I like the Lakers’ chances next year. Bynum will be back, so the sometimes-timid Gasol will be less of a loss when he gets pushed off his game as he was by the Celtics.
With Odom presumably moved to the 3 to make room, that will push Walton down the bench behind Radmanovic and Ariza, and create fewer cringe-inducing times as his minutes have tended to be for me.
So just showing up next year, the Lakers will be so much better. What need to really improve in the offseason, though, are the individual defenses of the younger Lakers. Vujacic is trying, but he’s not there yet. Farmar needs to really buckle down. Turiaf still needs to learn to defend without fouling; 20 years ago he could have been an enforcer, but the league doesn’t let that stuff happen anymore.
Wait until next year.