As the season draws closer and closer, we see our Lakers become a tighter group of people, always there to support and help each other. This upcoming season will be one of the toughest for these Lakers, with the weight of expectation on their shoulders. A lot can be said about being an underdog, the advantage you have of having no pressure on you as nobody expects you to succeed. The Lakers were underdogs last season but this one they will be contenders; they will have to play knowing that anything besides a ring at the end of it all will be considered a downright disappointing and unsuccessful season.

There are many positives for the Lakers to look forward to this year, starting with these:

Training camp is the time for these players to adjust, time put work out how to put their improved skill set into a team set. For players like Sasha, they will see increased minutes and they will increase their shots per game. For players like Walton and Radmanovich, expect to see their minutes decrease but they should still provide off the bench, even if their contribution is limited.

There are also the rookies. For these players this will be a daunting time, playing with such players as Kobe and Gasol. These guys will have to work their asses of just to get into the team, if not they will either be assigned to the D-Fenders or let go. I’ve heard about one of our signings, Brandon Heath, studying Kobe and other superstars in preparation for training camp. While this man sounds dedicated, he will have to prove his worth, as will everyone else. This is their time to show who they are and what they can do, hopefully impressing Kupchack enough to give them a guaranteed contract.

We are all looking forward to this training camp as beyond it looms the preseason. This will be the first time we get to see Bynum back in action with Gasol and Odom starting alongside him. The critics seem to assume that this frontline will not function. While they might be right, there is no way to know for sure but there is one thing I can guarantee all Laker fans, Bynum and Gasol will be a deadly defensive force. What 6 foot guard is going to want to drive with these two blocking the lane? Who is going to make a ton of perimeter shots with Kobe and Odom/Ariza guarding the wings? Not many people will be having career games against the Lakers this year, that I can guarantee you.

There’s also the flexibility of the roster. This Laker team can go big, small, tall, short, fast, slow, veteran, young-guns and just about anything else you could think of. With such depth and flexibility Phil is going to have fun working round with this roster, something we should all enjoy. I can’t wait for the first game the Lakers utterly destroy a team.

Despite all the positives there are some negatives surrounding the Lakers:

Health. This seems to be a constant problem for us year in and year out, and seems to be an issue on every article previewing the Lakers this season, so why should mine be any different? If this team remains healthy all season long and plays defence, they will be in the Finals. Then there has to be an increase of about 100% in defensive intensity if they want to be champions.

The biggest concerns have to be Bynum and Kobe. If Bynum knee is a strong as he says it is then he should be there all season long, as long as there isn’t another foot to land on (take the hint Lamar). However, I think Bynum should maybe wear a brace if he feels his knee is a bit sore, but hopefully that doesn’t happen.

Then there is Kobe. We all know this guy is going to be there every game ready to give 150%, but his pinkie is a concern. Will he reinjure it? Hopefully he doesn’t get it caught in another jersey and destroy the scar tissue there that has somewhat repaired it. Still, we all know Kobe and I don’t think anybody expected him to get the surgery if he was going to be out 12 weeks. Lucky for Kobe it’s a pinkie, and not an ankle or knee.

Contracts. Next season this will be a HUGE issue for the Lakers, but for this season there is the question of whether or not to extend Bynum now or later. If we sign him to an extension this season it would make dealing with Lamar’s contract, and possibly Kobe’s, much easier. Not to mention Ariza and Mihm, if he shows anything this season that would warrant retaining his services. Signing Bynum is a big risk, but it can have big returns. It’s not your typical blue-chip investment. No, this is like buying shares in BHB Billiton before it starting exporting uranium to China. It’s a big risk, but the reward can be so huge you would have to strongly consider it. In my opinion, it is best to see how Bynum performs in training camp and if he looks dominant, then give him the contract. First offer should be 65-75mil a year over 5 years, giving him either 13 or 15mil a season, nothing to complain about in my opinion.

Rotation. This is not really a negative, more of a lingering question. How does Phil work out the roster? Does Lamar come off the bench or does he start? I think that Phil will start with the big 3 (literally) of Bynum, Gasol and Odom. If it doesn’t work out, then Odom coming off the bench could be one of the best thing that could happen. Imagine Odom spending most of his PT against the opposition after they have been tired out by the first unit. This will allow him to take it to the basket more often and facilitate the offence on the 2nd unit. I don’t know about you guys, but Odom could easily win the 6th man award, yes even winning it over Ginobili.

Despite these issues, these Lakers look poised to snatch the championship trophy out of the Celtics hands and bring it back home where it belongs. Nine months from now I can picture thousand of people packed in Figueroa street cheering on their team as they are crowned World Champions, and the start of a Dynasty is born.