The Oklahoma City Thunder's victory over the Los Angeles Lakers didn't just eliminate LA from the Western Conference Playoffs. It might have closed the curtain on one of the most dominant runs the NBA has seen in decades.
Throughout the season, there was no doubt that the Lakers were a team bound for the postseason. Whether they were a legitimate championship contender is a horse of a different color. Sure they had Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum (when he actually showed up), but who else? Once upon a time, you could've fired off 4 or 5 other names to pair up with those 3 players to make a convincing arguement and most likely you would be right. But this year's team had guys that just didn't fit the Lakers mold. Josh McRoberts? Devin Ebanks? Jordan Hill? In the past these guys would see garbage time but this season and postseason they saw some decent playing time. This isn't a big deal if we were talking about the Charlotte Bobcats or Washington Wizards. But we're talking about the Lakers. Not the Nets. Not the Suns. Not the Hornets. You know where I'm getting at with my Iverson-esque rantings. The fact is the personnel surrounding Kobe, Bynum and Gasol is simply not good enough to compete for a NBA title. So the logical solution would be to get better players, right? Well....
According to hoopshype.com, the Los Angeles Lakers have the 3rd highest payroll in the league, behind the Orlando Magic (2nd) and Boston Celtics (1st). So no problem, right? All they have to do is shed some salary and get better players, right? Not exacty. The Celtics have Kevin Garnett ($21.2M),Ray Allen ($10M), and Jermaine O'Neal ($6.2M) coming off the books and with Dwight Howard all but gone this coming offseason, Boston and Orlando will be able to shed enough salary to move on or start over. The Lakers boast a $86.3M payroll, with $66.1M invested in Kobe ($25.2M), Gasol ($18.7M), Bynum ($15.1M) and Metta World Peace ($6.8M) with Bryant being almost untouchable and World Peace damn near untradeable. Which leaves Gasol and Bynum as the only assets that could net a big ticket player to Hollywood. The question is for who? They missed out on Chris Paul and the likelihood of a Dwight Howard for Andrew Bynum trade is great but it wouldn't be the cure-all solution for LA. The payroll problem would still be there considering Howard is making about $2M more than Bynum so Gasol must be the guy they must move to improve the roster, right? Given how he was part of the proposed deal for CP3 he could help net LA a big time player, right? Absolutely! If there's a GM out there that lives under a rock and didn't watch Gasol's down season and brain locked playoffs then the Lakers will make off like bandits. Since that's not the case, the actual market for the 7'0" Spaniard will be limited due to his performance this season and his contract, which will be difficult to move and even if they find a suitor they will have to eat a portion of his salary. The new CBA will make life hell for the Lakers front office to make such a move AND get equal value for Gasol, so they will have to be creative. As for Metta World Peace? Would you want him on your team? Didn't think so.
Which brings us to Kobe Bean Bryant, arguably the greatest Laker behind Ervin "Magic" Johnson. His accolades, killer instinct and drive to be the best has drawn more comparisons to Michael Jordan than any other player since MJ's retirement. The comparisons have been more so given the current trend of superstars joining forces on one team. However, there is a very real possibility that he might have seen the last of the Black Mamba in purple and gold. Though it seems far fetched and a little overreactive, Kobe leaving Tinseltown can happen if the front office fails to surround him with enough talent to pursue his 6th NBA title. His drive (and ego) is such that he simply will not allow himself to be in a situation where his skills are diminished and the team is not a title contender. Say what you will about Bryant, he is a smart man. He is also a winner. Kobe Bryant favors a ring over club loyalty even though he's only played for one team, but don't forget he almost demanded a trade to the Bulls a few years ago so who's to say he won't demand a trade again and push management to the point where they have no choice but to deal a disgruntled superstar. I know in hindsight this sounds like a horrible plan and pure fiction. Why would the Lakers trade a future Hall of Fame player whose number will be hung from the rafters of the Staples Center when he decides to hang 'em up for good? Have you seen Kobe when he's unhappy? How much can one take before they stop seeing Kobe Bryant as the franchise player and start making calls to see who would want to take this headache off of their hands? If Kobe decides to take that route and demand a trade out of LA, it would be a crushing blow for the franchise and could possibly make the Lakers the basketball version of the Oakland Raiders. Both have a rich history of winning until they start to decline and can't find a way to transition into the next decade. It would be a sad sight to watch a prestigious franchise fall apart and never recover. However that is what happens when a legend leaves.
The bottom line is this: Nobody will feel sorry for the Lakers other than their fans. Everyone likes a winner, but nobody likes a show off. Since 1948, they have made it to the Finals and have won at least one title in every decade except in the 60's and 90's. Needless to say, they have had their fair share of success. The window has closed on the Lakers as far as another championship in the Kobe Bryant era in my opinion. This can only be a good thing as teams like OKC can get the attention they deserve as the top team in the Western Conference while up and coming teams like the Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves (my pick to make the playoffs next year) and most of all the Los Angeles Clippers. Losing the Lakers as a cash cow for the league will hurt, but the rise of the Clippers and the marketability of Blake Griffin will soften the blow from a business standpoint.
Change is good. Change is also a double-edged sword. Time will tell which side of the blade the Los Angeles Lakers will be on.
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