Intensity/Scrappiness/Nastiness...

Whatever you want to call it, the biggest problem is that we just don't play very hard most of the time. It is visibly obvious for those 4-5 minutes per game when we play as hard as we can.

We don't have the mental makeup of a team that busts their arse at all times. I think part of this is the personality of some of our players. I also think it comes down to being tired - or even worse, being afraid of getting tired so "coasting" along until you feel like you need to try hard...too late

That maybe worked when we had more talent than anyone else...those times are passed.

The other reason is that maybe some of our players do get worn down due to playing too many minutes = lack of depth.

The solution...trade them both. Yeah, I said it - trade them both.

I'm not saying we should make these exact trades, but they do work salary wise and they would bring a whole lot of scrappiness to the team. They would also make us younger, more athletic, and a lot deeper.

Trade Bynum to Sac Town/Anaheim for DeMarcus Cousins/Tyreke Evans/Tyler Honeycutt
Trade Gasol and Blake to Chicago for Luol Deng/Taj Gibson/Ronnie Brewer

Evans/Sessions/Goudlock
Bryant/Brewer/Honeycutt
MWP/Deng (might not be back at beginning of season...be our scorer off of the bench)/Ebanks
Gibson/Odom (need to sign him on the cheap)/McRoberts
Cousins/Hill (need to re-sign him regardless)

***I for one do not buy into the get three superstars and hope for the best. You simply can't afford to pay everyone. They're already talking about having to get rid of Bosh, Harden, etc. Therefore, D-Will and Howard don't make any sense to me.

If hard work had everything to do with winning championships, those JVG Houston Rockets' squads would have won a chip.

You have to possess the right talent, chemistry, scheme, and a coach that knows what he's doing. We got to the 2nd round on talent pretty much. Without it, we wouldn't even make the playoffs. Chemistry, scheme, and the coaching need to be dramatically improved.

Off season trade ideas being discussed here:

http://www.clublakers.com/lakers-discussion/offseason-overhaul-discussion-who-keep-who-get-t134363.html