Walton

The end of Walton's season garnered most of its headlines for news that he wasn't dating Britney Spears- Luke's got a steady lady, but it's nice knowing if things go bad, a post-rehab, head-shaved wacko on a public rebound from this guy remains an option- but the early ink was all about his improved play. Phil Jackson expected to use Billy Boy's to spell Vlad Radmanovic, but Cat Stevens' training camp began on a lousy note and he never picked up his game. In the meantime, Luke bumped his stats in just about every major category and his November was ridiculous from behind the arc. And when Lamar Odom went down, he did a solid job picking up some slack. The additional heavy lifting caused by Kwame Brown's simultaneous absence eventually took its toll on Walton, who began struggling before suffering his own ankle injury. Upon returning, his now-slower step (combined with a bad finger) conspired to crap up his playoff series. He remains a defensive liability and is likely better served coming off the bench. But there's no arguing his value as a role player (considering how the team struggled almost immediately after he began watching games in civvies), especially in a system like Phil Jackson's, which caters to his strengths. I think Luke is smart enough to realize that he wouldn't thrive on certain teams and all indications seem to point towards him resigning with the Lakers. Assuming the dough's not outrageous, good news for both parties. And good news for Britney, who could use a local source of inspiration during this difficult time