DUDE!

This is the story of the month, not Ron Artest!

Ronny Turiaf is JUST what this team needs. He was a monster in summer league. Hard worker, intelligent, not scared to bang around in the paint! Ronny's the man!

So, the question is, who do we let go to fit him on the roster?

I hate to say it, but my vote is Aaron McKie, even if it costs us.

I have a sinking feeling we're going to get blown out tonight. Dirk's been playing out of his mind and you know Dallas is going to come in focused and looking for some payback. It's going to take Kobe in the mid-30's, Lamar and Smush in the 20's and a double-double night from Mihm or Kwame to win this game. I hope we can pull it off.

Just want to see us play tough. Win or lose. We got a little lucky in Dallas and tonight we have to bounce back, play smart and aggressive. Ronny T sounds like he could help but will have to work his way into his role over the next few months. It's a bit too early for Christmas for this group but we got to be happy with the progress. The last "pathetic" performance sparked some changes, maybe the Houston game will as well. Meanwhile, those power rankings don't look all that powerful. Detroit seems like the only "unbeatable in 7" team out there. The league is in a power roll over, we can take advantage of that late in the year if we keep growing.

First, Kudos to Phil for getting in Lamar's behind!!! He needs that, in order to continue working to get better. Whenever players get into it with refs after bad calls, it hurts the rest of their game. Plus, they begin to get a bad reputation for complaining which only increases the amount of calls against them.

A note on the Turiaf front. Get rid of Devin Green. It is the only logical choice. He was a walk on and he really doesn't offer anything that the team doesn't already have. McKie needs to be on this team because of his experience and leadership. He is an aid to Kobe in the lockerroom. Plus, I wouldn't be surprised if he starts to appear the closer the Lakers get to the playoffs. Phil is known for keeping is older veterans out to remain healthy for the post season. McKie has strong defense when healthy and is a stabilizing presence like Walton for the team.

I previously had tonight's game listed as a loss when I made my predictions at the beginning of the season. However, in light of the loss to Houston, I believe that the team will be very focused and play a strong game tonight. I think that they will pull out another close game as it is extremely difficult to blow out Dallas. Kobe should get some where around 30 points. Lamar will get about 15-20. Either Sasha or Smush will also get 20ish. If the Lakers keep the game around 90-95 points, they'll win nicely.

Artest talk should end...

He is a potential chemistry breaker. He and Kobe would clash. The Lakers have a good thing developing and the players are looking to Kobe as their leader. It takes that in order for a team to be successful.

Prediction: Keep your eye on Miami because it is a timebomb waiting to go off. Shaq is the professed Leader, yet Wade is the one that brings it on the floor every night. IF the Heat fail to win a championship again this year, there won't be another go round. I can't wait until the first time Shaq and Wade clash. It will be funny to hear all of the commentators try to retract their previous statements involving Kobe and Shaq not getting along. It won't be nearly as easy to cover for Shaq then, as it was during his problems in LA or Orlando. Winning covers a multitude of problems. While Shaq and Kobe were winning, Shaq once called Kobe his hero, proclaimed he'd make him the MVP, and that he was Kobe's big brother.

Well, we will see again December 25th, that words are only words.

I am not particularly fond of George,nor am I fond of Slava, but the last thing we need is Artest. He's a great player, but he has too much baggage and he's too interested in his record label. It would be even worse here in LA, the capitol of the recording industry. I am very much in favor of bringing in Turiaf. I watched him with Gonzaga, and it'd be great to have a player with some serious college experience behind him, and lord knows we need a power forward/back up center. Wafer and Green are good guys with potential, but they're both guards and guards are much easier to find than talented big men. Neither Wafer nor Green are the next Bryant, so I see no reason to hold on to them like they're the next golden boys.

Unfortunately, dump Mckie. Start giving Von Wafer some third string minutes.

regarding the loss to houston. AK/BK. I thought we might start a thread on what we might do if we were in the same situation. If the game is tied with 5 seconds left and you are defending t-mac...what would YOU do???

It's a tough decision...I'm almost pretty sure I wouldn't do this:

"I kind of relaxed a bit and he saw me relax and got a step on me and then
had a clear path to the basket," [Devean] George said. "I thought he was
going to try to use up a little bit more of the clock so I relaxed and as
soon as I relaxed I think he read me getting out of my stance and took off.
Next time I will stay in my stance the whole time. My fault."

So..I don't agree that we should trade for Artest..but if George is included anywhere in that trade (or any other) I say GO FOR IT!

JJ,

I totally agree with you on that Artest deal. Chemistry is important to this young squad and Artest is like a MAD scientist. There's only room for one Ronny on this team...I think you know what I'm getting at.

If Shaq and Wade don't win the championship...big problems to come. Last year they didn't do it and Riley ripped that team up. Who knows what will happen if they don't get it this year...which I know they won't. Their record is slightly better than the Lakers...What's up Shaq Deezy?

VIVALOSLAKERS!!!

1979, Miami is #5, just because Riley is back thats BS too. Look at their record, they're the only team with MORE than 10 losses in the top ten (bias anyone?)....

I agree with Jon, McKie is pretty much a bench warmer, that I thought would have a greater role on our team - so why not use him in a trade or cut him to make space for Ronny T. We're "rebuilding" right.

I really doubt that will happen though so I guess we release Green, just because Wafer reminds me of Kareem Rush (just not a lefty).

Lakers are gunna kick some Dallas butt tonight, I can't wait (missed the last 2 games because I have 2 jobs, but I don't work tonight, so I need a "fix")...

Scott --

Couple of comments:

- Let's not get ahead of ourselves in salivating over Turiaf as a better option than Artest. One is a second-round pick with no NBA experience to speak of. The other is an accomplished defender and scorer. I'd rather take Artest in a heartbeat. (No pun intended, Ronny.) I'd expect Turiaf to give us 3 points, 7 rebounds, and 1 block/gm off the bench. Artest would give us 20 and 8 every night plus shut-down defense.

- I trust Phil way more than I trust myself. If Phil wants Artest, then I want Artest. Simple as that.

- How many more "George, Slava, and six pack of Natural Light for Artest" trade bamboozles do I have to read on here? These sort of ludicrous posts are ruining what is otherwise a great discussion place for realistic Laker fans.

Whutever. Lakers are going down tonight. Mavericks will play like unicorns tonite and Big Daddy will whup y'all in Miami. I am seeing clippers almost took 95% of LA fans into their bandwagon. Phil got real fake triangle. Wit out Shaq y'all nothin. Staples center Owner and Clippers organization is having talks right now to re-model the look and feel of the inside iof staples. All lakers stuff kile purple chairs and shit like that will be taken out and will be Clippers colors. Its still time folks. join clippers and be happy from here on becoz we kick Lakers azz 4 times a year. lmao

GO CLIPPERS!!!! 2005-06 NBA CHAMPS and LA Rulers!!!

Clippers the Great!
You amuse me, considering your team has not won any type of Championships, conference titles, NBA records, or MVP’s. No one on the Clippers has even made it to the All Stars show! Hmmm let me think...Nope none that I can think of not in my lifetime. On a serious note I do have some love for the Clippers only because they are from Los Angeles and I am a LA boy, but that’s about it. The Lakers would have to cease existence and disappear for the Clips to own LA, but your post is hilarious!!!

GO LAKERS!!!

Clippers the "fake",
You should just be happy we (The Lakers) let you use our facility. The Staples Center was built to replace the Great Western Forum, not the Sports Arena (or where ever the Clippers played).
Also whats with all the homosexual references?
"unicorns", "Big Daddy", "Pat Riley will suck all the juice from Phil"?
I mean really can you speak/type intelligently for once?
"All lakers stuff kile (like) purple chairs and shit like that will be taken out and will be Clippers colors. Its still time folks (what's still time? I don't get it). join clippers and be happy from here on becoz (probably really can't spell because) we kick Lakers azz 4 times a year"
Since when did the Clippers ever kick our ass four times a year? -- never. The last time The Clippers even won the season series was in 1992-1993, thats 13 years in a row of kicking Clippers sorry ass.
Even you state that the Clippers fans are 95% bandwagoners.

AK/BK please keep the children out of here. Please.

Scott --

Clippers the great

What the hell are you talking about?
Dude, I was at the Lakers game on Sunday and walked into the Team LA store and it took me like 2 hours to find any clipper merchandise. I finally noticed it in the corner with dust covering it..
What the hell are fake ass clipper fans doing on this blog..Go do something else. Like I said before, the Lakers could be in the lottery 10 straight years and this would still be their city..Period. clipper fans are pathetic, one decent season and fans are ready to hand them the trophy. The closest the clippers will ever get to a trophy or a banner is when they look up into the rafters and see the purple and gold...If they like, I'm sure that Jerry Buss would let them in his office so that they could see what the Larry O'Brien trophy looks like, because that's the closest they will ever get to it.

Clippers the Great, Just say "NO" to drugs!

I agree with you LakerFan...

When did the Clippers ever won a championship??hmmmmm i wonder. =P
Hey i'm not a Clipper hater though, i have big respect to them cos even though they have a bad season for many many years, they still put their heads up high and give it their hearts out every game. This time they're starting big...much props to them. But doesn't mean that the clippers are doing great, you're going to dump the lakers right.

i'm a laker fan since i'm 6 years old so hey..give some little respect to the team since we're staying in a same place (LA) and same arena (staples)...

so "Clippers the Great"...you're one funny guy. =)

For Turiaf, i like the guy BIG HEART for the game and i wish the laker management will find a way to put him in the roster...why not let slava out?? since i think he only played like 5 mins the whole season then honestly speaking about slava...he's bad in defense and inconsistent. I know he knows the triangle, but sometimes he's kinda flat footed in the game.

i think we should keep von wafer. i think he's got potential here. he is a HIGH-FLYER. when he grows up with the game, he will be jason richardson-ish!

DEEEEETROIT B-BALL!!!

oh!

i mean GO LAKERS!

I know we don't have a blog for this yet, but I just have to respond to this one.

"Indiana Pacers forward Ron Artest compared himself wanting a trade to Magic Johnson allegedly cheating on his wife, WRTV in Indianapolis reported.

Artest made the comparison after he found out that Johnson said he didn't deserve a second chance to play in the NBA."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10548961/

Artest is unprofessional and ungrateful - why doesn't he take responsibility for what he did and said? If he cares so much about what others are saying about him, then he should go by the Golden Rule - he should watch what he says about others. To make the comments he did about the Pacers after all they did for him last year is not appropriate. The Pacers certainly have a right to trade him.

Just as importantly, for Artest to say what he said about Magic who made it possible for him to be playing for millions of dollars is disrespectful.

I hope that the Lakers are not trading for him. We need more players who are about the team and who Laker fans can support.

For those that were proposing multiple-players from the lakers for Artest, remember both teams are at the 15 player max, so they would need to exchange the same number of players.

It doesn't matter anymore though, because there's no way is the Lakers will trade for him after he apparently ripped into Magic Johnson (a partial team owner) on the radio today (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10548961/from/RS.1/). Ron, you don't talk shyte about one of the NBA's greatest, especially when he can't come on the court and school your butt anymore.

I think the Lakers should cut Slava and bring back Ronnie Turiaf. Bynum makes me less nervous on the floor than Slava does, and since Slava is out for another couple of months injured, I say make the clean break now (or soon) and let him recouperate with his waived salary in comfort (last year of his contract). Slava just isn't an NBA player, I think it's best to take the hit on his salary since we have to pay him anyway, as Wafer and Green don't make enough money to make a difference on the payroll, and their upside is still unproven where as Slava has proven he's a mediocre European league player at best.

derek,
i think we will win all but one. maybe drop the miami game... we know how to handle the other teams... well maybe not the magic... but lets see how it all plays out. why do u think we would lose all but one?

wait so who were those kids complaining about KOBE?!?!?
hhmm what was it... 62 pts in 3 qtrs? on about thirty shots?
yea...

i dare you to talk smack... then watch him put 60 to your face, and talk again.

Lame Comebacks from Kobe Haters
- "It's just one game"
- "Zero assists"
-"Ballhog"
-"Artest/Prince/Iguodala would have stopped him"

Uh, yeah, I don't think he needed Shaq to score all those points. How's that for team play? Now you see why he shoots so much? Need any more validation? He could have had 80, and 70 easily! But see the difference when Kobe scores 60+ as opposed to Jordan and LeBron is that Kobe's team WINS and BLOWS out the other team. Damn, the office is going to be nice tomorrow. I won't even say anything. Just shake my head at all tha HATERS!!!!! Now just go do against the Heat, and I can die in peace.

I hope Kobe's 62pts. tonight will shut up all those who wanted to trade him in the beginning of the season, and remind them not to give up hope in this Laker team. If the Lakers stay healthy, I perdict they will be a fourth to sixth seed in the playoffs.Yes they will make the playoffs.

As for Ronnie Turiaf sign him, I think that the Lakers should cut Slava. He has no defence, and really has nothing to offer the Lakers except his knowledge of the triangle, which really dosent matter because whenever he touches the ball he shoots it. Plus he's injured anyway. Turiaf will probaly play a game before Slava would, even if they keep him. So I say keep everyone else and get rid of Slava. As for the Ron Artest trade talks, sure he good in Indiana but teams make a difference, The only thing that Ron Artest would bring to the Lakers is Drama.(And we all know we dont need that) Remember the all-Star game 2 years ago when he was wearing different shoes trying to get a shoe deal. (What an EGO!!)He only cares about himself and the only reason why he really wants to go to New York , or would even think of coming to LA woud be to further himself in his music B.S...We dont need him and dont want him! We will be ok.

I just heard that McKie's injury in tonights game will probaly keep him out for the rest of the season, So we have to keep Green, and Wafer.

So that takes care of that.

Just have to say one thing. I am so sick and tired how the media loves Shaq and the Heat, and are getting excited because Riley Is now the coach again and Shaq is back. So they have won what 3 or 4 games of there last 5 or 6. against not great but ehh... ok teams.. They still wont win a championship and Shaq will end up destroying Heat Like he tried to with the Lakers. I still think Kobe will win a championship before Shaq, and if he dosen't..look at how much help Shaq has and needs compared to what Kobe has. I look foward to watching Kobe dunk on Shaq and get him fouled out of the game. I say that Kobe goes for 35 to 40 pts and the lakers will win by 8 to 10 pts and will win their next 4 games.

GO LAKERS!!!!!

@S.Tan

Devean admitted to making a mistake. He took responsibility for his error. I would be more concerned about the players that don't admit their mistakes.