Although I love Derek Fisher, the Lakers desperately need an upgrade at point guard. And unless they get one, the twilight of Kobe Bryant's career will be mired in mediocrity.
The 37-year-old Fisher should be commended endlessly for helping to save the season (thank you, thank you, thank you), but let's not forget just how awful he was last year.
Of all point guards who appeared in at least 40 games, only six had a worse Player Efficiency Rating than Fisher. His P.E.R of 8.93 ranked behind guys like Carlos Arroyo, T.J. Ford and Earl Watson.
Simply put, if you can't outproduce somebody whose Wikipedia page is shorter than this article, you shouldn't be in the league anymore.
Fisher played 32.5 minutes per game in the 2011 playoffs because of his experience and Horry-esque mastery of crunch time. However, he spent most of his playing time getting his ancient ankles broken by Chris Paul and J.J. Barea.
The speedy point guards put on a dribble penetration clinic against the Lakers, exposing Fisher's weaknesses possession after possession.
The Lakers need to bring in a young, talented point guard to replace Fisher or this will continue to happen. Unfortunately for L.A., they don't have many options.
This year's crop of free agent point guards is just awful. Guys like, well, Carlos Arroyo, T.J. Ford and Earl Watson aren't exactly franchise saviors.
L.A. will have to be active in the trade market if they want to get someone of value. Sacrificing some of their size would hurt, but it would be worth it if it brought in Chris Paul or Deron Williams.
A deal for Dwight Howard would undoubtedly boost morale out in Hollywood, but it won't cure their sickness.
It doesn't matter what other roster changes the...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
