So now that it's all over...

...surprisingly I'm not as dejected as I've been in the past. Maybe it's got something to do with the current team having so little time to gel together (~30 games left in the season less games where gasol was out). Maybe it had to do with Boston being the overwhelming favorite from the moment KG was signed. Maybe it had to do with LA's positive outlook considering their youth. Or maybe it was because summer's finally here and my rehab'd knee is finally good to go. (so I can mangle it again)

Truth (no, not THE Truth) be told, I'm not an optimist but I think the horizon looks a lot better than ones in recent memory. In fact, the last time I had such a bright outlook on the upcoming season, it was when Kupchak signed the soon-to-be-retiree's as free agents, those being Malone & Payton. Yes, things didn't turn out all rosy but I'd like to point out the differences:
i) we currently have a set bench rotation where role players will be coming into their 2nd & 3rd years in familiar positions
ii) our starting PF is under 30. although not hall of fame material, gasol still has time on his side
iii) we don't have a lumbering, injury prone (knock on wood) center that takes the first 20 games of the season off in order to tend to his injuries
iv) familiarity between the core of the team. LA might still be able to shuffle around some players in the offseason but the majority of the team & coaching staff have had time to gel together

Lastly, as I admitted before the series began, Boston was indeed the superior team. If the Lakers had stolen game 1 the series may have taken a different tone entirely. Powe may not have had the luxury to reclaim his minutes, maybe Cassell gets more PT for experience, who knows... all in all, I'm happy that KG finally got his ring

In closing, this is a comment that I left over on Kurt's blog (Forum Blue & Gold):
i noticed that although most opinions are that the lakers are going to be better next year with the addition of bynum, NOBODY has thought of how they're going to get better by subtraction.

dumping kwame, cook and smush was huge in itself, nevermind actually getting gasol, ariza and fisher to play their minutes. with bynum out there, shifting gasol and odom (or equal caliber player via trade) down the line, the lakers get better in defense, rebounds AND post presence. why's that? because we won't be wasting minutes on radman the daydreamer and walton. i love walton's court game has but he's not a $5 mill per player, and certainly not a starter on a championship contender. boston attacked our weakest link (SF) with reckless abandon and the luxury of having odom playing at SF with ariza/walton as backups (def/off subs), i personally think that takes us to the next level. unfortunately we still have to keep radman around with his disgusting contract so we're limited in how we can beef up the bench, but i think that's a pretty good start.

And that's my mindset at this point. Just to let everyone know that I do intend to post during the offseason. What would summer be without trade talk & speculation?!