Even at age 37, Ray Allen â€" if healthy â€" would look great as a Laker in 2012-13.
But he'd also look good with San Antonio, or Miami, or even with the Clippers if they can't retain Nick Young.
Ray Allen, if healthy, would look good in Lakers uniform in 2012-13. He would also be a good fit in San Antonio, Miami or with the Clippers, should they fail to retain Nick Young. Click on the photo for some Lakers franchise fixers, big and small.
PHOTO BY ELISE AMENDOLA, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS;, TEXT BY EARL BLOOM, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
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Allen, the NBA's all-time three-point shooter, is having a hard time in the playoffs because of bone spurs in his right ankle. He's too much of a gamer to come out of the lineup, although he's killing the price of his next contract, which won't come in Boston.
He'll command considerably less than the $10 million he earned this season, and the cap-strapped Lakers should take a look.
Yes, I realize Allen and Kobe Bryant have a history; so did Bryant and Ron Artest/Metta World Piece, but that hasn't been an issue since the latter joined the Lakers.
And Lakers fans, some of whom despise all things Boston, should recall how they embraced ex-Celtics Rick Fox and Brian Shaw when they helped their team win titles. And that Bill Sharman was elected to the basketball Hall of Fame, first as a Celtics (and USC) player, and the second time as a coach who guided the Lakers to their first L.A. title and NBA-record 33-game winning streak.
Removal of the bone spurs should have Allen back in form as a shooter next season. He would be a great fit as a 20-minute-per-night player, some of it giving Bryant a needed rest, some of it giving the Lakers a reliable option shooting from the corner.
Who would you rather have hoisting open three-pointers with Bryant or Andrew Bynum doubled, Allen or Matt Barnes or World Peace? Be honest.
Allen Iverson might be able to do the same thing, although he's more of a scorer than three-point shooter, but there seems to be too much baggage there or it would've happened already. The Lakers already have enough distractions just being the Lakers, and fair or not, AI likely won't be a Laker.
Count on GM Mitch Kupchak to make good basketball decisions for next season, but you'd better hope they are for the Lakers, and that Kupchak is not stolen away by a GM-hungry team such as Portland or Orlando.
Signing Ray Allen wouldn't disrupt the Lakers nucleus, which some are in a hurry to break up. Click on the photo of the Celtics star for a look at options, big and small, that could help the Lakers contend in the few remaining seasons of the Kobe Bryant Era.
The moves I suggest include retaining, and rethinking the use of, several of the Lakers' younger players â€" so don't assume this is just all about bringing in fading stars, although the fits of Steven Jackson and Boris Diaw in San Antonio prove that can be done when done well.
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