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Ask the NBA expert: Ira Winderman |
Do you have a burning question about your favorite team or player? Submit it now, and then check back for our reader mailbag on the 1st and 15th of each month. |  |
Q: What kind of player is most important for the Lakers to add next season?
— Mohammed Asif Shah Khan, Hyderabad, India.
A: What the Lakers need more than anything is some size up front.
That doesn't necessarily mean a center although every team would like to have a talented center, and that's especially true of the Lakers ever since they traded away Shaquille O'Neal.
What I think the Lakers need is a big forward who is going to do a lot of the dirty work down low -- things like get tough rebounds and play good defense.
It would be an added bonus if this big man could also step outside and make the 16-to-18 foot jump shot.
The Lakers need someone to be physical around the basket as they looked like a very soft team this past season.
It didn't help that Vlade Divac was injured, but the Lakers' front line was just not up to NBA standards.
They need a player like Carlos Boozer was before he got the big money.
There was trade talk during the season about the Lakers possibly dealing for Boozer and that trade talk picked up traction because Boozer was the ideal kind of player L.A. needed.
This summer I wouldn't be surprised if trade talk about Boozer leaving Utah and coming to the Lakers resurfaces.
Q: Do you think the Jazz will make the playoffs next year?
— Leon Perkins, Salt Lake City, Utah.
A: The Jazz finished last in the Northwest Division and next to last in the Western Conference.
Their record was 26-56 and that put them 19 games out of the final playoff spot in the conference which went to Memphis with a 45-37 record.
For Utah to make the playoffs next season, it would mean the Jazz would have to make a huge jump with so many teams to climb over.
There's no question that the injury to Andrei Kirilenko was a setback for Utah.
Also injured was Carlos Boozer and Carlos Arroyo was hurt early in the season.
Arroyo did come back but he never came close to approaching his production of two seasons ago for Utah.
Unless Utah makes some kind of a trade to bring in a couple of top players which is much easier said than done or gets incredibly lucky in the draft, I don't see the Jazz making the playoffs next season.
Last summer they spent significant free-agent money on Boozer and Mehmet Okur so I can't imagine they would have a lot of dollars left to add any more key players through free agency this offseason.
Q: Do you see the Toronto Raptors getting into the playoffs next year with an improved supporting cast around Chris Bosh?
—Janet, London, Ontario.
A: It depends what kind of players would be in such an improved supporting cast.
The Raptors' roster at present is not playoff caliber.
I think Toronto has some room for improvement if it can get point guard Rafer Alston to play a bit more under control.
Alston was signed to a long-term contract last offseason after he averaged career highs in points, rebounds, assists and minutes in Miami.
The Raptors took a terrible hit in trading Vince Carter to the Nets as they didn't get anything of real value in return.
And the gamble to take center Rafael Araujo of Brigham Young with the No. 8 overall pick in last June's draft backfired.
Bosh is getting better but he is just not surrounded by a lot of talent.
Toronto finished with a 33-49 record, putting it nine games behind New Jersey which secured the final Eastern Conference playoff spot.
The Raptors could improve next season, but I don't feel they'll be able to better themselves enough that they make the playoffs.
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