ESPN

There have been ups and downs in this most unusual of seasons. With the Lakers sitting at 14-10 heading into tonight's game in Philadelphia, it's as good a time as any to evaluate the work of Mike Brown, even if he won't actually be on the sideline. Approximately one-third of the way into the season, does it appear the Lakers picked the right coach?

We discuss on the newest edition of the Forum, joined by 710 ESPN's Dave Miller.

While everyone is excited players and owners have reached a tentative deal to play ball again, the reality is a season starting on December 25 doesn't leave Jim Buss and Mitch Kupchak much time to tweak a roster that, while not in need of a major overhaul, definitely needs some tweaking. A few after market upgrades to match a still-solid engine and transmission, so to speak.

No matter how the fine print of the CBA reads, the Lakers, well over the cap and into the luxury tax, will not only have a small window, but also won't have a ton of options available to make those changes. Meaning they'll need to shop quickly and wisely.

Below are five big areas of need,

1. Outside Shooting: If there was a single issue dogging the Lakers offensively last season, it was an inability to force opposing defenses to respect them from the perimeter. Derek Fisher, who took just under two 3's a game, was the only Laker shooting 40 percent (39.6, technically, but we'll round up) from downtown. From there, Lamar Odom and Steve Blake were around 38 percent, Metta World Peace was a tick over 35, and Kobe Bryant, who led the team with 4.3 triple attempts per game, hit only 32.3 percent of them. In the playoffs, things were even worse. 28.9 percent as a team, and only one guy (Fish) converted more than one of three.

Blake had performed at a much higher level in the seasons leading up to signing with the Lakers, and it's reasonable to expect he'll improve (I say this not only because I advocated so strongly for him last offseason, and would like to be proven correct). Unfortunately, Odom's mark was a career high, meaning regression wouldn't shock anyone, and Kobe has never been an efficient shooter from downtown. Andrew Goudelock arrives from the College of Charleston with the pedigree of a shooter, but even if he makes the team-- big if-- playing time will likely be scarce. Meaning if the Lakers want a pure 3-point specialist to stretch the floor, they'll have to do some shopping.

Lest you think the Lakers were lacking from 3, but gangbusters everywhere else, via Hoopdata.com, the Lakers were 26th in the NBA from 16-23 feet. Generally speaking long 2's are the worst shot in basketball, but they'll happen and it would be nice for the Lakers to convert at a higher rate.

As a team, the Lakers can absolutely abuse the opposition in the paint, whether with Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol, and Odom doing what big guys do down on the block, or with Kobe operating in the high, mid, or low posts, making life miserable for defenses. Inside play will remain their calling card under Brown, but without the ability to knock down jumpers with consistency, as they did in last season's early run of dominance, the offense will never operate with the efficiency suggested by their talent.

2. Point Guard Productivity: Ask John Q. Lakers Fan where the team most needs improvement and he'll likely say point guard. And with cause! As laid out on Hoopsstats.com, the Fisher/Blake tandem scored the fewest points per game with the fewest assists than any other group in the NBA. They had the lowest combined field goal percentage, and, had the lowest efficiency and efficiency differential.

All appropriate caveats (Phil Jackson's offense didn't feature the PG, Fish and Blake are low level offensive options for the Lakers, etc.) aside, that ain't good. Unfortunately, the prospects for improvement are limited. Particularly after a grueling offseason of marathon CBA negotiations, it's hard to picture a 37-year old Fisher elevating his numbers all that much. Blake has real potential for improvement in a more traditional system, but even then it's important to remember he'll then be playing like Steve Blake should. He won't suddenly morph into Russell Westbrook.

Unfortunately, whereas the Lakers have some flexibility in how they address the shooting issue -- new blood can come in the backcourt, on the wing, as a stretch four, and so on -- only a point guard can improve the depth at point guard. It's a serious reach expecting contributions from Darius Morris, the free agency rolls at the position are extremely thin, and given their dearth of appealing trade chips beyond team cornerstones Bynum and Odom, cobbling together a solid deal in a tiny preseason while everyone is still digesting the new CBA feels like a reach.

Is the point a weakness? Yep, but more likely than not, the Lakers will have to make do, and look to compensate by strengthening the team somewhere else.

3. Center Depth: The roots of Gasol's postseason meltdown could very well be found in Theo Ratliff's bum knee.

(Read full post)

Sweet Virginia, there's (most likely) going to be a basketball season!

It's been a long time coming -- 149 days to be exact -- but finally we can start talking basketball, not B.R.I., as -- if the NFL taught us anything -- what follows from here will be one of the crazier months the NBA has ever seen. A free-agency period that will likely be so accelerated it'll make speed dating seem intimate by comparison, along with a truncated training camp/preseason and, in a month or so, a slimmed-down version of a real season.

Is it ideal? Nope. But to quote the great Ned Ryerson, it "sure as heck-fire" beats the alternative.

It will take some time to determine exactly how the new CBA will impact the Lakers as a franchise, but in the meantime, there are plenty of other questions to ask.

1. Who wins the battle between the well-rested knee of Kobe Bryant (and his ankle, back, finger and general skeletal structure) and a compressed schedule?

2. Who wins the battle between the well-rested will of Bryant and the authority of Mike Brown?

3. What will Brown's system look like, and how quickly will the Lakers be able to pick it up?

4. In what frame of mind does Andrew Bynum arrive? Can he, as Kobe said he'd have to, "fall in line"?

5. If Bynum's play outstrips his traditional role in the offense, who loses shots?

6. We think Pau Gasol will be fine. Gasol thinks he'll be fine. But will Gasol be fine?

7. What happens if Gasol isn't fine?

8. Given that he's never been a paragon of offseason fitness (save USA Basketball years), what will Lamar Odom look like when camp opens after a long lockout?

9. Even if the core remains championship-caliber, the Lakers still have needs, from shooting to backup center to scoring off the bench and beyond. Where does the front office focus its attention in a tiny window for free agency?

10. If Shannon Brown goes, who backs up Kobe at the 2?

11. Is Devin Ebanks, who certainly could have used some time in the training facility around the coaching staff this summer, nonetheless capable of being part of the rotation?

12. How much will the incredibly grueling experience of leading the NBPA impact Derek Fisher's performance on the floor?

13. Is Fisher still going to be the starter on a Triangle-less Lakers team? How does Brown handle things if he isn't?

14. Can Steve Blake bounce back from his disappointing debut season in purple and gold, in a system with more traditional point guard duties?

15. Enough to start?

16. What happens if he can't?

17. Does a shortened season with more games per week help or hurt the Lakers?

18. When the trade deadline rolls around, who makes the big decisions for the Lakers: Mitch Kupchak or Jim Buss?

19. Who does what on Brown's coaching staff?

20. Untethered from the Triangle, does Metta World Peace's performance offensively improve, or was the system not the problem?

21. Who makes 3-pointers on this team?

22. How much help do the Lakers need on the wing? Can the World Peace/Matt Barnes combination (in those times Kobe isn't at the 3) get the job done?

23. Does Andrew Goudelock have a legitimate shot to make the team? Will there be space for Derrick Caracter?

24. Darius Morris surely will have a roster spot, but is there any chance he can contribute, even a smidge?

25. Given the increased importance of every game in a 66-game season relative to the normal 82, how do the Lakers measure minutes for their veterans, Bryant and Gasol in particular?

26. Who are the most viable contenders in the Western Conference, and which ones pose the biggest problems for the Lakers specifically?

27. To what degree were L.A.'s problems last season based on fatigue and the burden of working toward a fourth straight Finals?

28. How much was coaching?

29. How much reflected shortcomings in the roster?

30. Does a compressed schedule throw a wrench in Kobe's plans to practice more relative to the last few seasons?

31. How much will the schedule allow the team to practice?

32. While Kobe's minutes and shots per game were down last year, his shots per minute and usage rates were up. Does that continue this year?

33. Is there even a small possibility that Luke Walton is healthy enough to contribute?

34. Even if he is, does he have a role in a non-Triangle system?

Missing any? Add your queries in the comments section below ...

They couldn't tempt Kobe Bryant, but as ESPN.com's Marc Stein reports, the Turkish club Besiktas appears to have landed a different Laker to pair with Deron Williams. Lamar Odom, sources say, has agreed to play with the Istanbul-based squad:

"Final details will not be sorted out before Friday, sources said, but Odom has indicated that he plans to join the Istanbul-based team as early as next week if the NBA lockout continues. Sources told ESPN.com that the deal would pay Odom in excess of $2 million if he spends the rest of the season with Besiktas. The deal -- first reported in Turkey by NTV Spor and local journalist Mete Aktas -- will include an opt-out clause to return to the NBA as soon as the lockout ends, same as in Williams' contract.

In an ideal world, Odom will never board a plane, after settlement talks planned for Friday between the league and its players bear fruit, bringing a swift end to the lockout. More likely, any progress will be slower, allowing Odom the opportunity to pond hop.

As I've written, for L.O., it's a good call. He's many things, but historically at least an offseason self-starter hasn't been one of them. When NBA camps eventually open they will be incredibly short. Players typically using a normal preseason to work themselves into shape, as Odom often has, won't have that opportunity. Adding the structure of a team environment can only help. Moreover, Odom is a rhythm player. Getting a few games under his belt (particularly in European competition, which tends to emphasize team play and ball movement, two things at which he excels) makes it that much more likely Odom will hit the ground running when/if the NBA season begins.

Add in the nice chunk of change he'll pocket, and it's a solid proposition for all involved.

For a little more opinion on Odom-to-Turkey, check out the newest edition of The Forum:

Because Besiktas apparently gives out contract offers like Gideons do bibles, I wouldn't be surprised if half of you reading this have a deal on the table to join the Turkish hoops squad.

Particularly if one of you is Lamar Odom.

ESPN.com's Marc Stein reports Odom has been extended an offer by the Istanbul-based club, which has at one point or another during the lockout been connected by rumors and reports to, among others, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Kevin Love, Carlos Boozer, Luol Deng, Marcin Gortat and Deron Williams, who is of course the only guy to actually sign. (I hear conversations with other luminaries like Basketball Jones, Jesus Shuttlesworth, and Lola Bunny are progressing nicely.)

Stein says Odom is "giving the offer real consideration," though insurance questions (among others, I would assume) need answering. I don't know if Odom will ultimately take the deal, but where most Lakers fans hope the team's stars don't make the jump overseas -- no need to put extra strain or injury risk on Bryant, Andrew Bynum, or Pau Gasol, for example-- in Odom's case it wouldn't be a bad idea. Frankly, he's never had a great reputation for showing up to camp in peak physical condition, so getting real, competitive run in before camp opens can't hurt. Moreover, he's a rhythm guy. I don't think it's a coincidence his best season in L.A. came after Odom helped lead Team USA in the World Championships two summers ago.

No Laker has kept a lower profile this extended offseason than L.O. Maybe he's in spectacular shape and is just keeping it to himself, in which case staying stateside is ideal. If I had to bet, more likely a little structure would do him some good, because whatever training camp the Lakers eventually get (knock on wood) won't be the type in which a player can work himself into shape. Anyone starting this season behind the eight ball physically will stay there. Bad things happen behind the eight ball.

Meaning a little burn in Turkey, or anywhere else for that matter, could be a wise move.

No better way to gear up for Thanksgiving than by first chatting about the lockout you're not thankful for. A preemptive cleanse, if you will. Did you miss it? There's still time to purge what needs to be purged by clicking the link below. Beyond labor strife, we touch on issues important to the season we all hope is preserved. What of Andrew Bynum? Where does the team need to improve? Is Steve Blake set to bounce back?

That sort of stuff. Plus, Andy reveals his all-time favorite "random" Laker!

Click here for the transcript .

Standing in that meeting room Monday afternoon in Times Square, things felt grim. Today, a little less so.

The NBPA, now the world's tallest trade association, has in David Boies a legal eagle currently bringing a level of calm to the proceedings in otherwise short supply. How much it matters in practice is still open for debate: Just as fiery rhetoric can disguise moderation, so too can moderation disguise a more strident position. For now, though, Boies doesn't sound like a guy desperate to get the league into a courtroom, or unwilling to continue negotiations.

But that there will be a season, in one form or another, is hardly a given. There's still an all-too-legitimate chance the whole thing gets canceled, and with that the impact on the Lakers, as individuals and a team, would be profound.

Starting with Kobe Bryant.

The list of his losses in the event of a "nuclear winter" is hefty. Start with the obvious, namely $25.2 million in salary his bank account won't see. Yes, he's earned -- earned-- vast sums over the course of his career (pocket change over $196 million, for those scoring at home), but I don't care how rich you are, losing $25 million is no fun.

What he loses on the court is tougher to price out.

Kobe has missed only 94 games in his 15-year career (and only 16 since '06-'07) because of injury or suspension, but should the season disappear he will have lost a total of 114 games thanks to labor strife. Thirty-two in 1998-'99, and another 82 now. Just as the money is gone forever, so are the stats he'd likely have posted. During the first lockout-shortened season, his first as a full-time starter, Bryant averaged 19.9 points a game. That's 640 points, give or take, disappearing into the ether. Using last season's scoring average (25.3) as a guide, it's reasonable to believe a full 2011-12 season would bring another 2,000, give or take.

Maybe games are played and he gets some of the missing inventory back. But maybe not.

Bryant is sixth on the NBA's all-time scoring list with 27,868 points. When he finally hangs up the sneaks, will he miss those 2,600 or so points? Would they be enough to guarantee he passes Michael Jordan for third on the NBA's scoring list? Would they get him to Karl Malone for second? What about the other big categories? Whether games played, minutes, steals, and so on, the same "what if's?" apply. Kobe already has high end real estate secured on the NBA's Mt. Olympus, but it's impossible to argue another 100-plus games wouldn't enhance his final statistical profile, and equally impossible to deny the link between sports history, stats and perception.

What other superstar has had his career impacted this way?

(Read full post)

The chat, she is closed. Just like the arena doors.

As expected, questions a-plenty about the lockout. Should more blame be placed at the feet of the owners or players? Will a canceled season result in any franchises contracted? What effect will this mess have on the legacies of David Stern and Derek Fisher?

Click here and take a gander at what you missed.

As far as CBA stakeouts go, my first was pretty short. Only about two-and-a-half hours in the dim, maroon-hued lobby of the Westin Times Square. That should have been my first sign Monday wasn't going to end well for NBA fans.

Still, like many following along on Twitter or NBA TV, I held out some hope as the seemingly endless stream of mostly large, wholly athletic men, as if exiting some sort of roundball clown car parked just outside the door, filled what had to be the smallest meeting room the hotel had to offer. They formed one row, and another, and still another squeezing and shifting as even stars like Carmelo Anthony seemed stumped on where they'd wedge in. Finally, a full on NBA class photo, all the players were in place. All the while, Billy Hunter worked the room, greeting media members by name, shaking hands. He was smiling.

Kobe Bryant, the only player still wearing his sunglasses, seemed to get absorbed by his colleagues, consciously or not gravitating toward the left corner of the room and the door eventually allowing a quick exit. He wasn't smiling.

Neither was Derek Fisher. Should have been my next tip.

Hunter, first to the podium, didn't wait long to drop the bomb. He quickly thanked the group of athletes behind him, and noted the cross section of talent. Then, "We're here to announce that we've arrived at the conclusion that the collective bargaining process has completely broken down," he said, "and as a result within the last hour we served a notice of disclaimer on Commissioner Stern and the NBA. We plan to disseminate that to all 30 team owners, so they'll know the action we have taken today.

"The players feel that they're not prepared to accept any ultimatums."

And with that, we were introduced to the next chapter of the negotiations. Out with the union leaders, as the union, legally, no longer exists. The NBPA is officially a trade association, no longer with collective bargaining rights but with the ability to create a class action suit against the league, seeking a summary judgment for damages on antitrust grounds. Fisher said the lawyers, Jeffery Kessler and David Boies, would now lead the charge.

Sounds awesome, I thought, as the giant sucking sound of optimism leaving the room whooshed by my ear.

(Read full post)

And that's how the evening ended Thursday in New York. No deal in place, but Derek Fisher and Billy Hunter have something definitive to present to team reps on Monday or Tuesday. In theory, were the deal accepted on both sides -- Stern expressed confidence at his ability to pass it among owners -- we'd be looking at a 72-game season beginning on Dec. 15. If, however, the deal isn't accepted, Stern made clear the next proposal will be less appealing. In other words, BRI at 47 percent, flex/hard salary cap, and everything else the players loathe.

Watching them on television, Fisher and Hunter appeared neither particularly pleased nor particularly angry by the situation. If anything, the overriding mood appeared to be exhaustion, along with resignation. Whether they're resigned to the notion of stomaching a deal admittedly unsatisfactory or resigned to the increased likelihood of a lost season remains to be seen. In the meantime, CBS' Ken Berger reports the decertification push is gaining steam, and we could see a petition with the necessary signatures very soon. Of course, the union doesn't become instantly decertified, but just going there would perhaps regain some footing as negotiations continue.

So what happens from here? At this point, who knows? However, our buddy Sam Amick of Sports Illustrated, who's covered the lockout as vigorously as any scribe, tweeted an interesting observation:

Deals typically done when both sides see something they don't like but could live with. Hunter and Stern both sound that way tonight.

Hopefully, Sam's ability to read body language is on point, because I'm really not up for this tedium dragging into December... or beyond.

Wednesday's marathon CBA meetings ended without a deal. Thursday afternoon will feature more back-and-forth. As the clock ticks, we, along with Dave McMenamin, share our confidence at the prospect of a 2012 season.

Opening night for the Lakers is traditionally a celebration, rife with hope and anticipation. It's a sold out crowd rising to its feet long before Lawrence Tanter's pregame introductions. Of Kobe Bryant and Jack Nicholson, and in a good year, ring ceremonies and title defenses.

But every year, it's about Jeffrey Osborne. For the last 28, his has been the smooth and sonorous voice singing the National Anthem before the first home game of the season. 29 was, far as I know, scheduled for Tuesday evening. Unfortunately, the lockout has taken away opening night, Tanter, and the Lakers. But it won't take Osborne. Not on our watch.

Scratch your J.O. itch here, people.

Opening Night: 2010
Opening Night: 2009
On the Wings of Love

(Read full post)

As a group, the Lakers have taken plenty of criticism following their rather unceremonious dumping from the 2011 NBA playoffs. Individually, no single player has absorbed more heat than Pau Gasol. While nobody, Pau included, would defend the quality of his play, the big questions around El Spaniard now point to the 2011-12 season, assuming for the time being we actually get one.

Personally, I find the hand-wringing over Gasol's future kind of silly. He's a four-time All-Star, a two-time champion, and arguably the most skilled post player the NBA has to offer. These things don't disappear after one bad spring. It's worth noting, too, how well he responded to the public flogging following L.A.'s loss to Boston in the '08 Finals. Then as well, no Laker took more criticism individually. A few months later, though, Gasol outplayed Dwight Howard in the Finals and helped lead the Lakers to a title.

I expect Gasol will return to form, but others believe he's damaged goods. This is just one of the many subjects we covered in a phone conversation Friday afternoon.

Q: What was your reaction to Friday's labor news?

Gasol: "Obviously it's not good news for anyone. We want the lockout to come to an end, and want to get to a [solution] that's fair and positive to all of us. So it's not a great day. Not happy.”

Q: How are you following the talks? Are you someone taking a hard line, or are you leaving the leadership to do what they do? Some guys are more aggressive than others.

Gasol: "The guys that are already in the meetings, they’re obviously a lot more aware of the negotiations, and do the talking. Obviously I have faith in the guys that are representing us. If I was at the meetings, I'd have all the information and might be a little more vocal, but I think that players are supporting [them] being involved. It just tells people and our fans how committed they are to make this work, and that we want to play and have a season as bad as anybody. But aside from that, I don't think it's a good idea to talk too much about it if you don't know all the details."

Q: Looking at your summer, and reflecting on the end of last season, what did playing for the national team do for you?

Gasol: "It's always positive for me to play with my national team, as far as that atmosphere, competing, defending my country and trying to get championships and medals for Spain, and ourselves, too. It's always positive to be part of that. The downside of it is obviously you add up a little more load on your body, But this year worked out because of the lockout, and how we've been able to get rest, and a break for us to recover from the championships. So we have a great team, and it's always exciting and encouraging for us, and that we continue to make history for [Spanish] basketball."

Q: Physically, were you healthy going in, were you healthy coming out?

Gasol: "Yeah. I twisted my ankle during the championship, and had to miss a game because of it. But I was totally healthy going into it, not as healthy coming out of it. That's the price you sometimes pay to compete. Obviously you're exposed to risks when you're out there."

Q: Are you healthy now?

Gasol: “Yeah, absolutely. After a month and a week, more or less now, I think our bodies have had the chance to heal and recover."

Q: How important was it to get on the floor and play well, given how the season ended for you personally? Was that important to you?

Gasol: "That's kind of my need regardless. I love to play. I love to play well, and obviously last year didn't finish well for me personally, and for us as a team. I have a great desire to get on the floor and perform at my highest level."

Q: Have you reflected at all on the Dallas series?

Gasol: "I didn't dwell into it too much, but obviously I analyzed. It wasn't so much about the Dallas series. They played a great playoffs, not just against us. They won a championship, and became champions for a reason. Unfortunately, we weren’t at our best at our particular time. We self-analyzed things, but that’s about it. Hopefully it was a needed experience for us in order for us to continue to work, and continue to try and be the best [team] again."

(Read full post)

The month itself will remain on the standardized calender -- even David Stern's power has limits-- but for the purposes of NBA games, November might as well be the 2011 "Charlies Angels" revamp. For that matter, the chances, however slight, for an 82 game season squeezed into the schedule like sardines in a can are now officially eliminated.

Second verse, same as the first. So goes the results of what's ultimately a fruitless week's worth of meetings in New York.

For the Lakers, the following games have been lost:

• Nov. 15 vs. Washington
• Nov. 17 vs. New York
• Nov. 22 @Memphis
• Nov. 23 @Oklahoma City
• Nov. 25 vs. Sacramento
• Nov. 29 vs. Minnesota

Obviously, the juiciest game on the docket is the one in OKC, although a date with the Grizzlies runs a very close second. Frankly, that's a fun, challenging, informative back-to-back down the porcelain. The first showdown against the Amare-'Melo Knicks is also intriguing... and also gone.

The remaining three opponents are fairly pedestrian. Nonetheless, after watching John Wall move at warp speed during the Drew-Goodman rematch, I'd love to see the Lakers' strategy for containing him. DeMarcus Cousins was absolutely destroyed during his rookie year battling Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol and, in one contest, Derrick Caracter(!). Will a year of NBA experience under his belt even up the score? Plus, there's that Jimmer fella the kids are so wild about. And Lamar Odom vs. Kevin Love was a fun, seesaw battle last year.

In other words, there's always at least one element worth watching an NBA game, regardless of the matchup.

Instead, we're left to watch press conferences where Stern, Adam Silver, Derek Fisher and Billy Hunter share tedious details of a middle seemingly impossible to meet at.

Are we having fun yet?

Last week, Mike Brown said he doesn't believe the Lakers need a change in identity to compete for a title this season. What exactly does that mean, and is he right?

We debate the topic with 710 ESPN's Dave Miller on the newest edition of The Forum.