32-year old Ron Artest is nowhere near the player he used to be.  He played in 82 games (all starts) for the Lakers last year and he averaged 29.4 minutes, 8.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.5 steals per game.  Artest has now played in 763 games (721 starts) in his NBA career and he is averaging 34.1 minutes, 14.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.9 steals per game.  31-year old Matt Barnes will likely get more P.T. in 2011-12 for the Lakers.  He played in 53 games (0 starts) for the Lakers last year and he averaged 19.2 minutes, 6.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game.  Barnes has now played in 497 games (162 starts) in his NBA career and he is averaging 21.1 minutes, 7.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game.  22-year old Devin Ebanks is likely #3 in line at small forward for the Lakers.  He played in 20 games (0 starts) as a rookie for the Lakers last year and he averaged 5.9 minutes, 3.1 points, 1.4 rebounds and 0.1 assists per game.  31-year old Luke Walton appears to be on the way out for the Lakers.  He played in 54 games (0 starts) for the Lakers last year and he averaged 9.0 minutes, 1.7 points, 1.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game.  Walton has now played in 484 games (138 starts) in his NBA career and he is averaging 17.5 minutes, 5.0 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game.

33-year old shooting guard Kobe Bryant is still a force for the Lakers.  He played in 82 games (all starts) for the Lakers last year and he averaged 33.9 minutes, 25.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.2 steals per game.  Bryant has now played in 1,103 games (955 starts) for the Lakers in his career and he is averaging 36.4 minutes, 25.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.2 steals per game.  The Lakers would like to start playing Bryant around 30 minutes per game to save his legs, but that won’t likely happen this year without Shannon Brown back.  27-year old Trey Johnson would be Kobe’s backup if the season started today.  Johnson played in 8 games (0 starts) for the Raptors & Lakers last year and he averaged 11.8 minutes, 4.3 points, 1.4 rebounds and 0.1 assists per game.  He has now played in 12 games (0 starts) in his first two years in the NBA and he is averaging 9.0 minutes, 3.2 points, 0.7 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game.  20-year old rookie, 2nd round pick Darius Morris out of Michigan will push Trey Johnson for P.T.

The Lakers didn’t get much production out of the point guards last year and they need that to change in 2011-12.  37-year old Derek Fisher is the starter by default as he is running on fumes right now.  Fisher played in 82 games (all starts) for the Lakers last year and he averaged 28.0 minutes, 6.8 points, 1.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.2 steals per game.  He has now played in 1,110 games (678 starts) in his NBA career and he is averaging 26.3 minutes, 8.8 points, 2.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.1 steals per game.  Fisher can hit down a clutch shot here and there, but that’s about the extent of his ability at this point in his NBA career.  31-year old Steve Blake played in 79 games (0 starts) for the Lakers last year and he averaged 20.0 minutes, 4.0 points, 2.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game.  He has now played in 578 games (299 starts) so far in his NBA career and he is averaging 24.9 minutes, 7.1 points, 2.1 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game.  The Lakers need these guys to step up this year.  22-year old Andrew Guedelock will be the Lakers’ #3 point guard in 2011-12.  He was a second round pick last June out of the College of Charleston.