Lakers need to look forward

It's over.

Yup. That's right. You heard me. The Los Angeles Lakers' run as a legitimate title contender is over.

Five years at or near the top in today's sports world is tantamount to a dynasty, and the Lakers took advantage -- winning three straight titles from 2000-2002. However, while the champagne flowed, the roster aged and now the Lakers face the prospect of having to build again, almost from the ground up.

One thing is for sure, whatever Lakers team steps onto the floor next November is going to look vastly different from the one we saw desperately trying to hang on for dear life this June.

The first thing that could put a major hiccup in L.A.'s status is Kobe Bryant's impending free agency. Kobe's official stance is that he would just like to test the market to see what it's like to be courted. That's like a married man going out on a few dates just so he can remember what the 'single life' was all about. Neither situation figures to work out well for anyone and don't be surprised to see Bryant stay in L.A. -- as a Clipper.

Karl Malone will most likely not be back, and even if he does return how much will it matter? At this stage in his career, he's not much more than a passing power forward who can occasionally hit a 17-footer. Is that what the Lakers need playing alongside Shaq? Not so much.

Pursuing Gary Payton was a gross misjudgment about how much ability he had left. After getting his behind handed to him by Tony Parker and Chauncey Billups, the player formerly known as "The Glove" should appreciate what he's accomplished and retire before he does any more damage to what used to be Hall of Fame credentials.

Rick Fox has hinted that he'll retire if Phil Jackson opts to do the same and Kobe doesn't return. He sounds like the only one with a square head on his shoulders right now, knowing that with Shaq's ever increasing age the emphasis will fall on "The Kid" and "The Zenmaster" to sustain any perennial championship hopes. He has struggled to return from his torn tendon on his left foot. He was once counted on to provide perimeter defense and a timely outside shot, now he doesn't even start and when he does play. Instead, he struggles to keep up with whoever he is guarding and rarely scores.

Which leads us to Head Coach Phil Jackson's future. The rumors are that he's going to continue coaching, but this season has been hard and his image has definitely taken a blow. Will that be enough to make him want to come back and chase that 10th ring? Lakers fans better hope so because there is no other coach who could handle the two-headed monster that is the Shaq and Kobe show.

However if Kobe leaves anyway, what will it matter?

For the first time since the ill-conceived Kurt Rambis era, the Lakers are in a state of flux. They still have the most dominant force from April to June in the middle. The question is can they find the proper compliments to pick up the slack when defenses sag to clog the middle and Kobe is contained?

Slava Medvedenko is a free agent. Goodbye, happy trails, sayonara, you don't have to go home, but you can't stay here.

Fox can't do it anymore, and Devean George never could.

Gary Payton? Derek Fisher should be running the show until he decides to retire after what has come to be called "0.4" referring to his last second game winning shot against the Spurs.

The key to the Lakers is looking forward -- as in "Small Forward" and "Power Forward." The players currently holding these spots are not adequate. Adding quality contributors to these spots will sustain the Lakers contender status, and needs to be a priority.

Oh yeah, and keeping Kobe in purple and gold wouldn't hurt either.