LA Lakers 2012 Postmortem Part III

We continue with Part III of our 2012 LA Lakers Postmortem by assessing the team's needs for next year:

We address the Lakers' team needs by looking at the top options they may be able to afford.

Shooters

Daniel Gibson

Not yet a free agent, but Cleveland has a team option for 4.7 million which they are unlikely to exercise. Cleveland is in a rebuilding phase and saving money is a priority. Rookie of the Year Kyrie Irving is commanding major minutes, so they are unlikely to commit close to $5 million for a backup guard. However, Gibson remains a pure shooter that the Lakers can get for $1 to $2 million per year when he is declared a free agent.

Eye Opener: Gibson has never shot below 38% from distance and played under Coach Mike Brown from 2006-2010.

Andrew Goudelock

The Lakers have a team option for Goudelock. He surprised Laker fans with his instant offense early in the season and shot 38% from the 3-point line. But he had too many problems defending opposing point guards and couldn't run the offense at the point.

Eye Opener: Goudelock's team option is worth an affordable $700,000. If he can improve his defense next year, the Lakers may use him at the 2 behind Kobe Bryant. The type of offense that he brings off the bench does not usually come cheaply, and a full training camp will only help him.

Top of the Class

Jason Terry is an unrestricted free agent this year -- and with Deron Williams also available -- it would be tough for Dallas to bring number 31 back. Terry, an annual Sixth Man candidate, is just what the Lakers need off the bench.

Although he's getting up there in age at 34, Terry is a veteran leader that can still score. Terry made $10.7 million last year and would command close to that as a free agent. His price tag may be too much for the Lakers without first freeing up cap space. Critics may claim Jamaal Crawford and J.R. Smith are the best free agents out there capable of igniting a second unit, but both of those guys lack the control and playoff experience that Jason Terry possesses.

Other Worthy Free Agent Guards

Goran Dragic: Capable of running an offense, above average passer
Jeremy Lin: Excellent in the pick-and-roll, makes getting to the rim look easy

Versatile Forwards

Nicolas Batum

Batum would be the X-factor for the Lakers, as he has great length, an excellent perimeter jumpshot, and is a premier defender capable of stopping the opposition's best player. Batum is a restricted free agent that could see upwards of $6 million per year, as the Blazers are almost guaranteed to match any other offers.

San Antonio appears to be the early front-runners to land Batum because of his defense and his friendship with fellow Frenchmen Tony Parker and Boris Diaw. The Lakers will need to sacrifice a lot to get Batum, but he has the skills they need. Their best chance to land Batum would be in a sign-and-trade.

Eye Opener: Batum set the Portland franchise record for most 3's in a game with 9 in 2012. He also had individual career highs in points per game, steals per game, blocks per game, and rebounds per game.

Ersan Ilyasova

I'm a bit skeptical of his surge this year because it happened during his contract year. Still, he was a monster on the boards and was a superb shooter from distance going 45% on the year. He gas a similar skillset to Nicolas Batum, but is a cut below defensively.

In addition, his build is more solid than Batum's, and he can play on the block which is a strength. Ersan made close to $3 million last year, but he should be able to land a multi-year deal worth about $5 million per. If the Lakers can make a trade to free up salary, they could take a stab at Ilyasova.

Eye Opener : Ilyasova played a total of 46 D-League games before making the Milwaukee Bucks roster.

Top of the Class

The Lakers were just a few minutes away from acquiring Michael Beasley at the deadline, according to the experts, but the deal fizzled. Beasley will now become a free agent, meaning the Lakers cannot afford to get in a bidding war for his services. Nevertheless, Beasley can still wind up a Laker via a sign and trade.

Other Worthy Free Agent Forwards

Chase Budinger: Underrated shooter and slasher
Jason Thompson: Solid rebounder

By Kareem J. Arnold
Contributing Writer for The Daily Sports Herald