2007–08 Los Angeles Lakers season

NBA season

team = Los Angeles Lakers
end_year = 2008
wins = 57
losses = 25
division = pacific
division_place = 1
conf_place = 1
coach = Phil Jackson
arena = Staples Center
playoffs = NBA Finals
(lost 2–4)
bbr_team = LAL

The 2007-08 Los Angeles Lakers season was the 62nd season of the franchise, 60th in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and 48th in Los Angeles. The team celebrated their 60th anniversary, thus the Laker jerseys bore the 60th anniversary patches on the leftmost part. They finished the regular season with 57 wins, finishing with the most wins in the tightest conference race in NBA history. The Lakers clinched the top seed in the playoffs for the 29th time in franchise history. This 15 game turnaround from last season as been attributed to the progress of the teams bench players and the mid-season trade for Pau Gasol. The Lakers sold out all 41 home games for the season. After 12 seasons in the NBA, Kobe Bryant was named the 2008 NBA Most Valuable Player for the first time in his career. The Lakers post season ended losing the NBA Finals to the Boston Celtics in 6 games.

Roster changes

Injuries and surgeries

Following the 2006-07 NBA Season, their offseason was marred with surgeries to their two key players. The first of which was Lamar Odom having shoulder surgery which made him miss the first five games of the 2007-08 NBA Season. Another was Kwame Brown having shoulder surgery also.

ignings

The Laker's first signing was their first round draft pick Javaris Crittenton. Then the Lakers resigned Luke Walton to a six year contract extension worth $30 million. [ [http://www.thestar.com/Sports/article/235609 TheStar.com | Sports | Lakers re-sign Walton ] ] Chris Mihm also signed a new contract for 2 years despite missing the entire previous season after having surgery on his right ankle. Walton was a key player last season while Mihm was sidelined for the whole season.

The most notable signing of the Lakers offseason was the signing of past hero, Derek Fisher, to a three year deal worth approximately $14 million. [ [http://www.pe.com/sports/basketball/breakout/stories/PE_Sports_Local_D_lakers_12.412003a.html Derek Fisher agrees to a 3-year contract to rejoin the Lakers | Sports | Basketball | PE.com | Southern California News | News for Inland Southern California ] ] Fisher was released from the Utah Jazz at his request during the offseason so his family can move to a city that has better treatment for his daughter, who was diagnosed with retinoblastoma. The Lakers signed him in order to add stability at the point and they needed a player who was well versed in the triangle offense. The Lakers were also hoping that signing a former veteran of the Lakers would ease Bryant's demand to be traded.

Andrew Bynum and Jordan Farmar had their 4th year and 3rd year contracts extended respectively. This kept each player with the team for at least one more year.

DJ Mbenga and rookie Coby Karl were also signed with the team to fill roster spots. Coby Karl, the son of Nuggets coach George Karl switched between the NBDL and Lakers roster throughout the season. During midseason injuries plagued the team and Ira Newble was signed to a 10 day contract. After this he signed a contract for the rest of the season.

Trades

Early in the season the Lakers traded Maurice Evans and under achieving power forward Brian Cook for forward Trevor Ariza. Ariza would average 6.5 points per game averaging only 18 mintues per game. [ [http://www.nba.com/playerfile/trevor_ariza/career_stats.html NBA.com : Trevor Ariza Career Stats Page ] ] Ariza broke his foot in practice on January 20 and missed the rest of the regular season. He returned to the Lakers on May 23rd. [ [http://www.dailynews.com/ci_9366895?source=rss Lakers Notebook: Ariza back after 4 months away - LA Daily News ] ]

After Andrew Bynum was injured for the rest of the season, they Lakers needed help in the front court before they risked falling out of contention in the playoff race. In February, the Lakers traded Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittenton, Marc Gasol, Aaron McKie (who was resigned specifically for the trade), the draft rights to Marc Gasol, two 1st round draft picks in 2008 and 2010 and cash for Pau Gasol and a second round draft pick in 2010. Many consider the Lakers the major benefactor of the trade. [ [http://www.sportsline.com/columns/story/10634703 League feels the Pau - but what would Popovich have done? - CBSSports.com ] ] [ [http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_9288949 NBA Playoffs: Gasol - 'One of the greatest trades ever' - Salt Lake Tribune ] ] The trade became an immediate success with the Lakers who went 22–5 with Gasol in the lineup.

Departures

The most notable departure was last year's starting point guard Smush Parker to the Miami Heat. Aaron McKie left the Lakers and became a voluntary coach for the 76ers. After spending one year with the Lakers Shammond Williams left via free agency to play for the Pamesa Valencia of the ACB.

Draft picks

Los Angeles had three selections for the 2007 NBA Draft. With their first round pick, the Lakers selected Georgia Tech freshman point guard Javaris Crittenton. With their second pick coming from the Bobcats, the Lakers selected the 6 foot 9 inch Chinese player Sun Yue. And with their final pick the Lakers selected Pau Gasol's younger brother, Marc. Marc Gasol and Crittenton were both traded midseason for Pau Gasol. Sun Yue spent the entire 2007-08 season playing in the ABA and China national basketball team and didn't play a game in the NBA.

*Total for entire season including previous team(s)

Playoffs

valign="top"

Trivia

*Three members of the Lakers roster were second-generation players: Kobe Bryant (son of Joe "Jellybean" Bryant), Luke Walton (son of Bill Walton), and Coby Karl (son of George Karl).
*Of all 82 games played, Kobe Bryant led his team in scoring 66 times (including a two-way tie) .

References

ee also

*2007-08 NBA season

External links