I tried to warn everyone. Really, I did.

In a previous article, I warned of the possibility of the 2004-2005 Los Angeles Lakers resembling nothing short of a natural disaster.

Granted they lost their head coach about midway, however I will dispense with one "I told you so."

There, that’s over.

So what now?

Phil’s back. So is Kobe. Is this team salvageable?

Probably more than you think. No, I’m not kidding.

Phil Jackson has been chided for never having to do any real hard coaching in his career. He walked into teams with pretty good players named Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant. How much work could the man possibly have done?

I’ve said it before that Jackson’s real strength is that he is a better ego manager than most. Except for the debacle that was the 2003-2004 season, his teams have whole-heartedly respected and listened to him. Other coaches had those same teams he did and could not win.

This Lakers team may not be championship caliber yet, but don’t believe the sandbagging going on around Los Angeles. This is a playoff team.

Jackson’s Bulls teams were predicated on the talents of two players: Jordan and Pippen. While no one will dispute who the leader was, those two were the focus.

Jackson’s new Lakers team is similar in one respect: its best two players are at the SG and F positions. Can Bryant and Lamar Odom be the next Jordan and Pippen?

Probably not. Odom is more apt to be a PF and has had an ‘up-and-down’ career.

For this team to be effective, they need an outside sniper. Someone to fit the mold of John Paxson, Steve Kerr, Derek Fisher, Rick Fox or Robert Horry.

PG Chucky Atkins shot 39% last year from behind the arc to lead the team with F Jumaine Jones and PF Brian Cook. However, none of those will strike fear in the heart of opponents.

The Lakers are salary-cap challenged the next two years and have a glut of SF’s on the roster that could limit just what Jackson accomplishes next year. The draft is going to decide how fast this team rebuilds.

Drafting 10th, it will be hard to find that key guy in today’s watered-down NBA draft. They should be making every attempt to trade up and try to get Wake Forest’s PG Chris Paul or North Carolina’s Raymond Felton.

Upgrading the PG position should be the priority this off-season since there are some talented players at the SF spot. Caron Butler and Jumaine Jones could be stop-gap solutions until the cap situation improves.

Chris Mihm at C can be serviceable. Jackson won with Bill Wennington in the middle.

Jackson will need to get them to play defense, though.

Last year’s Lakers were the fourth worst team in opponent’s scoring, giving up almost 102 PPG.

In basketball, you play defense with your feet. To keep that up for an entire game and season takes heart and determination. Last year’s team wasn’t exactly inspiring in those two areas.

He had done it in the past. This should be no different.

He has two fairly young stars, capable (if not dependable) talent around them, and the one thing that presented a major roadblock the last time around: it’s Kobe’s team.

Bryant is the unopposed leader of this team, just like he always wanted. This fact alone should make him more receptive to Jackson’s guidance.

That’s if losing 48 games and staying home in May wasn’t enough.

Only time will tell.