
Originally Posted by
GailGoodrich
Implicit in the question is the idea that building a pro-basketball bench is like building a house. It's not. When you build a house all the variables are known: you just have to purchase the right parts and assemble them correctly.
Bench players, like starters, are often a gamble. Are they good, but currently in the wrong system? Did they play their heart out in a contract year, and now that they're getting paid they don't really care any more? What about injuries -- are they telling you what's wrong with them, or hiding injuries to keep from being cut?
There's no science to building a bench. You bring players in that you think will help, and if they help you keep them. If not, you send them packing. The Lakers brought in an almost entirely new bench two years ago, and unfortunately almost nobody from that group proved to have staying power. So now we're onto the next group.
If the Lakers starters click when they're all healthy, I suspect the Lakers bench will suddenly look a whole lot better. If Jamison proves to be more consistent, if Meeks' streaks even out, and if Hill learns how to harness his bounce in spot minutes, suddenly the Lakers may be looking very strong through nine deep with Blake. Until the Lakers starters take control of the team, however, the bench is almost certainly going to look weak.