Given the fact that one of the few areas in which the Lakers repeatedly struggled last year has been their perimeter shooting, it is no surprise that they started looking for someone to strengthen their back-court right away after the free agent market opened. Surprisingly, it only took them two days to find a suitable candidate who would commit to a verbal agreement without further delays. More specifically, veteran point guard Steve Blake will join the team around Kobe Bryant in their mission to defend their NBA title in 2009-10. After playing for the Portland Trail Blazers and Los Angeles Clippers last year, the Lakers will be the sixth team for the pass-first point guard from Florida.

Where as Blake is a solid shooter and can distribute the ball, it is somewhat odd that the Lakers did not at least try to find a younger and more athletic guard to compensate for said problem. Most importantly, starting point guard Derek Fisher already has his best days behind him and has significant problems on the defensive end of the floor. Albeit Blake is a few years younger than Fisher, he is already in his early 30s as well and certainly not known for his on-ball defense and athleticism. Thus, it remains to be seen whether the potential offensive gains will outweigh possible shortcomings at the other end. According to sources close to the Lakers' management, Blake will receive approximately $15 million over the next four years. In 2009-10, Steve Blake averaged 7.3 points, 4.8 assists and 2.3 rebounds in 26 minutes per contest for the Portland Trail Blazers and Los Angeles Clippers.

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