Hypothetical Scenario..

Let's assume the Lakers trade Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum plus Devin Ebanks and a first round pick plus 2 second round picks for Dwight Howard.

In a second trade they get Chris Paul for Pau Gasol, Darius Morris, Steve Blake and a first round pick.

That would leave them with this core roster for 2011-12:

PG Chris Paul, Derrick Fisher
SG Kobe Bryant, Shannon Brown, Andrew Goudelock
SF Ron Artest, Matt Barnes, Luke Walton
PF Derrick Caracter, Ater Majok
C Dwight Howard

Would this team be good enough to win a championship instantly with Mike Brown as head coach?

I think this team would be deadly and while this will pretty much not happen, I think there is a chance that it could.

The Lakers are unhappy with Gasol, Bynum is often injured and both Dwight Howard and Chris Paul have made it clear that they want to play for a contender rather than in Orlando/ New Orleans.

The Lakers have excellent assets to trade for these guys, probably better assets than every other team. We want Chris Paul, but we don't have anything as good to offer as the Lakers, we could offer Fields, Douglas, Walker...all bench guys, but the Lakers could offer Gasol, a backup PG in Steve Blake and draft picks.

In a second deal they could ship a very good center in Bynum (who's even younger than Howard) and the reigning 6th man of the year plus a young forward with potential in Ebanks and draft picks to Orlando for Dwight, the Magic would get a good center in return and a good power forward (a huge upgrade over Bass).

Both teams, Orlando and New Orleans look like they might have to deal their franchise players in February or risk losing them for nothing via free agency. Then again, the Lakers have the best assets, much better assets than us and other contenders like Miami or Chicago won't break up their roster.

So let's assume the deals go through and the roster stands as decribed above, I think a starting 5 of: Paul, Bryant, Artest, Caracter, Howard would be more than good enough to win it all. A much better team than Miami, because they got the best point guard in the league and the best center in the league, plus the second best shooting guard of all time (on his last legs) and a good defender (has lost a step, but still elite) in Artest.

Mike Brown is a decent coach aswell.

For some reason, I actually hope this happens should we not be able to get either Paul or Howard. I'd rather see a new Lakers dynasty with Paul and Dwight than Lebitch and his Miami shit winning one trophy!
 

InGodsHands

Benchwarmer
Without Odom Lakers would have no bench. And Caracter? lol he played Mbenga-type of minutes and suddenly you put him in starting 5? I don't see that work,sorry.
 
Without Odom Lakers would have no bench. And Caracter? lol he played Mbenga-type of minutes and suddenly you put him in starting 5? I don't see that work,sorry.

He would have to start, because the only forwards left are him and rookie Majok. I know that he's a scrub, but they don't have cap space to sign anybody decent and come on, it's not that much of an issue, with Dwight at center all your power forward has to do is play solid team defense and grab a few boards when Dwight gets his 8 minutes of rest a game.
Also a backcourt of CP3 and Kobe would destroy any backcourt in the league, we're talking about the best point guard of his generation and the second best shooting guard ever.

And the bench is not that much of an issue during the playoffs, CP3 something like 40 mpg, thesame for D12, Kobe has good backups in Shannon Brown and Matt Barnes, the same goes for Artest, who can be replaced by veterans Barnes and Walton.

With Dwight Howard, Chris Paul and Kobe Bryant on your team you need no bench and no star power forward.
 
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