Lakers believe future is still bright

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — The healing process has begun for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Despite their loss to the Boston Celtics in the NBA finals, which included a 39-point defeat in the decisive Game 6, the Lakers believe their future is bright.

Lakers coach Phil Jackson and general manager Mitch Kupchak each said Friday afternoon they believe the team can be a contender for the next five to six years.

"We're not about looking back at what we did wrong," Jackson said. "We're about looking forward and seeing if we can do it again."

Jackson said his message to his players during season-ending meetings Thursday and Friday was simple and straightforward.

"How can you get better to help this team next year?" he said. "They have to put together a summer that brings them back here and makes them better basketball players."

The Celtics exposed at least two of the Los Angeles' shortcomings during the finals: defense and rebounding. The Lakers had difficulty matching up with Boston's stronger and more aggressive front line, including Kevin Garnett and Kendrick Perkins.

Kupchak believes the answer to the Lakers' woes will be solved by the return of Andrew Bynum from a partially dislocated left kneecap, which sidelined him for the final three months of the regular season plus the playoffs.

The 20-year-old Bynum was in the midst of a breakout season, averaging 13.1 points, 10.2 rebounds and 2.1 blocked shots, when he was injured Jan. 13.

If Bynum returns to form as anticipated, then he would join with fellow 7-footer Pau Gasol and 6-10 forward Lamar Odom to form one of the biggest front lines in the NBA. Bynum would play center, with Gasol shifting to power forward from center and Odom moving to small forward from power forward.

It's also possible that league MVP Kobe Bryant could play small forward, with the playmaking Odom switching to a guard spot alongside Derek Fisher, Kupchak said.

"I think Phil will be challenged to get really creative because it is a team that would be very talented and versatile. I think training camp would be a very important time for him to test out what he's decided to do over the summer," Kupchak said.

The Lakers have only a second-round pick (58th overall) in next week's draft, but they might look to move up if they can make a deal, Kupchak said.