by E.P. Ventura

Created on: October 28, 2009   Last Updated: October 30, 2009

The Los Angeles Lakers have always been an organization with many story lines. Even after winning the 2009 NBA championship over the Orlando Magic in 5 games, there was no shortage of news from the league's flagship franchise. They are an ever intriguing stew of Hollywood and the sports world, for better or worse. Even with all that surrounds the organization, they are favored to win another championship in 2010.

KOBE & PAU, WHAT DID YOU DO THIS SUMMER?

The cornerstones of the Laker attack had surprisingly different summers. The league's most skilled player had a quiet off-season. That's saying something, since most of Kobe Bryant's off-seasons have been tumultuous by any standard. From the Lakers perspective, there is nothing wrong with a quiet off-season for a franchise player that's going on his 13th year. Still, Kobe Bryant managed to get out and learn some moves in the post from Hakeem Olajuwon, the former Houston Rockets center known for his array of moves in the post. Look to see if he's added these moves to his seemingly vast repertoire.

By contrast, Pau Gasol had a very eventful summer by basketball standards A broken finger on the way to winning a Eurobasket championship and the MVP for that tournament probably has Pau feeling both good and tired. Winning does wonders for stamina. However, Phil Jackson is not one to take rest lightly. As of this writing, Pau will likely not play in the season opener and will likely get lots of rest early in the season.

ADDITION, SUBTRACTION, TITLE MULTIPLICATION

The Lakers roster saw some significant changes over the summer. Shannon Brown, Trevor Ariza, and Lamar Odom were players integral to the championship run. All became unrestricted free agents after the end of the season. Of the 3, only Trevor Ariza's services were not retained, though the Lakers did not come away empty handed. In what was essentially a 'trade', Trevor Ariza signed with the Rockets, while the now former Rocket small forward, Ron Artest, signed with the Lakers for significantly less than what his market value was.

What does Ron Artest add that Trevor Ariza didn't? Where Trevor was lean, lithe, and long, Ron is rugged, imposing, and strong. Ron Artest has a reputation for being one of the league's premier defenders. His ability to defend larger small forwards such as Lebron James, Carmelo Anthony, and Paul Pierce plugs a significant hole in the Lakers defense. Additionally, his versatility on defense will reduce the wear-and-tear on Kobe

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