Among other deficiencies last season, the Lakers lacked a legitimate backup shooting guard behind Kobe Bryant, reliable outside shooting, reliable bench bench scoring and young legs attached to a reasonably NBA-seasoned player. By agreeing to terms with Jodie Meeks,the Lakers have simultaneously addressed all four areas. Obviously, his presence pales by comparison to that of fellow newbies Dwight Howard, Steve Nash, and Antawn Jamison, but as Shane Battier, Mario Chalmers and Mike Miller demonstrated during the 2012 Finals, the players around the edges of a roster often push a championship quest over the top. Hopefully, Meeks can follow suit for the Lakers.
Walter Cornett, of Glendale, Kentucky, is the owner and operator of Walter's Wildcat World. He founded WildcatWorld.com in 1998 making it one of the oldest Kentucky basketball fan sites in operation today.