What's the future of the Lakers?

The Los Angeles Lakers are declining as the star players are aging. For three consecutive years, the Lakers exited in a 0-4 fashion, this time in the first r ound. It's not helping for the Lakers as Kobe Bryant is in the latter part of his career and the experiment of acquiring Steve Nash and Dwight Howard to enchance the chances didn't work at all.

Let's take first the problem of the Lakers with Nash and Howard season.

1. Early injury for Howard - Dwight Howard didn't play in the preaseason and that the Lakers were into a bad start. It took the second half for Howard to find his place.

2. The acquisition of Mike D'Antoni  - Not a wise decision for the Lakers management. D'Antoni was not the right person to coach a team with caliber as the roster of the Lakers.

3. Injury of Steve Nash, Pau Gasol, and Metta World Peace - Unfathomable but the age factor caught on the Lakers.

4. Pau Gasol's role - Never forget about Gasol's desire to be a part of this team as D'Antoni wanted run-and-gone offense at one time.

5. Kobe Bryant injury - This was big. If he was healthy, the Lakers should have fough strong against the San Antonio Spurs.


Let's think about what the Lakers can do:

1. Keep Dwight Howard - He is the future of this team and he must be kept. It is up to Mitch Kupchak to persuade Howard to play again not for a year but for five years worth $118 million.

2. Rehire Phil Jackson - Who can handle a star like Howard but Phil Jackson. Probably the Lakers will hire Jackson first so that Howard will stay. D'Antoni will not lead the Lakers into a championship.

3. Get some young players - The roster is old and that new players must be injected. Think about the Spurs, they have new players for Duncan to rest.

4. What to do with Kobe Bryant? - Kobe's time with the Lakers is over. Give up Kobe for a new blood of players to help Howard for the Lakers. Not a great suggestion but Howard will not flourish if Kobe is the leader.

Lakers Formula of Success: Kobe must share the ball

Lakers Formula of Success: Kobe must share the ball Not too late to find the right formula. The Los Angeles Lakers quest for the answer to be a winning team has arrived. Winning two games in a row against Utah Jazz and Oklahoma City Thunder was not luck at all but it's something that they found. What's the key of the Lakers two consecutive wins? Believe it or not, it's Kobe Bryant sharing the ball to his teammates. Bryant had 14 assists in each of his two games and that he was just short of a rebound for triple double. What transpired was that Kobe has created a way for his teammates to be happy that carried it into defense. Look, the Lakers have been playing a sloppy defense but when Bryant shares, the defense is inspired. Against the Oklahoma Thunder, Bryant had 21 points, 14 assists and nine rebounds while five of his teammates were in double figures in scoring. Steve Nash had 17 points to help the Lakers in overpowering the Thunder. Also adding up in the offense is Metta World Peace who enjoys getting the ball from Bryant outside the arc. What needs to be done for the Lakers to keep the momentum alive and to be back in the contention for the playoffs? Remember that the Lakers are just 19-25, way far from a playoff team. One of the obvious move of coach Mike D'Antoni is moving Pau Gasol out of the starter so that the Lakers have something to play for when a substitution is needed. In the previous games, Gasol has been effective so far. It's like Lamar Odom's role with Phil Jackson before. Though Gasol is not that amenable coming off the bench, he has to sacrifice for his team. The big problem for the Lakers right now is Dwight Howard's free throw shooting. Against Oklahoma, because of 2-for-10 in the line, Howard was benched in the crucial stage in the fourth quarter and he was not seen back. D'Antoni was worried that the opponent could exploit Howard's inability to make free throws. The Lakers will make the playoffs if Kobe has to look for the pass first. He has to be like Magic Johnson in this important stage of his career than being Michael Jordan.