Calls for the Lakers' dismantling were voiced by many, particularly Magic Johnson, after the Lakers were swept from the 2011 playoffs in the second round by the Dallas Mavericks.
The "blow up" never happened, and Lakers management gave this core one more shot at a championship run.
But a first-round exit at the hands of the superstar-less Denver Nuggets just might be the nail in the coffin for this Lakers team.
Lakers management is pressed to make big changes to the Lakers payroll, with more punitive luxury tax penalties looming under the NBA's new collective bargaining agreement set to start in 2013.
And Kupchak's trigger finger is always ready, as evidenced by the blockbuster Pau Gasol-Lamar Odom trade for Chris Paul to start the season.
Should the Lakers come out flat Saturday night and lose the do-or-die Game 7, consider Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum and anyone else not named Kobe Bryant gone.
Lakers management will not tolerate uninspired performances from their pricey payroll, especially when Gasol and Bynum have 19 million and 15 million reasons, respectively, to play with passion and play to win.
And the wrath of the Buss family will carry on down the line, all the way down to Mr. Christian Eyenga and his final roster spot.
The Lakers aren't just fighting for a place in the second round come Saturday night—they're fighting for their jobs.
We knew a roster overhaul was likely inevitable given the league's new labor framework, but who among us knew it might come so soon?
A tough first-round test versus the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2010 playoffs propelled the Lakers to an epic back-to-back championship run. Depending...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
