Bottom line: Kobe with KG and other solid role players and a deep bench will move the lakers into the top contendors of the Western Conference

with these three things, i think LA will simply win it.
they have the best trade assets compared to the other frontrunners – the BULLS.

get KG, james. craig smith and MarkMadsen

give out Odom, Kwame, Vlade, Cook and a Pick

madsen and turiaf will be the NBA’s version of WWF’s
“the bushwhackers”

but seriously, james can back up smush at PG,
kobe and vujacic at SG,
walton signed at 5m with evans at SF,
KG and Turiaf at PF,
Bynum and Mihm at center.

The who is available argument is good. with you 100%.

Best case Grant comes in and gives them a Ron Harper type of role. Just makes me happy to think of him sitting down in that corner waiting for a wide open three and knocking it down time after time.
Worst case he is a defensive liability and has yet another injury and the lakers blow their mid level exception (I’m thinking Aaron McKie). If the lakers can get him for a mid level price – it couldn’t be a worse use of money than say, Radmanovic or Aaron McKie.

I am wrong, Matt is smart and right. Go get Grant and KG.

In the triangle, several guys can bring the ball up the court, and the system and good ball movement by all players create the offensive opportunities. All the “point guard” in the triangle has to do is:
A) Make good decisions with the ball (not create with the ball, just decide whether to pass it left or right or take a shot)
B) Hit jumpers or drive to the hoop when open, and
C) Play a little defense.

Grant Hill can definitely do A and B. As far as defense goes, as a shooting guard/small forward, Grant is a decent defender, but superior athletes (like Kobe, McGrady, etc.) can take advantage of him. At the point, his length (6’7″ with long arms) would enable him to overcome his athletic limitations and be an adequate defender against most other points; he would probably only struggle against small, lightning-quick players. He would undoubtedly be an upgrade from the “S brigade” (Smush, Sasha and Shammond). Also, Jordan Farmar has shown flashes of becoming a very good defender.

Grant brings several things to the table:
1) At the point, he would fulfill Phil’s desire for a big guard (keep in mind that if the whole Scottie Pippen comeback thing actually happens, Phil would be playing him at the point)
2) Loads of veteran experience and leadership, something the Lakers are SORELY lacking
3) Hunger; great players in their 30′s only care about winning
4) A bridge to the future; Farmar is developing nicely, you could start Grant at the point, but also use him to back up Kobe and Luke at the other wing positions and bring Farmar in off the bench, and also use Farmar to help limit Grant’s minutes to 25-30 a game, keeping him from wearing down before the playoffs; and
5) Most importantly, he could take over the role of facilitator in the triangle; they tried using Lamar to do it early this season and he flopped, so they had to move Kobe back into that role; with Grant on board he could take on the role of facilitator and let Kobe attack more, like we’ve seen the last few games.

I know this is a long post, but there’s one more important factor to consider — who’s available.

In my trade scenario (comment #14 above), the Lakers would be giving up all of their trade assets to get Garnett, so the only way to acquire a point guard is with their mid-level in free agency.

You know who’s available in free agency this summer? Chauncey Billups and Mike Bibby can both opt out of their deals, and Mo Williams from the Bucks and Steve Blake from the Nuggets. And that’s pretty much it for point guards.

Billups would be PERFECT for the Lakers. But he’s coming off a mid-level contract with the Pistons, and because he’ll be 31 this summer, this is his last chance to get a big deal, and because he plays for a contender and has already won, he’s not as likely to sacrifice money for a chance to play for the Lakers. There is virtually no chance of getting him without a trade.

Bibby would be a good fit for the Lakers, but has two years left on a big contract, so there’s a pretty good chance he won’t opt out. The only way he does is if he decides to give up about $20 million for a chance to win. I don’t see that happening. He can play out his deal and sign with a contender in two years (when he’ll still only be 31).

That leaves Mo Williams and Steve Blake. Blake is essentially a backup, and a terrible fit in the Lakers’ system. Williams is a good young player, and getting better, but he’s a more traditional point (and not a very good 3-point shooter, by the way) and probably wouldn’t be a great fit for the Lakers either.

So in free agency, it boils down to hit the lottery with Billups or Bibby (not likely), or choose between Grant and Mo.

I’ll take Grant.