One of the names linked to the team is Delonte West. For both parties' sake, the embattled guard should never wear the purple and gold this season.
According to a report from ESPN's Marc Stein and the Los Angeles Times, West is one of the main names the team continues to discuss during this tumultuous part of the season.
Money is no issue here. The Lakers have the pocketbook to absorb any kind of league penalty, and the need for another point guard is there, with Darius Morris and Chris Duhon not being exactly the kind of weaponry Mike D'Antoni figured he'd be working with.
The problem with West—and it's been this way for quite some time—is his impact on the locker room.
L.A. is already struggling with team chemistry. Adding players in the offseason, firing a head coach and adding another with a completely different philosophy will do that to a team. Bleacher Report's own Ethan Norof noted much of the same in his following of the team.
#Lakers look like a team that is searching for an identity, don't communicate & haven't played w/ each other. Chemistry built, not bought.
— Ethan Norof (@Mr_Norof) December 10, 2012 That being the case, West isn't the right guy to bring in for this current squad.
Sure, his impact on the court could far outweigh any potential problems he would have outside of the game. But over the course of the last three years, he's proved to be a problem for teams on the character side of the game—whether or not he got a fair shake.
He was arrested on a felony weapons charge in 2009, leading to his exit from the Cleveland Cavaliers. Rumors of a relationship with LeBron James' mother also floated around during his time...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
