Time has not tempered the frustration felt by Kobe Bryant, who has watched two key teammates — Kwame Brown and Lamar Odom — face medical issues that have thrust their off-season into doubt, as well as many trade possibilities for the team.

The Lakers who were seen at the end of the season might look a lot like those that return for the start of 2007-08, with some minor additions here and there. It isn’t sitting well with Kobe Bryant.

“I want to see us get to a contending level,” he said Saturday with firmness in his voice. “I want to see us become a championship contender. It’s been a frustrating process for me and I’m sure it’s been a frustrating process for all Laker fans. I’m just hoping we can get to that level. I’m still frustrated. I’m waiting for them to make some changes.”
Bryant, though, didn’t want to elaborate on what changes he thought could be made.
- Realgm

• My Thoughts on this are simple, I am with Kobe on this. There are many that down Kobe for voicing his opinion and calling out management, but the fact of the matter is that Kobe is right. These injuries are definitely not helping the cause as the Lakers organization needs to make some key trades. He is also correct in saying “I’m sure it’s been a frustrating process for all Laker fans“ They had better make some moves, because the franchise with Kobe leading the way depends on it.

- SirLaker AKA Zo

Upon reading a few rumors of Jerry West’s return to help faltering GM Mitch Kupchak and the Los Angeles Lakers. More specifically The Chicago Tribune. I thought of what it would be like to have a guy like Jerry West back as our GM. It staggered me. I mean, just think of all the things he did for the Lakers as the General Manager. Countless moves, including signing Shaquille O’Neal and trading for draft rights to a kid…yeah that’s right…Kobe Bryant. Imagine, we would have such a more intelligent and GM savvy person running things with Jerry Buss (instead of Mitch) to go along with just making smarter moves in general. Again, these are only rumors, but just imagine the possibilities…

- SirLaker AKA Zo

Despite his recent success as a member of the Utah Jazz. A team which has so far this post season, made it to the Western Conference Finals. Guard Derek Fisher was asked questions regarding his earlier years as a Los Angeles Laker by J.A. Adande of the LA Times. Here is an excerpt from that column with Fisher’s responses:

“Professional sports, you know you’re not going to stay together forever,” Fisher said. “But it was so special what we were able to accomplish together as a group that a lot of times, even years removed, you still have to kind of stop and think like, ‘Man, what if? What if we had two or three more years together? Could we have won another three or four championships?’ ”

“Sometimes it just seemed like things were too complicated,” Fisher said. “Couldn’t we just focus on being the best team we could be? “I wish it could [have been] different at times so we could just focus on trying to win a championship.”

When you read quotes like this….you can’t help but think, “what if.”

- SirLaker AKA Zo

While Lamar Odom was having successful surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder Tuesday, Lakers assistant coach Brian Shaw was in Indianapolis interviewing for the vacant coaching position with the Indiana Pacers.

Lakers assistant coaches Kurt Rambis and Jim Cleamons also are candidates for head coaching openings in the NBA.

Rambis is supposed to interview with the Kings for the opening and with the Seattle SuperSonics. Both teams were given permission by the Lakers to talk to Rambis, who was the interim head coach of the Lakers during the shortened, locked-out 1998-99 season. Rambis posted a 24-13 record.

Cleamons also has been contacted by the SuperSonics about the opening that came about after Bob Hill was let go. Cleamons said he was told that he wouldn’t be interviewed for the job until after Seattle hires a general manager, and that that probably wouldn’t happen until sometime in June. Cleamons has been a head coach before with the Dallas Mavericks for 1 ½ years and had a 28-72 record.

Odom had a 40-minute procedure performed by Dr. Lewis Yocum at the Kerlan Jobe Surgery Center in Los Angeles on Tuesday morning.

Odom will wear a sling for 10 days and then start his rehabilitation. Odom will do therapy for four months, which takes him to about mid-September before he can get on the court and play basketball. That’ll be just about two weeks before the Lakers opening training camp in Hawaii.

“They went in there and fixed me up,” Odom said in a phone interview. “The shoulder was beat up pretty bad. Everything went fine, and I should be OK.”

Odom, who missed just five games after he injured his shoulder March 2 against Sacramento, said he still is considering having surgery on his right knee.

“Hopefully, I won’t have to have to have it scoped,” Odom said. “But we’ll just have to see after I get another MRI on the knee.”

+ Broderick Turner at bturner@PE.com

• My Thoughts: Nothing much I can say on the matter. Except for the fact I am glad Lamar had a successful surgery. If he is not traded (always speculation) then it will be good to see him back and strong come next season, in time for training camp. However, it will be sad to see any of coaching staff leave. Life Goes On.
  

- SirLaker AKA Zo