Are the Lakers Rebuilding?

According to Lakers' GM Mitch Kupchak, the Lakers are pursuing "big deals" right now. I don't understand the logic because on one side of his neck he makes that statement, and on the other side of his neck he says this: "...that he expects the Lakers’ core of Bryant, Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum to be with the team all year..."

The Lakers intend to keep Bryant, Gasol, and Bynum all season long, but are still working on big deals? lol! Sorry, but I have to laugh because if the Lakers do intend to keep Bryant, Gasol, and Bynum; who else on their roster do they have to trade away in a "big deal"?

Has anyone, besides me, ever heard of the phrase: "he's talking out of the side of his neck?" Well, that is exactly what Mitch Kupchak is doing right now.

The Lakers dumped Lamar Odom in what is becoming clear to everyone as nothing more than a salary dump. Kobe Bryant is right to question the deal that send Odom to the Mavs, because the Lakers got nothing in return from the deal. All through Lakerville the question has to be asked: what the heck is going on?

With the new administration, it seems, in full power: Jim Buss is running this show, it might be an indication that the Lakers are simply blowing the team up. Think about it. Phil Jackson is gone. Daddy Buss is in the shadows. The power struggle between Jim and Jeanie Buss is over with Jim coming out on top. What are we to make of the Lakers right now?

Taking a look at the roster, and all we see is the Lakers' version of the big 3: Bryant, Gasol, and Bynum. Injury to anyone one of these players and the Lakers are looking like a middle of the pack team. And even with all three being healthy for the entire season; how far can they possibly go? Right now, against Dallas, it doesn't look too good. Dallas got rid of Chandler, but they still have 2 seven footers in Dirk Nowitzki and Brendon Haywood. Kind of like Gasol and Bynum. But the Mavs added Odom to their mix. Kind of like the Lakers used to have in their "big front line." That's, as Charles Barkley would say: very interesting. The versatile Odom, also, makes up for the Mavs loss of Caron Butler, with the Mavs adding Vince Carter, too?

All that to say what? What are the Lakers doing? What big deal is going to bring in the players to the Lakers that will match up with the defending champs the Dallas Mavericks? Dwight Howard? Dwight Howard and who else? Or better yet, how? Because if Howard does come to the Lakers, Gasol or Bynum are gone. Without Gasol or Bynum to trade away what else do the Lakers have trade away, except for Kobe Bryant?

Then signing Howard to a max extension would pretty much put the Lakers over the salary cap and well into the luxury tax. Again, what are the Lakers doing? Getting rid of Odom with nothing to show in return...could it be that without too much notice that the Lakers are simply rebuilding? If this is the case, Kobe Bryant is on the trading block, too.

With the new CBA and with Odom gone - a valuable trading piece - and with only the Lakers version of the big 3 to show: Bryant, Gasol, and Bynum...where is the wiggle room to do anything that brings the Lakers into contention for the upcoming season? Where is the future? Where is the logic? The logic in this scenario points to a rebuilding process because trading Odom without getting anything in return puts the Lakers in position to do what?

I wish I had more to write about the scenario, but, as I mentioned, I just don't see any wiggle room to do anything except to blow the team completely up and to rebuild.

Right now, it looks like the Clippers are better than the Lakers.

mike t.