Magic Johnson called for the team to be blown up after they were swept by the Dallas Mavericks last year, but this year, it's for real. Everyone on the team, with the exception of Kobe Bryant, is on the trade block, especially the Lakers' role players, since they weren't playing much of a role in the post-season at all.
Ramon Sessions is the first big role player to look at.
Sessions was acquired from the Cleveland Cavaliers, and at first, all seemed well with him. Then, in the playoffs, he seemed to completely fade away, like a little kid playing with his older cousins. His averages remained fairly the same, but the difference was his ability to create shots for his teammates.
He was no longer finding them where they were open, and Kobe once again found himself working really hard to get his shots. This can't happen.
Ramon Sessions will likely remain a Laker, because he's young and showed up big in the last game against the Thunder, but he needs some serious grooming. When Sessions was picked up, GM Mitch Kupchak said, via Baxter Holmes of The Los Angeles Times, "In terms of the draft picks, I don’t think we could’ve found a Ramon Sessions if he were available in the 20s this year in the draft." After looking closely at the draft, I tend to agree.
So what will the Lakers do with the rest of their role players?
Devin Ebanks, Matt Barnes, Darius Morris and Troy Murphy are all free agents this season. The Lakers could toy with re-signing Ebanks and Barnes, but Murphy is definitely out. The Lakers brought him in for his size and spot up shooting ability. They were lucky if he scored at all.
Barnes started playing well alongside Sessions, but when Sessions disappeared, so did Barnes. He was playing for $1.9 million last year and is worth a bit under that, i...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
