talented, big and long. Few people seem to value Bynum as highly as I do, but I do not see why people are so enthusiastic about Oden, at 19, versus Bynum at 20. If Bynum played for a coach and with players who believed in his ability, I would argue he is every bit as good as Oden, and probably a better offensive player right now. For a 3^rd or 4^th weapon, a legitimate seven-footer with good hands and athleticism is a nice problem to have. Sadly, Bynum does not even start. The Lakers will likely start Chris Mihm, another athletic seven-footer or Kwame Brown, another athletic seven-footer. More than likely, both will start to start the season, as Odom will miss a couple games with an injury. Incredibly, the Lakers also have Ronnie Turiaf, who does everything Anderson Vareajo, the supposed 10 million dollar role player, does, and Brian Cook, another big body who can stretch the defense. They even have Vladimir Radmanovic who can play the four and shoot the three.

There is not another team in the NBA who has as much depth, length, athleticism and versatility in the post. As a Sacramento Kings' fan, they have five guys who would instantly be the best post player on the Sacramento Kings.

Beyond Bryant, their back court is not their strength, but it is not a huge liability either. Derek Fisher is a veteran role player, tenacious on-ball defender and good three-point shooter who complements Bryant. Every successful, championship-caliber team has a player like Fisher; Phoenix has Raja Bell, San Antonio has Bruce Bowen, Houston has Shane Battier, etc. Off the bench, the Lakers have young back-up PGs Jordan Farmar, who played well in the play-offs last season, and rookie Javaris Crittendon. To back-up on the wing, they have Sasha Vujicic, another good shooter and playmaker.

Very few teams have a player in Kobe's category. Of those who do, none has the depth of talent the Lakers possess. Boston has inexperienced players surrounding its big three. Washington has little beyond its big three. Miami's line-up is a patchwork beyond Wade and Shaq. Phoenix has a strong six, but no starting center, let alone a back-up. San Antonio's players fill their roles well, but beyond their big three, it does not have the depth, athleticism or length of the Lakers' roster.

The Lakers are not the best team in the Western Conference. However, after the power five, I would not trade their line-up for anyone else's. Denver has an interesting, and similar team. Carmelo Anthony is the star, a true elite player who belongs in the Kobe category. Allen Iverson is certainly one of the best #2 players in the league, easily alongside Odom. However, who is the #3 weapon? Marcus Camby? Nene? They have some athletic post players, like the Lakers. And, their guard play is a little unsettled, with the suspended J.R. Smith and Chucky Atkins. They have intriguing depth with players like Eduardo Najera and Linas Kleiza.

This is where the Lakers belong: Fighting to move into the power five, while fighting Denver to remain #6. Anything less from the Lakers is a disappointment and evidence that Kobe Bryant is as destructive a force to a team as he is the dominant, tenacious, winner many believe he is. If he cannot elevate the Lakers into the top five by season's end, winning a play-off series against one of the other top teams in the NBA, then the Lakers should trade him. Realistically, how much better can the Lakers get?

In the off-season, Kobe supposedly pushed for a Jermaine O'Neal deal. However, would O'Neal for Odom and Bynum make the Lakers any better? I would argue that Indiana would get the best of that deal.

The public believes the Lakers are down and Kobe has fueled the hype. However, he has an adequate supporting cast if he is the type of leader and winner he wants the public to believe him to be. The Lakers do not have enough to win the Western Conference this year, unless they build Bynum's confidence early in the season to establish him as the true third weapon and a dominant player on the inside, but they have enough to break into the power five and win at least one play-off series. I am not buying Kobe's kool-aid: the Lakers are a good team and if Kobe is the best player in the league, and Phil Jackson is the best coach in the league, the Lakers should win at least one play-off series and put a scare into their second round opponent.