Lakers: Why LA Needs Ariza and As Much As Ariza Needs LA

It has been all smiles and parties for LA Lakers fans and players since the team won their 15th championship. But now, 18 days later, the party is coming to a halt, and for a few key Lakers, the party might be over altogether. There are some pretty big question marks on this particular LA team, namely Kobe Bryant, Lamar Odom, Trevor Ariza, and Phil Jackson. Obviously, Bryant’s name looms large on that list. Bryant had the opportunity to opt out of his contract at the end of this season. However Lakers fans everywhere can now breathe easy about Kobe. ESPN has recently reported that Bryant would not opt out of his contract and was expected to sign a three-year extension which would keep him with the Lakers for the next five years. So that's one big name down, three more to go. Phil Jackson is as responsible for the Lakers' success as any player, perhaps more so. His Zen Master techniques may not be orthodox (Kobe Bryant has stated that Jackson told the team before a game to be like ... (link)