The Lakers made a few big moves this offseason to improve their starting lineup.

Los Angeles acquired the NBA's best center when they traded Andrew Bynum in a four-team deal that landed them Dwight Howard. They also acquired Steve Nash, giving L.A. its best point guard in 20 years.

While the Lakers have arguably the best starting five in the league, their bench is still a question mark.

Antawn Jamison was the team's biggest addition to the bench. The forward has had a productive career, averaging 19.5 points per game in 14 seasons, and 17.2 points for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2011-2012 season.

The 36-year-old can still score, but he's on the downside of his career. His 40.3 shooting percentage was his worst since being drafted, and he isn't much more than a scorer.

L.A. also added shooting guard Jodie Meeks. Unlike Jamison, Meeks is rather young, at just 25 years old. He averaged 8.4 points per game for the Philadelphia 76ers in 2011-12.

Meeks is a proven outside shooter, but does not offer the Lakers much beyond his outside game. In three NBA seasons, he failed to average more than 2.5 rebounds or 1.1 assists per game.

Between Howard, Nash, Kobe Bryant, and Pau Gasol, Los Angeles has enough players that can score points. The organization may look to add a few more versatile players for the upcoming season.

Leandro Barbosa is still available on the free-agent market. According to Sam Amico of FOX Sports, the Lakers are interested in the nine-year veteran. Barbosa split time between the Pacers and Raptors last season, averaging 11.1 points per game.

The Lakers backcourt bench may be a liability on both offense and defense. Meeks is not a good defender, and Steve Blake and new addition Chris Duhon aren't very athletic. Barbosa would give L.A. an athletic defender, who is also a versatile scorer.

If the Lakers want to return to the NBA Finals, they're going to have to do a better job of slowing down the best guards in the West. Russell Westbrook couldn't be stopped in Oklahoma City's five-game defeat of Los Angeles in the second round of the 2012 Playoffs. Nash is considered among the worst defenders in the league.

The Lakers will likely pursue more defensive help before the start of the season, or possibly wait until the trade deadline.

Matt Barnes is another option for L.A. The forward has spent the last two years in the purple and gold, and was a solid contributor off the bench.

Off-the-court issues may make general manager Mitch Kupchak reluctant to bring back Barnes. He was arrested in July and faces a felony charge of threatening a police officer.

Re-signing Barnes would give Los Angeles another athletic defender off the bench. While Jamison is known for scoring points, Barnes is known for his physical presence and spot-up shooting.

Barnes made less than $2 million last year, and it wouldn't cost the Lakers much to bring him back. He was probably the team's best bench player in the lockout-shortened season, averaging 7.8 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists in just 22.9 minutes per game.

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