Strap yourselves in.  It's long. 

PART I- "We didn't finish the season the way we wanted to play ball.  The way we expect to play basketball, and that we'll have to make adjustments to again play in the style we did in the first few months of the year."  Why?  Injuries in part, but not in total.  "Our team became disenchanted with the play and the style we played earlier in the year.  We have to reclaim that.   As for Kobe, PJ knows his frustration.  "There's a certain sense of dedication that players have to the game and the responsibility they have.  Kobe matches that at all points.  Sometimes he overmatches it, and the intensity he brings to the game is sometimes not on a level his teammates can live up to," Jackson said.  "The disruptive element is that guys didn't work hard enough.  We had some disruptive elements.  There was some selfishness that came along with it, and the ultimate responsibility lies with me and with our leadership, which includes Kobe and Lamar."  Was he satisfied with his leadership this year?  "Obviously not.  That's one thing I'm not satisfied with," Jackson said.  He was disappointed he couldn't lead them through this season's adversity to a better result.   

Interesting stuff in here, too, about what the Lakers need, both in terms of personnel and attitude, to improve.  Download phil_jackson_exit_interview_1.mp3      

I figured I'd start this report card by making clear my belief on the relationship between coaching, talent, winning, and losing in the NBA.  It'll help explain my grade (and let you know where specifically to direct your criticisms).  Basically, it comes down to this: In the NBA, talent trumps everything.  A coach can make a difference, no question (especially on the downside- see Brown, Larry '05-'06 Edition), but if the basic building blocks aren't there, it's not going to matter.  And, at least over the second half of this season, it's fair to say that by NBA championship standards, the Lakers had no blocks.  No Legos, no Duplos, no Lincoln Logs.  Aside from Kobe and a dinged up L.O., at least.  And as we all saw, that won't get it done.  A great coach can take what's there and squeeze a little something extra out of it or get a quality team to that next level, but they cannot bleed a rock.

This probably wasn't the best year to be Mitch Kupchak.  After a burst of solid play to cap off the '05-'06 regular season followed by the near upset of the Suns in the first round of the playoffs, there were reasons to be optimistic in El Segundo about '06-'07.  Not quite Larry O'Brien optimistic, but the train was headed in the right direction and maybe with a player here or there and a couple breaks, postseason advancement was a possibility.  Downer that I am, I wasn't buying anything more than a first round exit in the ever-brutal Western Conference, but I did believe they'd be a little better than the year before.  Not that much, but better.  And for forty games or so, I looked like some dude with a keyboard who grossly undestimated the Lakers. 

I think we all know what happened next

The Lakers' second half swan dive didn't just cost them a crack at a higher playoff seed, but also a legitimate shot for Kobe Bryant to win the MVP.  When the Lakers were 26-13, looking like a team that could hang with the Houstons and Utahs in the solid second tier of Western Conference squads, led by a Bryant who was shooting well, passing and generally helping an undertalented squad play to the best of its potential, Bryant was being lauded in many circles for playing perhaps the best hoops of his career. It was certainly the best I'd seen him play.  Had the MVP voting taken place at that point, he'd have been a favorite.  Then the injuries hit and the team went into the tank.  Kobe was forced to carry the team offensively for massive stretches, bringing his percentage and efficiency down and using up the energy the Lakers would need him to have in the playoffs just to make them. 

Still there were plenty of great moments (the string of 50+ games, for example) and a season's worth of outstanding play.  In the end, though, Kobe was left with another scoring title, and not much else beyond deep frustration at the state of the team.  I do think Kobe went a long way towards changing the perception of his game and how he can adjust his play to lead and instil confidence in those he plays with.  It's a shame we didn't get a chance to see how it could have played out over a full season, but the real test will come when (lord willing) there's a better supporting cast around him.  I think he's up to it- the prospect of more seasons like the last three has sharpened his focus on winning- but there will always be doubters.  Still, however you slice it, it's hard to argue with Kobe's production this year.  GRADE: A

It's difficult to imagine that Lamar Odom could someday have a tougher year as a pro than the one he just finished.  The tragedy of losing his infant son in the offseason was compounded by an injury riddled regular season, a disappointing record and quick playoff exit.  On the court, Odom was playing arguably the best basketball of his career in November (18.3/8.2/5.0 in November) before suffering a knee injury on December 12th in Houston.  He came back after missing 21 games, but wasn't quite the same guy, reverting to the more inconsistent, too-often-unassertive L.O. that has frustrated fans and coaches throughout his career.  The year got tougher still when Odom tore the labrum in his shooting shoulder, costing him five more games and limiting his ability to knock down jumpers for the rest of the year.  Still, Odom established himself as a team leader, someone unafraid to say when he felt the collective effort wasn't enough, always while pointing the first finger at himself and his mistakes.  And in the postseason, L.O. tried to pick up his game, recording five double-doubles and hitting the glass hard (two 16 rebound games).

Report Card: Give Kwame Brown credit. There are many ways folks will describe his career, but "boring" ain't one of them. There always seems to be something to discuss when it comes to the team's starting center. Off the top of my head, this season alone featured a myriad of injuries (one of which prompted Phil Jackson to implement prop comedy to cajole a return), a brilliant Game 3 sandwiched between four other pretty ordinary playoff efforts, and an off-court incident that really ... wait for it ... takes the cake. 

Came up with that all by myself, folks. Such witticisms are just one reason I make a living as a writer.

There are exit interviews of the "Have a great winter, see you around the facility, looking forward to next year!" variety, and then there are true exit interviews.  As in, "Turn in your keys and parking pass, leave an address with the secretary so we can forward your mail."  For Smush Parker, his definitely falls in the latter category.  While he didn't flat out say, "I'm not coming back next year," Smush made it pretty clear he didn't expect to be return, and if there was any doubt, P.J. would soon put it to bed.  Parker won't be resigned, and there will be few tears shed among the Laker faithful, given that the pride of Fordham had become a lightning rod of criticism since the last few games of the '05-'06 playoffs.

  Report card: The end of Walton's season garnered most of its headlines for news that he wasn't dating Britney Spears- Luke's got a steady lady, but it's nice knowing if things go bad, a post-rehab, head-shaved wacko on a public rebound from this guy remains an option- but the early ink was all about his improved play.  Phil Jackson expected to use Billy Boy's to spell Vlad Radmanovic, but Cat Stevens' training camp began on a lousy note and he never picked up his game.  In the meantime, Luke bumped his stats in just about every major category and his November was ridiculous from behind the arc.  And when Lamar Odom went down, he did a solid job picking up some slack.  The additional heavy lifting caused by Kwame Brown's simultaneous absence eventually took its toll on Walton, who began struggling before suffering his own ankle injury.  Upon returning, his now-slower step (combined with a bad finger) conspired to crap up his playoff series.  He remains a defensive liability and is likely better served coming off the bench.  But there's no arguing his value as a role player (considering how the team struggled almost immediately after he began watching games in civvies), especially in a system like Phil Jackson's, which caters to his strengths.  I think Luke is smart enough to realize that he wouldn't thrive on certain teams and all indications seem to point towards him resigning with the Lakers.  Assuming the dough's not outrageous, good news for both parties.  And good news for Britney, who could use a local source of inspiration during this difficult time.  Final Grade: B-

-AK

Luke Walton's exit interview is located below the jump.

Report Card: It's somewhat hard to evaluate how Ronny truly played this season, since he was so clearly phoning it in with such zombie-like enthusiasm.  Kidding.  Actually, I think Turiaf was the team's most improved player, especially during the season's second half when the Lakers were low enough on big men that Michael Clarke Duncan almost got a ten-day contract.  The balls-out energy one expects from Turiaf was always on display, but a 12-15 foot jumper began to fall with more regularity and he led the team in blocks per 48 minutes.  I have my doubts as to whether he could- or really, should- start at power forward in the near future.  Turiaf's frenetic style often provides a huge lift, but playing with reckless abandon can  result in being a foul machine.  As it stands, Ronny would struggle to play 30 minutes (much less 40) without a DQ.  A middle ground would need to be found, and who knows how that would affect his performance (or if the skills are even there to begin with, since he's often a more energetic defender than a truly effective one).  But no matter what Turiaf's role is next season, he's proving himself both with his play and as a teammate.  Plus, he maintained a high standard of sideline-dancing even in the face of increased minutes.  That's dedication.  Final Grade: B

-AK

Ronny Turiaf's exit interview is located below the jump.

Report Card: I feel for Sasha.  He's a nice kid.  He works very hard.  He really wants to help the Lakers.  And I really want him to help the Lakers.  I'm just not convinced he ever will.  His progress over three years is pretty standstill at best.  Yes, this season's 4.3 ppg represents (scarily) a career high, but it's in part because 39.7% from the field also represents (scarily) a career high for a guy known primarily as a shooter.  In the meantime, his minutes dropped considerably, his play making skills are minimal and his defense is more about frantic effort, fouls and "the face" than really stopping anyone.  As BK and I have often theorized, a big reason Sasha still has believers among the Nation has more to do with likable earnestness (especially when compared to a brooding Smush Parker) than any flashes he's shown.  Honestly, I think Sasha's obvious desire to succeed is often his Achilles heel, prompting him to force the action (and often poor results) .  Ironically, he might actually start playing better if he stopped giving an "eff."  I've recommended everything from smoking to hypnosis as a means of relaxation.  Whatever methodology, I can't imagine he's got more than one more season to figure it out in a Laker uni.  Final Grade: D+ 

-AK

Sasha Vujacic's Exit Interview is below the jump.