After the Lakers lost their third straight game last night in Cleveland, falling to 4-8 during Mike D'Antoni's stint as head coach, rumors began to swirl suggesting that the team was thinking about adding another point guard.
The Lakers have a full 15-man roster, including four point guards, but Steve Nash has missed most of the season with a leg injury, and Darius Morris, Chris Duhon, and Steve Blake haven't been productive in his place. One of those players could be let go to make room for a new point guard, though all three are on guaranteed deals. Robert Sacre and Darius Johnson-Odom are the two Lakers whose deals aren't fully guaranteed.
Delonte West is perhaps the top point guard on the free agent market, with Eddie House, Jonny Flynn, and Mike James among the other uninspiring options available. The Lakers' top trade target appears to be Jose Calderon, who seems like a good fit for D'Antoni's system, but the Raptors would reportedly like to package him in a bigger deal if they move him. Los Angeles doesn't exactly have an abundance of trade assets at its disposal, so it's hard to see how the club could land a player with Calderon's talent and salary without turning it into a bigger move anyway.
As Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com tweets, the Lakers are looking for a stopgap rather than a savior, with Nash on track to return in a couple weeks. On one hand, given Nash's timetable, it seems almost counter-productive to add a new point guard to the mix at this point, since by the time he gets familiar with the system, Nash should be ready to come back to the court. Conversely though, at age 38, there's no guarantee Nash will return on schedule and stay healthy for the remainder of the season, so an insurance policy could be crucial.
What do you think? How should the Lakers address their point guard problem? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section after submitting your vote.
Such a spoiled team/fanbase. They honestly can’t wait until a hall of famer comes back in two weeks?!