Talking With: Ronnie Lester, Part II
In the first part of our interview with Lakers Assistant GM Ronnie Lester, we covered the "science" of drafting, what the Lakers planned to do with their picks, and the development of Andrew Bynum, among other topics. In the second installment, we talk a little more draft, some trade rumors, summer league, and whether or not there will be a spot available for me or AK. Not to give anything away...but there isn't.
—BK
Brian Kamenetzky: You talked about how scouting isn't an exact science. Who is a guy that you thought would be great that didn't pan out, or a guy that you thought was underrated going into the draft that panned out? Whether you drafted them or not?
Ronnie Lester: That's a tough question. You can go back. I can't name anybody off the top of my head, but if you go back and look at the drafts the last 12, 14 years, you can always find guys that went pretty high in the draft and didn't have really good NBA careers for whatever reasons. Injuries may have played a part. And you can find other guys that were second-round picks who have gone on to have great careers, and play a long time. Cedric Ceballos comes to mind as a second-round pick out of Fullerton back in I think the late '80s, maybe '90, who was a mid-second-round pick that went on to have a great career. Guys like that. But if you go back and look at the media guide, the draft book, you can find tons of instances, I think, of guys like that.
Andrew Kamenetzky: Or someone like Udonis Haslem, who wasn't even drafted and is now starting for a team competing for a championship. (The interview was conducted last week, before Miami's clinching victory.)
RL: To me, there are a lot of guys who play four years of college and they're pretty good players, but they're not ready to play at the NBA level when they get out of college. They go someplace else, whether it's Europe, the minor leagues, and they keep developing. They keep working on their games and two years down the road, they find themselves on an NBA team. There are a lot of routes to the NBA. Being drafted and being a high pick and coming in with all the fanfare and all of that is one way to make it, but kids go different routes to get to the NBA.
AK: Speaking of different routes, Smush was a guy that was off the radar but ended up having a pretty good season for you last year. Was he someone you had your eye on?
RL: We had him in. He only played one year at Fordham and put his name in the draft. We had him in, and worked him out after his one year of collegiate basketball at Fordham. He was a junior college kid, by the way. He played one year of junior college ball then transferred to Fordham, sat out, and played one year at Fordham. But we had him in after his one year playing at Fordham, and we liked some things about him. He was long for a guard, he was athletic. Didn't shoot the ball real well. We liked him some, but didn't think he was good enough at that point in time to draft, or to be a part of our summer league team. And guys you like a little bit, you keep track of them over the years. I think that year he played with Cleveland, Cleveland may have been the worst team in the league. I think the next year he to Europe and played, then he came back and I think he made Detroit's team. Went there as a free agent. He made that team until January, the cut down date. Then he went to the D-League when they released him, and then he got called up to Phoenix when Nash went down a couple years ago. Two 10-day deals, and they eventually sent him back.
We have a guy who covers the minor leagues for us. One of our scouts (Irving Thomas) covers the CBA and the D-League, and he saw Smush play. Smush played for the Florida team, and put up a couple triple doubles, which is kind of eye-opening for a 6-foot-4 guard. We had a mini-camp that year, and we brought Smush in, and he was the best player in our mini-camp. From the mini-camp we invited him to the summer league, which was last year. He played on the summer league team and played well for us. And we signed him to a two-year deal. But we had known of Smush coming out of Fordham because we had brought him in. But again, he wasn't ready and he went someplace else for two or three years to get better as a player. He came aboard this year, started every game for us, and had, I think, a very good season for us and himself. Averaged double figures, I think, 10 points a game (actually 11.5 ppg). Shot the ball decently at 45%, and I don't know where we'd be without Smush, because we needed someone like him in our backcourt this year. And if we're going to improve from this season, winning 45 games to maybe winning in the 50s, we need another player in our backcourt to help us like Smush did last year.
BK: Is that aspect of the workout season — guys that don't make the team or don't get drafted stay on a team's radar — a lesser known part of the process?
RL: Well, everything you see, you encompass. You write down, you store things. Not only on paper but in the back of your head. Players you like. There are players you like that get drafted by other teams. And they could be cut from those teams for whatever reason. So you know who you like, and if players are available and you think they're good enough to help you, you try to acquire those players or bring them in to take a look at them.
AK: There's a lot of talk about you guys trading up in the draft. Is that something that you're interested in or thinking about?
RL: We'd be interested in trading up, yeah. You hear a lot of teams in the draft, especially lower in the draft, really don't want their picks. So yeah. There are six teams in the first round that have multiple picks. Six teams have two picks, so you kind of target those teams. In a draft like this, which like you said is not a great draft, a lot of teams don't want their one pick, so why would they want two? So you talk to those teams, and I think if we can move up, we'll try to do that. Sure.
BK: When you do that, is it just about getting a better player? Does it also have to do with thinking about roster construction one, two or three years down the road in terms of who you'd have to give up to get a higher pick?
RL: A little bit of that, but normally the most important thing is moving up to get the player you want. That's the most important thing. You worry about other things after that. If you think there's a player there that can help you to become a better team, you move five or six spots to get that player. That's what you want to do, you want to improve your team.
AK: Do you guys have the pieces to do that?
RL: It depends on what a team is asking for. It may not be players involved. It may be picks down the road. And we have picks. We have, I think a lot of picks, especially second-round picks, and potentially some good second-round picks in some of the deals we've made with Charlotte, which could be potentially two pretty good picks. I think we have two of their picks going forward in the next couple years. From [Kareem] Rush and Jumaine Jones. So players don't have to be involved, it could be picks. And those picks in the 30s are pretty valuable picks I think.
BK: How much do things like J.J. Redick's recent DUI affect a player's draft status or what you would think about him?
RL: Honestly, it depends on the player. J.J. Redick, I think, is pretty highly thought of in this draft. A guy that you'd say is probably in the top half of the draft. Would that affect his draft status? I don't think very much.
BK: Because he has a strong track record of "good behavior"?
RL: Yeah. I think that and he's the player that he is. Being the player you are determines some of that, too. If the guy's not a very good player, then you look at it a little bit differently I think. If you liked J.J. Redick before this incident, you're probably still going to like him as a player.
BK: You guys could use a shooter.
RL: (laughs) Everybody could use a shooter.
AK: It seems like as a team, you avoid "character questions." Either in trading for guys, signing guys, it tends not to be something you do. Is it something you prioritize highly?
RL: We delve into the backgrounds of players, especially of players you're interested in. Especially if there have been incidents over the course of their careers. You want to bring in good players but you also want to bring in good people that are going to represent your organization the correct way. So that's part of it. Initially, you evaluate kids on skill and ability to play at this level, and if there are some underlying things like a checkered past, you want to check that out and be comfortable with bringing a kid in here.
AK: Even with established players, outside of Isiah Rider about five years ago, I can't think of the last guy who came in who had a long history of issues.
BK: Kwame would probably be the closest thing.
RL: Like I said, even if you're trading for players, signing free agents, or drafting kids, you want to bring in not only good players that you think can help your team, but you want to bring in good people who are going to represent the organization the right way too. Sure.
BK: Who from the current roster do you anticipate playing this summer?
RL: Andrew Bynum. Von Wafer. Devin Green, who's a restricted free agent, has indicated that he's going to play with us in the summer league. And Ronny Turiaf would have played but he's working out with the French national team. He may play with the French national team this summer, so he's working towards that end, getting himself in the best shape he possibly can be in, and he'll start practicing with those guys. I think they start in early July. So he won't be available for the summer league.
BK: What is the process of filling out the rest of the team? Can you start now, or do you have to wait until after the draft?
RL: You can start now with free agent type players. And we have probably eight players already committed to play with us in summer league. We have two draft choices who will play with us in summer league. You take the three kids, the rookies that we had last year, plus the draft picks is five. We've got commitments from other kids that we've seen over the last year or two, whether they were in the draft last year, whether they were minor league players, European players, all of that.
BK: Can you be specific about who they are?
RL: Yeah. Kasib Powell, who was a small forward, played at Texas Tech. He's gonna play with us in summer league. Nile Murry. He's a two guard who played at TCU. I think he transferred in there from Temple. We have a point guard by the name of Doron Perkins, who played at Santa Clara a year ago. Went over and played in Japan this past year. Nick Horvath, who played at Duke. 6-foot-10 kid. He's gonna play with us. Been playing professionally in Australia. And I think that's it.
BK: So that leaves one spot for one of us.
RL: (Trying hard not to shudder at the notion) Yeah, yeah.
AK: Having had Andrew, Von and Devin on the roster for a year, none of them played a whole lot, especially down the stretch. What specifically are you guys looking to see from them in terms of evaluating their progress when they're on the floor in Long Beach?
RL: Well, like you said, those kids haven't played. And they need to play. That's how you get better, by playing. They've been practicing all year, working hard all year. They're here now. We've got our young kids working out in the mornings now. And I think they've all gotten better. We'll see by the summer league. We'll be able to judge by playing against other teams and other players. If they've gotten better and how much they've gotten better. We think they have. I think they're all good kids. I think they all want to get better. But the summer league just gives you an indication if they've gotten better and how much better they've gotten. But the big thing is, those kids have been here all year, but they haven't really played. Practice is not like playing in a game. And they need to play. And so we're going to play as many games as we can, I think maybe eight or nine games in the summer league. And those guys will play the majority of the minutes. And you just like to see them develop and get better going into training camp.
AK: You run the triangle during summer league. Are you evaluating not only how well they learned it as rookies but also how comfortable they are with being the guys that the new players come to with questions?
RL: Sure. Those guys have been around. They've been practicing in this system for a year. They should know it like the back of their hands, really. And we expect those guys to be our best players. The kids you draft, you expect them to be your best players. But you're not only evaluating them, you're evaluating the young guys that you bring in too. The draft choices. The free agent type players. And we'll invite some of those guys to camp with a chance to compete against the guys we had last year to make our team. We're probably going to have three or four spots available, I would think. And those spots are up for grabs, to make our team. To make our roster. Devin Green is a restricted free agent, who we like. We have Von Wafer under contract. Ronny Turiaf's under contract. Both those contracts aren't guaranteed. If somebody comes in here and beats those guys out, then those guys (that got beat out) are probably looking for jobs. And Von Wafer, just because he played last year, he's not assured of being back next year. None of those guys are, with non-guaranteed deals.
BK: Basically, anybody who doesn't have a guaranteed contract through '06-'07 isn't guaranteed to be on the roster in '06-'07.
RL: No. Those guys will go into training camp with us, because they have contracts. But if we bring in other guys that beat them out, then they're looking for jobs some place else.
BK: Kobe's OK, though? Relatively secure?
RL: I think Kobe's OK.
AK: If he has a good camp, shows up with the right attitude...
BK: The mother of all rumors that always gets thrown around is Kevin Garnett coming here. Or guys like Darius Miles and Carlos Boozer. You hear all these names and it's mostly the media, stirring the pot. How much can, or should, people pay attention to things they hear? How much do you guys pay attention to those sorts of rumors?
RL: Well, some things are silly (laughs). Some things you know can never happen. But speaking of Kevin Garnett, Minnesota really holds all the cards. If they decide that they want to trade him, and it all starts with them, I'm sure 20 of the 30 teams in the league will put a proposal on the table. And we would be one of those teams. You'd be stupid not to, I think. Kevin Garnett is still a big-time player in our league and will be for the next two or three years, I think. And if he's available, we're gonna put something out there. Whether it's good enough or not to get him, I don't know. But when a player like that is available, you've got to do almost anything you can to acquire a player like that. But it all starts with them. He's not on the trading block. They've not called us or anyone else and said, "Kevin Garnett is available." So it all starts with them.
BK: So do you pay attention to the reports? Is that sort of how things work, where information get passed around like that, or is it less clandestine?
RL: Yeah, you hear things like that sometimes and you place a call. But like I said, Minnesota, that team, it would come from their own. It's such a big deal. He's such a high level player that I think the owner would have to decide to move him. Like in our case, with Shaquille. It didn't come from us (in the GMs office). We're not gonna move Shaquille. It comes from someone a lot higher than us, to trade a guy like that. So I think the owner of the team is going to get involved before Garnett's out there on the block.
BK: So you don't sit around waiting for Kevin McHale to call?
RL: No.
BK: The free agent class is, like the draft class, considered pretty thin. The team needs backcourt help and has some holes in other places. Is it hard to resist the temptation to overpay or reach in an offseason where there isn't that much available? How do you balance the need to improve the team now against the need to keep your cap and luxury tax situation under control?
RL: I don't think it's real tough. If there's no players out there that you think can help you that deserve it — if you've got mid-level money and you don't think a player deserves mid-level money — we're probably not going to give it to him. I think Earl Watson was an example last year. We liked Earl Watson. He wanted the mid-level for five years, I think it was, and we weren't willing to do that because of a number of things. We had a window where we wanted to have as much money under the cap in two years, so we want to go out more than two years. But I think in a lot of cases you do have to overpay free agents to get them, especially in some places that are not so desirable to play. I don't think Los Angeles is one of those places. I think if you polled players around the league, this is one of the places they'd like to play and live is in Los Angeles.
AK: Guys might cut their salary requests to come here, as a trade-off.
RL: I don't know about that. (laughs) I don't know about that.
BK: We're still talking about NBA players.
AK: Can you talk about free agents you're interested in?
RL: We won't do that, but we're looking more, as we talked about, in the backcourt than in the frontcourt. If you look at the free agents that are available, I think it's pretty easy to figure out who you'd be interested in. Some of those guys you can't acquire. Some of those free agents are going to sign back with their teams, some of those free agents want more money than you have to give. So that eliminates some guys.
AK: What were your impressions of last season? Did the team meet your expectations? Lower? What are you looking for in terms of next year?
RL: You look at the season and I think you judge it on wins and losses, number one. Winning 45 games I think is OK. I'd say it's a little bit below what, if I had to go into the season and pick the number of games we'd win I'd probably have picked two or three more wins, but that's probably nitpicking a little bit. Making the playoffs and going to the seventh game in the first round was a step in the right direction. I think we have to improve upon that this year, and that's what we're looking to do. To become a better team and to improve upon our team because if you look at the Western Conference, there were some teams that didn't play real well this year that are going to be better next year. The Houstons, the Seattles. Seattle won their division (two years ago), and then they kind of stumbled this past season, but those teams are going to improve too. So you have to continue to improve if you're going to be a playoff team, especially out west. It's tough out here. It really is. We were a seven seed last year, can we be a seven seed next year? Hopefully. You want to improve upon that. But we may be a better team and still only be a seven seed because the other teams are improving around us.
BK: You could have a better record, win 48, 49 games, and still be a seven seed.
RL: Yeah. So you want to improve, it's tough to improve, but we think we have a chance to, with our young players getting better. Possibly signing a free agent to help us in the backcourt. You want to win more games, you want to advance farther than you did in the playoffs this past season. So those are the things you measure it against I think.
AK: But was it nice to at least prove wrong those who said you accomplish what you did this season?
RL: That doesn't really matter. You listen to that stuff, but it goes in one ear and out the other. I think we know our team better than a lot of the so-called experts out there. So we're just trying to improve upon where we finished this year.
I just need to say it, we passed the 400 mark on posts on one topic...in the offseason.
Seriously, we need help.
Posted by: Andrew Z | June 26, 2006 at 01:46 PM
Mike T:
I agree completely with your comments about the Laker's first round draft picks. While it is hard to get a player who will be a solid starter late in the first round, the Spurs and the Suns have done a much better job than the Lakers.
You have to admire how the Spurs have beaten other teams to great players like Ginobli and how Jerry and Brian Colangelo have proven they are the best talent evaluators in the league.
You are also right that the Lakers have not shown that they can draft a starting player when picking late in the first round. Sasha, Cook, and Rush are all bench players at best. The only real starter we have selected in the first round the last five was Andrew Bynum at #10 last year, when we also coincidentally had our only pick in the first half of the draft in the last five years.
Our inability to find players that will become starters in the back half of the first round is one of the key reasons why I believe we need to consider trading Lamar to the Bulls for their #2 and #16 picks. The new CBA really favors teams that draft and develop their starting players. While there is no guarantee that the players we select with those picks would be starters, the odds are clearly in our favor. Otherwise, I have no confidence that we can draft a starter if we stay in our usual spot late in the first round.
Having said that, I was really encouraged by the reports that I have been reading on DraftExpress regarding James White. He really sounds like the kind of player I have been hoping the Lakers would find. I like what I hear about his defense and unselfish play and there is no doubt that he has world class speed and athleticism.
Let's keep our fingers crossed and hope that the Lakers make the right moves and duplicate the success of last year when we drafted Andrew Bynum.
Tom
Posted by: LakerTom | June 26, 2006 at 01:49 PM
It seems that these 2 idiots (Kupchack and PJ) have their minds on a 3 point shooter. I wonder why? They seem to think that the Phoenix Suns won the Championship. Well, here's a news flash, the Heat won the Championship. How did they do it? Dwayne Wade with his MID-RANGE JUMPER, driving to the basket, and his ability to pick up fouls.
What don't these numbskulls understand about this?
The fools have a lousey draft record by taking the likes of Brian Cook, Sasha, and Kareem Rush. These idiots should get their head out of their as*s and draft a real basketball player for a change.
If they need a 3 point shooter then they should tell Sasha to hit the weight room because he's an excellent 3 point shooter in practice. I think he'll be coming around this year but if he doesn't that just goes to show how stupid they are with their draft picks.
How stupid is PJ telling a radio show that they're looking for a someone who can hit the 3. What does it matter if he isn't going to play under PJ's no rookies play philosophy. What then? He'll play in his second year, the last year of PJ's contract? I don't think so. I can't wait to see these 2 numbskulls blow it with this draft that way I can write about it all season long in an effort to get rid of their as*ses.
mike
Posted by: Michael Teniente | June 26, 2006 at 01:55 PM
wiZo:
Thanks for the update on the Bulls. They are obviously in a great position. They are one of the five teams under the cap. They have a stable of great perimeter players. And the New Yorks top-5 pick this year and next. Man, I wish we could pull a trade off with Isaaih.
I am still pushing the Lakers to trade Lamar for the Bulls #2 and #16 picks. It is the only way I see for us to be able to draft future starters. I think we have shown pretty conclusively that we cannot get them drafting at the end of the first round, although I do like what I read about James White as our #26. I also like the cap space and trade exception we would get in that deal.
If James White is for real, however, it may actually change how I am looking at this draft. I see White and Thabo as very similar players. If we believe in White, then I am now leaning towards drafting Saer Sene, the 7' center from Senagal with the #16, instead of Thabo.
I could even see keeping Lamar and trading Mihm to the Bulls for the #16 to draft Sene, provided that we sign Claxton for the MLE to replace Smush as our starting point guard since we wouldn't be able to draft Roy.
The reason I am so high on Sene is that we not only need defensive players that can stop guys from penetrating, but also need help defenders down low who can block shots and intimidate. Look at how Alonzo Mourning's help defense in the paint intimidated the Mavs and really won game 7 for the Heat.
Posted by: LakerTom | June 26, 2006 at 02:04 PM
Michael T,
I wouldn't take what either Mitch or PJ say in public too seriously. This Laker team needs a whole lot of help and mentioning the need for a three-point shooter makes sense. they could just have easily said we need help at the "fill in the blank".
Did anyone catch Mitch Kupchak on 570 AM just now? I heard he was on and said the Lakers don't plan on doing anything this offseason or next and plan on making moves in 2008. If that's true, he actually said that, please let me know so I can go shoot myself.
Posted by: Andrew Z | June 26, 2006 at 02:07 PM
Andrew Z: "Seriously, we need help."
LOL
We absolutely do! lol
Posted by: Faith | June 26, 2006 at 02:10 PM
REALLY STUPID TRADES
A good blog topic for AK and BK to start this summer would be the stupidest trades in NBA history. Of course, we all know where Steven would chime in on this one.
My pick, of course, would be the Warriors trading Robert Parrish and the pick to draft Kevin McHale to the Celtics for the right to pick Joe Barry Carroll. No, Isaaih was the Warriors GM at the time.
This afternoon I read in HoopsHype's Rumors that the Celtics, 76ers, and Jazz were discussing a trade where the Celtics get Iverson, the 76ers get Boozer, and the Jazz get Szczerbiak. A trade so dumb that everyone loses.
Posted by: LakerTom | June 26, 2006 at 02:14 PM
THE NEW NBA RODEO CLOWN
Watching Shaq grab the MVP trophy from Stern so he could give it to Wade reminded me of how far the Big Phoney has fallen. He is now the official NBA Rodeo Clown and Miami's contract version of Brian Grant.
Posted by: LakerTom | June 26, 2006 at 02:16 PM
Edwin thanks for defending me bro.
if any of u watched MJ with normal eyes not pink eye glasses. kobe is better scorer and no as good shot bloker but by a small margin.kobe is a way better shooter.has until now been better than jordan at the same age.
steven chainberlain enbraced west and goodrich coz they would bring him the title he needed to show that he is that good and to break russel s domination.kareem was just great and loved the organization and he let magic take control when he grew old. shaq wanted to control it and he was playing without loosing weight .
he lost weight and got only 20 and 9.
again i wish kobe and shaq stayed together.
but shaq broke it up not kobe.
PS:i would take kobe over any one exept magic and kareem (i need to think about those 2)coz magic was special and kareem always on top .
i didnt guarentee bynum but he has a great chance.
injuries. well shaq can fall tomorow and crack something in his knees so can wade so u never know and that is no reason to take a young guy like bynum out as he is less injury prown.not so relying on pure power like shaq and doesnt fall down as much as wade.
ps never ever compare wilt to shaq.that is like comparing kobe to wade.
Posted by: purple and gold | June 26, 2006 at 02:39 PM
I am going to throw this out there because of the complete lack of other rumors floating around to talk about (Eric Pncus, where is your article?).
So, we all heard the now silent rumor of LO to Chicago for picks and trade exception. And we all heard all the Shawn Marion trades, well what about mixing the two? We do the LO to Bulls trade and then take the trade exception and get Marion. Of course the Bulls get screwed with their pants on, but really, we'd make out like bandits.
I seriously need to have Wednesday get here sooner than later.
On another note, if Brandon Roy is picked #2 by Chicago, I can guarantee he was picked for the Lakers and will be traded after July 1st when the Bulls have room under the cap. If it's Thomas then you know the Lakers aren't doing jack (more likely).
Posted by: Andrew Z | June 26, 2006 at 02:44 PM
Weave-Man
Since as you put it, Kobe was 'waking' or 'motivating' Sasha by shoving him in the head on national TV. Why didn't Kobe just 'clock' Sasha in the chops to really motivate and wake him up?!!!
Stop making excuses for Kobe's erratic social behavior. Anywhere else had that incident took place and it would have been considered a battery. Jordan never punched Steve Kerr DURING A GAME on NATIONAL TV, in clear public view. If it were PRACTICE that Kobe shoved Sasha, I could understand, keep that in-house. But don't do it while TV cameras are rolling during a game!!!! Kobe is lucky Sasha wasn't man-enough to go Raja Bell on Kobe.
While Kobe was talking about some imaginary 'octagons' he had probably seen on some version of Power Rangers, Raja Bell said when interviewed there was plenty of 'space and opportunity' in the parking lot. Kobe never responded back.
OUT!!!
the whole Truth
Posted by: Steven. | June 26, 2006 at 02:49 PM
Faith
The Lakers will not improve due to idiotic moves by Laker management. The idiots traded Shaq for NOTHING in return and STILL owe Brian Grant for sitting on another teams bench!!! They are going to produce and pump up a mediocre product while raising ticket prices. This is not a problem brought on by attrition it was brought on by making a personal decision instead of a busines decision.
I would not be too surprised if Kobe gets hurt this season, due to him TRYING TOO HARD. That is when injuries happen to players trying to push the envelope. Last year he stayed injury free, which is the FIRST TIME in a long time during his career. See some of the bloggers have forgotten that Kobe does get injured. Although his recovery and conditioning is remarkable, he DOES still get hurt via sprains or strains. So I wouldn't expect too much from Kobe this season which is the second under PJ as the 'newness' has worn off for both.
OUT!!!
the Truth, not sugar-coated
Posted by: Steven. | June 26, 2006 at 03:04 PM
THE SALARY CAP AND LUXURY TAX
While I still do not claim to fully understand how the salary cap and luxury tax work, it has become increasingly clear that the new CBA really favors teams that draft and develop their own starters.
Here is a brief recap of how I belive the salary cap and luxury tax work at how they will directly affect the Lakers next year or two:
(1) Every team in the league is prohibited from signing ANY free agents that would put them over the salary cap, which is projected to be $53M next year, unless they are able to use one of the authorized exceptions:
---(a) The Larry Bird Exception that allows teams to go over the cap to resign their own players, which is what we would use to resign Bynum, who would be eligible for a 5 year deal at $9M or what we are paying Kwame now.
---(b) The MLE or Mid-Level Exeption that allows teams to go over the cap to sign one player each year for no more than the average NBA salary, which is now $5M, which is all we could pay any free agent next year.
---(c) The BAE or Bi-Annual Exception which allows teams to sign one player every other year for no more than $1.75M.
Since the Lakers salaries next year will be $67M, they will be over the $53M cap by $14M and cannot sign any free agents other than for the MLE ($5M) or BAE ($1.75M).
(2) The luxury tax is a tax imposed when total team salaries exceed a certain figure. In 2001/2, for example, total team salaries did not trigger the luxury tax so nobody paid it. Since then, total league salaries have triggered the luxury tax every year.
The luxury tax is expected to be triggered again next year, with the salary threshhold over which teams will have to pay a tax estimated to be $63M.
Teams whose salaries exceed the threshhold will have to pay a dollar for dollar luxury tax for any amount that their total salaries exceed $63M.
The new CBA also allowed teams a one time Luxury Tax Exception to waive one player and not have that player's salary count against the Luxury Tax Threshhold, although they still had to pay the waived player his salary.
Since the Lakers total salaries for next year will be $67M but they waived Brian Grant and his $15M as their one time Luxury Tax Exception, they will only have to count $52M in salaries, meaning that they will be under the $63M luxury tax threshhold.
If the Lakers had NOT waived Brian Grant, their total salaries for next year would have been $4M over the luxury tax threshhold and they would have had to pay $4M in luxury tax as well as a dollar for dollar additional luxury tax for any free agent they signed with their MLE or BAE.
In 2007/8, when Brian Grant's contract is gone, the Lakers are projected to have $42M in saleries, including for $19.5M for Kobe, $13.5M for Lamar, $9.1M for Kwame, team options of $2.1M for Bynum and $1.8M for Sasha, and a qualifying offer of $2.2M for Cook.
Signing one player for the MLE in each of the next two years would essentially put us right back up to $52M just below the limit of the salary cap, although we could save a little by not exercising our option on Sasha or making a qualifying offer to Cook. In any event, we still would not be able to offer any free agent a $9M to $15M max contract.
By comparison, the Bulls have total salaries for next year of only $18M, which is why they could sign a couple of players to max contracts that could range anywhere from $9M to $15M, depending on how long the player has been in the league. This again is another factor that favors drafting and developing your own players.
I hope this makes it finally clear to everyone where the Lakars stand as far as the salary cap and luxury tax. Bottom line, we need to reduce our total salaries even in 2007/8 if we want to free up cap space to sign a top level or superstar free agent, or wait until Kwame's contract goes off the books in 2008/9.
Posted by: LakerTom | June 26, 2006 at 03:35 PM
1. Stop making excuses for Kobe's erratic social behavior.
2. I would not be too surprised if Kobe gets hurt this season, due to him TRYING TOO HARD.
3. Jordan never punched Steve Kerr DURING A GAME on NATIONAL TV, in clear public view.
4. So I wouldn't expect too much from Kobe this season which is the second under PJ as the 'newness' has worn off for both.
Posted by: Steven
1. what's your defense for jordan's gambling vs. the knicks during the playoffs? his adultery? deadbeat dad's larry bird and karl malone? jkidd the wife beater? the portland jailblazers?
2. when is trying too hard a negative? is this because you're a shaq fan and have grown accustom to laziness?
3. a punch is a punch. did kobe give sasha a black eye?
4. this staement shows you know nothing about being a competitor and live in a world of selective memory and stupidity.
Posted by: MAGIC=GOAT | June 26, 2006 at 05:03 PM
Laker Tom,
Have you looked at the free agent list for '07? There are a few good prospects in '08, such as Arenas, or possibly Jermaine O'Neal but their is not much out there. I really am just waiting to see if they keep L.O., which I think they will. It seems that everyone pretty much re-ups with their original team, so the Lakers will have to develop some players. They will have to wait until '08 to get anyone that is any good.
Posted by: Ken | June 26, 2006 at 05:09 PM
Laker Tom,
I know we have a difference of opinion on the Lamar situation, but I can tell by how much effort you put into looking up draft prospects, and thinking of possible trade scenarios that you really are a TRUE Laker fan. I've never doubted it. I appreciate the fact that you can counter things that I say, so that I can see lots of different scenarios and hopefully not be too surprised (or pissed) on draft day.
As far as the shove thanks for the comment. I also really like your idea about bringing in Speedy Claxton. I didn't realize that he is only 28. He fits my mold of being young and experienced better than Banks since he has been in the playoffs, and has played against some of the best guards in the league. If we can get James White, the lineup you posted would be great. I'm not sold on Saer Sene (I hope I spelled that right) though. I read somewhere (can't remember which website) that he's only played ball for 2 years!!!! He could have tremendous upside, but we would have to wait a while before he could really healp.
Posted by: Weave-Man | June 26, 2006 at 05:11 PM
Laker Tom,
That post was very helpful. I knew most of the things you posted, but a few of them were new to me. I really do understand that we need to draft our own talent, but I don't feel like we have to sacrifice wins for a chance to be better in a few years. If we keep our core together, and add a few pieces (like speedy) we could be a much better team, and still use next years draft (which is suppossed to be much stronger) to find pieces to develop. If we can build a strong team (and like I said in my previous post the lineup you proposed with Claxton, and White would be great) that can contend now, we will have time to develop the draft picks we have in later years, so they can take over when they're ready.
PS: All of our points/ideas will be moot if the front office doesn't start to draft better players.
Posted by: Weave-Man | June 26, 2006 at 05:30 PM
The idiots traded Shaq for NOTHING
Posted by: Steven.
How do LO, Mihm, Brown, Bynum, Smush, and Turiaf add up to nothing? With the shaq trade, we got these guys either directly or indirectly. Along with the financial flexibility in 07/08, how can you say that? Sure, miami won the ring this year, but what does their future look like, especially when wade signs his extension? miami is lucky to play in the "leastern conference." shaq and the heat are paper champions. i suggest you take a look at the team/player salaries listed on hoopshype.com. everybody knows it's a given when you trade a player like shaq was, you don't immediately get equal value in return. JERRY BUSS knew this because like him, most LAKER fans know we have a brighter FUTURE with KOBE.
"Time is the wisest counsellor of all."
Pericles
Posted by: MAGIC=GOAT | June 26, 2006 at 05:30 PM
Steven,
Name a player in the league that hasn't sprained an ankle, or pulled a muscle? That argument is nonsense. Half the time the media, and fans are criticizing athletes for not trying hard enough to stay in shape, but you want to criticize a guy because he works too hard? You're a real funny dude, if you hate Kobe just say that, but don't come up with stupid reasons to justify it.
Posted by: Weave-Man | June 26, 2006 at 05:43 PM
Does anyone know anything about Mardy Collins from Temple? Sports Illustrated has two mock drafts showing the Lakers taking this guy.
Posted by: Jman449 | June 26, 2006 at 05:43 PM
sorry p&g, but i cant say kobe is better than MJ. i think kobe is the better shooter, has more touch and can score in a more variety of ways, and has had a more polished and refined game than jordan progressively at similar ages. the problem is, jordan is easily the more athletic of the two. he was quicker and stronger and as far as the defensive end, kobe will never be the defensive player MJ was. for now, i dont think many people, even laker fans, will say kobe has surpassed MJ. is it close? i think so. and i think its very possible that kobe can surpass MJ...just not yet.
Andrew Z:
do you mean trade the #2 and the trade exception for marion? (effectively being trading lamar for marion?) while one can argue who is the better player, (despite lamar owning marion in the playoffs), i think lamar is the far better player for our team than marion.
as far as Roy. he does seem like the player phil would want. but we also have to keep in mind, its not impossible for all the Roy stuff to be smokescreen. in the lakers trying to trade up to #2, it wouldnt be wise to openly say who you want for fear of another team trading to the #1 spot.
and although its likely roy still...the bulls worked out aldridge recently and then kicked out the media for a private workout for a few teams. the lakers were one of the teams at the workout. interesting.
Bloggers:
While im on the topic of Roy (sort of). Can you guys tell me WHY you guys like him so much? (other than cuz Phil likes him cuz thats actually a negative in my book). I just dont see what the hypes about. I understand the point of view that you just want someone "safe". If thats your stance thats fine...but I dont see what the excitement is about. I think Roy will be a little better than young Jim Jackson due to being a little more versatile and a better passer...which is still pretty good. Just not all-star good.
Posted by: wiZo | June 26, 2006 at 05:51 PM
Magic=GOAT
Well let's put it this way,...Shaq got his FOURTH Championship, with a DIFFERENT TEAM, DIFFERENT CONFERENCE, DIFFERENT COACH, DIFFERENT CITY, DIFFERENT ROLE PLAYERS. While you all STILL insist on being 'enablers' for Kobe Bryants questionable decision making and antics, Shaq is still celebrating his FOURTH Championship in South Florida.
Shaq made a THIRD year Shooting Guard FAMOUS. Dwayne Wade was blessed the MOST with the addition of Shaq to the Miami Heat. From Gatorade, Wheaties, Shoes and Burgers, you WILL be accustomed to seeing DWade's image on anything marketable.
So while you and the others plot and pair teammates for Kobe and the Lakers, just remember: "Laker fans eyes may shine, and their teeth may glit, however with Kobe Bryant as a Laker, not another Championship Title will the Laker organization get!!!!"
case closed.
See ya talkin the same 'what-if', 'trade this-trade that' mess next JUNE and the June after that!!!
OUT!!!
the WHOLE Truth!
Posted by: Steven. | June 26, 2006 at 05:52 PM
Andrew Z:
Thanks for your post. I remembered something about why the Bulls would have to wait until July 1 to make the trade to the Lakers but don't know what the reason is. They are definitely way under the cap, so why would they have to wait. Thanks for your enlightenment.
Yeah, we really need Wednesday to get here. And I don't want to wait until July 1st to know if we did trade for Roy. When on Wednesday is the draft anyway? I assume it is on EST.
Tom
Posted by: LakerTom | June 26, 2006 at 06:44 PM
Enough Steven:
Basically, we traded Shaq for Lamar Odom, Kwame Brown, and the draft pick we are probably going to use to get James White. To say we got Shaq for nothing is a baseless taunt and an unsupportable insult to Lamar Odom, who was a terrific player that gave his all for YOUR Miami Heat and has become an even greater player for the Lakers. Aned your "Nothing" is now apparently the player that every other GM in the league wants to trade for.
Yes, I wish we had gotten Wade, because he is a great player but no Kobe Bryant, and not gotten stuck with Brian Grant's contract, although waiving him will save the team anywhere from $4M to $15M in luxury taxes. But bottom line, the experts that really understand basketball have all pretty much acknowledged that Buss made the right move in trading Shaq to keep Kobe. The only real regret is that we didn't get a better deal, not that we didn't keep Shaq over Kobe. In another year or two, O'Neal's contract will become the Miami Heat's version of Brian Grant. And that's the truth.
I had hoped you had grown up and were going to continue to post with class and intelligence. I'm sorry I was wrong. Your crass and unsportsmanlike ranting is not welcome. Either shape up or ship out.
Tom (and everyone else that posts and loves the Lakers blog)
Posted by: LakerTom | June 26, 2006 at 06:58 PM
Steven, i bet you were a big kobe fan back in the day weren't you?...what happen did you happen to see him one day and ask him for a autograph and he refused? you're hatred towards him is like a girl who has been heartbroken, did you have a crush on him or something? seriously, kobe didn't hit sasha hard, he barely clipped him and your making a big deal out of it. there comes a time when we all need to let go, its ok, whatever kobe did to you im sure he didn't mean it, just enjoy the greatest player to ever play the game rewrite history.
Go Lakers
Posted by: TrueLakerFan | June 26, 2006 at 06:59 PM
"if any of u watched MJ with normal eyes not pink eye glasses. kobe is better scorer and no as good shot bloker but by a small margin.kobe is a way better shooter.has until now been better than jordan at the same age."
I agree that Kobe is a better pure shooter than MJ but, he is not as tenacious a defender (Tex Winters' nickname for MJ, "the doberman", was very apt - he could shut down an opponent almost at will).
Also, MJ made better and smarter decisions on offense, particularly at the close of games (Kobe, even now, takes WAY too many wild, erratic, and impractical shots in the closing minutes of games even when there is an open team mate available - I remember watching a recent, regular season game in which the Lakers were down by just 2 points in the closing seconds and, Kobe chose to jack up an ill-advised three-pointer with about 3 defenders in his face instead of just passing the ball or waiting for a higher percentage shot).
Moreover, Kobe has yet to prove that he can successfully lead a team to contendership, let alone championship, status. While he can certainly boast dazzling individual stats, crowd-pleasing scoring extravaganzas and awe-inspiring
moves as MJ did, his choking (except for Game 2) in the 2004 Finals and recent lackluster 4th quarter effort in Game 7 of the Suns series show that, even though Kobe has evolved into a great player, he still has a LONG way to go before he can touch His Airness' crown.
As for the contention that Kobe is a better player than MJ was at the same age (although that is arguable), it should be pointed out that Lebron James at 21 is a much more complete player than Kobe was at the same age as is Dwayne Wade at 24 - does that necessarily make them greater players than Kobe?
Posted by: Horicon | June 26, 2006 at 07:30 PM
Jman449:
Mardy Collins is a good defender but lacks speend and athleticism. I have heard him compared to Bonzi Wells. Most reports now say that he is slipping and may not get drafted in the first round. Two of the HoopsWorld guys had the Lakers taking him in early mock drafts. I am pretty sure he won't be our choice.
Posted by: LakerTom | June 26, 2006 at 07:39 PM
wiZo:
I will be glad to answer your question about Brandon Roy. I saw him play many times during his 4 years at Washington and love his game. He is a terrific all-around player. He always plays under control, does a great job hounding other guards on defense, has good size at 6'5" and can post other guards up, can always get his own shot when needed, knows how to block out and rebound, is an excellent ball handler and passer, and has a very sweet midrange jumper.
His senior year he played a lot of point guard and really knows how to control the game. Although he does not have a rep as a great leaper and dunker, he is not afraid to take it to the rim and is a very good drive and dish player. He has really improved the range on his jumper and should be an excellent 3-point shooter in the pros. While he is not supposed to be ahtletic and doesn't have the length of a Thabo or Josh Howard, his vertical leap was the 4th best at 40.5" of all the players at the combine.
His real strength in my opinion is his smarts and toughness. He really has great basketball IQ and has consistently been the guy who took and made the key shot in close games. If Romar hadn't made the clock management mistakes in the tournement this year, Roy would have been hands down on the all-tourney team. He has the one thing that we missed most in our point guard last year. He is a clutch player on defense and offense who will not back down against anybody and will not choke.
Sounds pretty good, doesn't he. Well he is. That is why I think Phil covets him. He could start as our point guard from the day he is drafted until Kobe retires.
Tom
Posted by: LakerTom | June 26, 2006 at 07:53 PM
Steven:
Wake up. Shaq didn't make Wade famous. Wade saved Shaq's bacon. Had Wade not stepped up, Shaq would have been crucified for his unimpressive play during the Finals. And to claim that Shaq shut down his offense is to deny reality. Even Riley understood that he couldn't win with Shaq. That is why Alonzo was on the court when crunch time came for Game 7 against the Mavs.
Like I said before. Shape up or ship out.
Tom
Posted by: LakerTom | June 26, 2006 at 07:57 PM
If I recall (unless this was something else), the time that Kobe shoved Sasha on national TV was because Sasha went from a boy's name to a girl's name in a matter of seconds when he started leaning on Kobe like an orphan cat, and Kobe did what any of us would have done unless it was our 8 year old son: "PUNK, get off me. SUCK IT UP."
Posted by: Rich Owens | June 26, 2006 at 08:10 PM
ALEXANDER JOHNSON (GUILLERMO DIAZ) WORKOUT REPORT!
Here is a link to HoopsWorld's latest report on Alexander Johnson, 6'9" 225 lb chiseled power forward from Florida State. Johnson has the quick hops that Amare and has and is a tough defender and great rebounder with a good midrange shot. Can you say Horace Grant:
http://www.hoopsworld.com/article_17672.shtml
Posted by: LakerTom | June 26, 2006 at 08:11 PM
Who's worse on Kobe: Plaschke, Adande, Charley Rosen, Michael Ventre, STEVEN, or SHAQ?
Bloggers?........
Posted by: Rich Owens | June 26, 2006 at 08:14 PM
Here is the HoopsWorld report on Guillermo Diaz, the 6'2" shooting guard from Miami who the Suns supposedly has a 48" (no it is not a typo) vertical leap as measured by the Suns. He is listed as a mock draft choice by the Suns or Lakers in several mock drafts. This workout was the same one as I just posted for Alexander Johnson that took place earlier this month.
http://www.hoopsworld.com/article_17670.shtml
Posted by: LakerTom | June 26, 2006 at 08:16 PM
Steven
I think "Welcome Back" is a good start. I missed your comedy and your jokes. Hmm where to begin.
-"Kobe is lucky Sasha wasn't man-enough to go Raja Bell on Kobe."- Man enough? Did you expect Kobe to go one on one on national tv? Take off his jersey and tackle Raja? If Raja is a real man why didnt he "retaliate" in the parking lot like you said? Why did he wait til it was game time and ppl on the court to break up (if any) fight? Was he scared that once he got his first blow Kobe would get up and kick his A$$? Wow it really takes a man to clotheline someone when they think theyre playing basketball instead of wrestling in the backyard. Raja showed how big of man he is. Its not like Kobe had on gloves and Raja knocked him out. It was a cheap shot and knew there was gonna be no fight. Kobe doesnt care about Raja thats why he didnt- "But don't do it while TV cameras are rolling during a game!" I guess Kobe took your advice about going after Raja during the game.
-"Shaq made a THIRD year Shooting Guard FAMOUS"
Really Steven??? So it was all Shaq? It didnt have anything to do with Wade taking HIS team into the 2nd round on his rookie year WITHOUT SHAQ? or HIS TEAM to the Conference Finals? Or maybe winning the championship FOR HIS TEAM? Was it Shaq that scored all the pts and then transferred his points to WAde? Or did Shaq spiritually enter Wades body at the end of games to make the plays? Maybe it might be that last one since all that Shaq was doing was watching from the bench during the most important game for the Heat. While Wade made himself famous carrying the Heat to the Championship Shaq just cheered on. Mabye next year the Heat should give Shaq some pom-poms to root on Wade!!
Posted by: Shady | June 26, 2006 at 08:17 PM
LakerTom,
I'd like you to help me figure this out from the Salary Cap issues you mentioned. As you said, we over the cap supposedly at $ 53M and we're $ 67M.
Now I want to trade players who are under contract with us in '06-07 namely:
Mihm $ 4.2 M
B. Cook 1.5
Mckie 2.7
Von Wafer0.6
Total $ 9.0
including,
#26 Draft pick
I want to trade with NO Hornets namely:
JR Smith $ 1.067M
#12 Draft
I want to exercise my MLE w/ future side agreements
Claxton $ 3.6 M
Another Player $ 1.4 M
Total 5.0 M
I want to exercise my BAE w/ future side agreement
Banks $1.75
Under all these scenarios, can my trade go through? Can I include Speedy Claxton on the sign & trade that's supposing NO agrees with the set of players, so as to free my MLE. If I am fully determined that my total payroll for the coming season will be $ 67M and willing to pay luxury taxes for that amount, do I still have a flexibility on the "unused" amount from the 4 players that I decided to trade or dropped. (this is where I get lost.)
Posted by: Edwin Gueco | June 26, 2006 at 08:51 PM
Lakertom--
Thanks for the breakdown of the Cap.
Looks to me that the Lakers best option is to trade Mihm this offseason (meaning draft day to move up a little). As I have said before, there is noone in this draft that comes close to what I would trade Lamar for. But if we trade Mihm for the #16 Chicago pick that would get us up to where we could get Thabo (I am liking the sound of him).
Then we hope for what everyone since Jordan drafted Kwame as hoped for, and that is for Kwame to have a break out year. If he does not, he will not be a Laker for the final year of his contract. There will always be a team next year who is going to need a serviceable big man, and the fact that it will be the final year of his contract will also increase his trade value. Then the Lakers will have an extra 9 mill in 07/08 to go after the final piece. If Bynum shows significant improvement this coming season, that final piece will be easily obtainable with 9 mill. Keep in Lamar is foundamental to this scenerio, as he is only 26, is getting better much better playing with Kobe, and like to be in LA.
That would mean best case scenerio:
Kwame really busts out this year and next year (07/08) we have Kobe, Lamar, Kwame, Bynum (in his thrid year) and whoever the Lakers feel they need to fit in at their MLE. That's quite an impressive lineup.
Worst case scenario:
Lakers have Kobe, Lamar, Bynum and 9 mill to go after someone who will be ready to come win a title.
Not to mention the players we will both sign tis offseason and draft the day after tomorrow.
Posted by: tajluck | June 26, 2006 at 09:04 PM
Steven has never been a Kobe fan. I'm sure he is still kicking Jerry West for making such a stupid trade--Vlade for Kobe...
Posted by: tajluck | June 26, 2006 at 09:06 PM
Wizo,
I like Roy because not only has he played four years (though admittedly not exactly the most successful years, he wasn't in the ncaa finals in any of those years as far as I know) he is the most ready of all the players in this draft. I think he brings the smarts, much like Turiaf does, the heart, the attitude, the speed, toughness and shooting (he's apparently a good midrange shooter though not morrison like). I'm not sure if he's a great passer, but with what I read, he's a little bit better than adequate, still in the triangle that's not really as important in a pg, but according to some he can run an offense when needed. I think he's got enough smarts in him, and speed (though according to nbadraft.net it's not daunting speed) and PJ size at 6'5 (compared to my other love Dee Brown) that he could possibly be able to take a great load of our shoulders defensive PG wise (even as a bench player). Again, if you buy into the concept that we are really just 2 players from really making something happen, Roy is the perfect "piece" for our team. However I agree with you, he doesn't exactly scream out "star" to me either, but with our team, I'm now under the impression that we don't necessarily need them (it'd be great, but we don't need stars, we need a team). Of course this is all water under the bridge, cause it's very likely that we have no chance without giving up untouchables (imo) for him, and I don't think he's worth that much.
Posted by: Faith | June 26, 2006 at 09:06 PM
i would have to agree with wiZo, kobe is not better than jordan, yet. kobe is in a better position TO BE better than mj, but he has to do some polishing on his game, namely def. i do agree with most of the bloggers here though that kobe does shoot better than mj, but kobe isnt as consistant as jordan was on off. i also feel that mj was a better team player than kobe, but with the way kobe played in the phoenix series(not game 7 where he just quit--whatever the reason was)mixed in with his scoring outbursts, he could far surpass jordan, hands down. just my opinion.
Posted by: THE WOLF | June 27, 2006 at 12:32 AM
Laker Tom - Thanks for the info on Collins. Sounds like a guy to consider if he is still around in Round 2, but not a #1.
Sounds like the #1 issue for signing Claxton is his desire for a six-year deal, which would take him up to 34 at $5-$6 mil/year. Would he be worth that commitment? I am leaning towards yes, but Banks is in the conversation if his deal is less restrictive.
Posted by: Jman449 | June 27, 2006 at 07:56 AM
Lakertom & Faith,
Thanks for answering my question. Ive only seen Roy play once this year (not the March Madness games, earlier in the season.) I talked with one of my friends about Roy yesterday and he voiced very similar opinions. He loves his game, also mentioning his high basketball IQ, how he makes the right play down the stretch that other players might not think of making. After praising him for a while, I asked would you draft him #2? and he quickly said "No.". But Faith you may be right, that getting someone so safe and solid, (as opposed to upside that might not develop) may be the way to go at this time. ...but youre also probably right that we might be talking about this for no reason haha.
Can't wait to see what goes down tommorrow!
Posted by: wiZo | June 27, 2006 at 08:13 AM
"Shaq made a THIRD year Shooting Guard FAMOUS"
Really Steven??? So it was all Shaq? It didnt have anything to do with Wade taking HIS team into the 2nd round on his rookie year WITHOUT SHAQ? or HIS TEAM to the Conference Finals? Or maybe winning the championship FOR HIS TEAM? Was it Shaq that scored all the pts and then transferred his points to WAde? Or did Shaq spiritually enter Wades body at the end of games to make the plays? Maybe it might be that last one since all that Shaq was doing was watching from the bench during the most important game for the Heat. While Wade made himself famous carrying the Heat to the Championship Shaq just cheered on. Mabye next year the Heat should give Shaq some pom-poms to root on Wade!!"
I agree.
I still like the big guy and, he has undoubtedly done a lot to help nurture Wade as a player and a person but, Shaq is receiving (and taking) WAY too much credit for Wade's spectacular play.
Posted by: Horicon | June 27, 2006 at 09:42 AM
hmm i said kobe best in game dunker.
and u might argue so her is proove:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ri80BHQssQY&search=kobe%20best%20in%20game%20dunker
hmm some more:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMjYO_Knir8
not enough,mister howard just got on a poster,no not the good way he just got posterized byu a certain laker(take a wild guess come on ):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPq9i9Z1eoc
chest bumps every wher as laker fans are so exited to have on of the best shooters and the best in game dunker play with them ,he is also equiped with a unbeleivable desire a never said die will and more passion to winn and show he is the best than the passion between romeo and juliet.
more chest bumps hy fives and hugs.hahaha
dont say i dont back up what i say.(here the king talk,hmm kobe posterized yao (not here have another one but too long for just one dunk) howard kerilenko robinson duncan and garnett ow and i didnt forget mutumbo or nash(i must have forgotten someone but u will forgive me wont u ? haha)
Posted by: purple and gold | June 27, 2006 at 11:45 AM
Edwin:
Thanks for your post, I think. My first response was to regret having ever posted my summary of how the salary cap works, because I definitely don't want to become the blog's defacto expert on it. It really reminds why I decided not to be a lawyer.
Damn you, Andrew Z, for getting me into this to start with. Here is the link the the NBA Salary Cap FAQ site that is where Andrew sent me to learn about the cap and its intricacies. The site covers the 105 most frequently asked questions about the salary cap and is as easy to understand as your phone bill:
http://members.cox.net/lmcoon/salarycap.htm
Since I took the time to read the damn thing and I have always enjoyed and respected your posts, I will try to answer your questions best I can but remember that this is just what I think. Maybe other bloggers can correct me if I am wrong:
(Q) Can the Lakers trade Mihm, Cook, McKie, Van Wafer ($9.0M total), and our #26 pick to the Hornets for J.R. Smith, an unnamed player ($5.0M total), and their #12 pick.
(A) Yes. Here are the issues that are involved:
---Trades that leave team over the salary cap, as the Lakers would be, require a trade exception, even if the amount the team would be over the cap is reduced as a result. This means the Lakers need to use a trade exception.
---A trade exception allows teams over the cap to acquire up to 125% plus $100,000 of salaries they are trading in a simultaneous trade. Since the Lakers are only taking back $5.0M in salaries, they are allowed to use a trade exception.
---Since draft picks count $0 in salary when included in a trade, they do have any effect on the Lakers' trade exception.
(Q) Can the Hornets include Claxton in a sign and trade deal as part of the above trade where they would sign him for $3.6M with a future side agreement.
(A) Yes. But subject to the following limitations:
---Sign and trade deals allow teams to re-sign their own free agents for trading purposes so long as they don't use their Mid-Level, Bi-Annual or Disabled Player options, the player is not a BYC or Base Year Compensation Player, and the contract is for three years or longer. The Hornets would have to abide by the above restrictions when signing Claxton and Claxton, of course, would have to agree.
---Since the Lakers would now be taking back total salaries of $8.6M which is still less than $125% + $100,000 more than they gave up, they can still use a trade exception for the revised trade.
---Future side agreements are not really binding if made verbally (See the Cavs case with Boozer) and are not allowed and may result in severe sanctions if written (See the TimberWolves case with Joe Smith). There could be nothing more than an unenforcable promise by the Lakers to Claxton.
(Q) You want to sign Banks for part of our MLE ($1.75M) with future side agreements.
(A) Yes. But subject to the above comments about future agreements. Note, the Lakers would still have $3.6M left in their MLE since Claxton was signed by the Hornets and acquired via a trade exception and not with the Lakers' MLE.
Edwin, I hope this answered your questions and gives you a better idea of what can and cannot be done. Meanwhile, I am resigning as the defacto salary cap expert and giving the job back to Andrew Z, who will refer you to Salary Cap FAQ link above, which really covers most of the situations you could imagine and is presented in a fair easy-to-understand style.
Posted by: LakerTom | June 27, 2006 at 01:21 PM
tajluck:
You are welcome. What you are saying about Mihm and Kwame make a lot of sense. I would love to get Thabo (or Sene) and it probably would take #16 pick to do it, although I just saw another mock draft in the S.F. Chronicle this morning that had Thabo coming to us at #26.
Faith:
Thanks for backing me on Roy. I agree with you that what we need are top level players rather than guys that cry out "star." Brandon has always been a team first type of guy and that is what the Lakers need as a point guard to team with Kobe for the next ten years.
Posted by: LakerTom | June 27, 2006 at 01:27 PM
wiZo and WOLF:
I am a total Kobe fan but it is unfair to Michael to compare Kobe to him until Kobe's career is over and even then you have to realize that they really played in different eras under different sets of rules with different levels of competition.
I think Kobe wants to recognized as Kobe Bryant for what he does and not compared to MJ for the above reasons. And I expect that LeBron and Wade feel the same way. As to who is the better player at what age, that really is very meaningless. It is what the player has accomplished when he is done that rules. That is why MJ is still the greatest.
If Kobe shows he can lead his team to three or more rings, he will then be considered to be the greatest. And if LeBron or Wade win more rings than Kobe, then they will replace Kobe as the greatest. That's how it really should and does work.
Posted by: LakerTom | June 27, 2006 at 01:38 PM
had a big post before the pics wich didnt get there so long story short kobe is a great defender but second to mj, kobe is a better shooter who is a better dunker in game its kobe as the video shows.more athletic MJ.
wade is not in the same level as kobe mj and lebron so dont even put the princess in this conversation and no he isnt better than kopbe whenb u know that wade is the leading guy and kobe was second/partner to shaq so...
the only one who could be better than kobe (who now isnt better than mj but at the smae age and evatually is better wizo) is the king but is he clutch enough and a last note kobe 24 game winners(including game 4 ) jordan 28 so kobe will end up beeing the most clutch player ever. while the lakers were more dominant that the bulls-16-1 is all i need to say.
Posted by: purple and gold | June 27, 2006 at 01:46 PM
LakerTom, Thanks for all the efforts, you're God sent to enlighten us on the intricacies. Perhaps, even Mitch Kupchak is in the dark so he engages only on simple transactions, then just trade what he has traded before. Haha...many thanks again.
Posted by: Edwin Gueco | June 27, 2006 at 02:33 PM
lakertom,
i agree with you 100%. but i think you misread what my point was, cuz really, i think were making similar points.
"sorry p&g, but i cant say kobe is better than MJ."
my post was about why you cant say kobe is better than MJ at this point...but may be able to by the end of it all. and i think wolf was making the same point. our point was simply that it is in the realm of possibility that kobe surpasses mj but that he hasnt yet. which i think is your point also.
haha and sorry p&g, i MUST argue against you once again. i realize you are a huge kobe fan. and believe me, i am a much bigger kobe fan than an mj fan (well, cuz really, im not a big mj fan anyways....always been a little partial to magic ;) ). its one thing to debate about who is/will be greater, etc. i think kobe is a better shooter, and i'll even argue he's more clutch (tho my friend argues against this point). however, as much as i love kobe, i must concede that he is clearly not as athletic as MJ. and i dont think many would argue with that. to be completely objective, lebron, tmac (100% healthy tmac), vince, and yes, even princess wade are all more "athletic" than kobe. dont get me wrong, i still think kobe is the best all around player in the game. kobe is just much more skilled than all of those guys (with tmac being close). but if were just talking just pure athleticism, i'd say kobe isnt even top 6-7. (again, i hope noone thinks im saying kobe is a top 10 player....JUST athletically speaking.)
Posted by: wiZo | June 27, 2006 at 03:31 PM
wiZo:
You are right. We are almost always on the same page on most Laker and general basketball issues. I always enjoy your posts.
I think this is one of the most exciting drafts in years for Laker fans because we have had our expectations raised by how well the team performed at the end of the year and in the playoffs and how much certain draft prospects could help take us to the next level. It also has the potential to be one of the most controversial drafts because we may have to give up a current player we like or love to get the pick or picks that will make us better.
Tomorrow cannot come too soon for me. I really have a lot of confidence in Lakers management to do the right thing and expect to support whatever moves they make, even if it is to stand pat and wait for next year. When you evaluate where we are just two years after the Shaq trade, the team we have put together, the way so many of our players have improved, and the job that Phil and the coaching staff did last year, I think the job that Mitch and Lakers management have done, while not perfect, has been pretty damn good and should really be appreciated.
Posted by: LakerTom | June 27, 2006 at 04:43 PM
www.draftexpress.com has said the lakers have promised James White at 26, we should not sign speedy claxton all the point guard does in the triangle is play d and be a good 3 pt shooter, and claxton isnt even 6 foot tall and Phil doesnt like small guards
Posted by: Justin | June 27, 2006 at 07:00 PM
Wizo,
I'm just a Laker fan, but I think Kobe is better than MJ at age 27 and it's not over yet. Kobe could go down as a bust if he continues to do a one-man job. Well, this year he has to elevate cuz' his fellow Lakers keeps on missing shots.
Posted by: Edwin Gueco | June 27, 2006 at 08:55 PM
Okay?
Who are socks and braveheart?
nicknames or something?
please reply
Posted by: theprune | June 28, 2006 at 01:36 AM
Edwin,
Waaahh! Waaahhh! Waaaahh!
Kobe is better than MJ. Hey DA ('amn 'ss), are you just plain stupid? 'coz there is no cure for that. Your princess KOBE is nowhere nor even close to be MJ's shadow. He's never going to win anything without SHAQ (get that wishful thinking out of your tiny cerebelum).
MJ - 6 rings KOBE - 3 with a very dominant center
MJ - MVP/Finals MVP pretty the whole entire glory days of his career.
KOBE - MVP ZERO... FINALS MVP... eh ZERO!!!
MJ retired for 2 years and came back to dominate (again). Let your princess KOBE try and do that to see IF he's even going to come close to being compared to MARBURY (he's actual equal right now).
So before you get blinded by his 81 points (againts Toronto.. nyuk! he! he! he!) GET YOUR STATS in order!
RELEASE LAMAR ODOM (former HEAT star player) for MARBURY (Kobe's equal talent).
Posted by: tarugo | June 28, 2006 at 02:06 AM
Tarugo, the problem with you, you keep on yacking and yacking and make silly comments without analyzing what was posted. Why don't your read what I posted "AT AGE 27", I'm not referring to their entire career cuz' Kobe is still playing. What were the accomplishments of MJ at age 27?
Posted by: Edwin Gueco | June 28, 2006 at 08:49 AM
the prune,
Socks is a nickname for Bynum cause when he first came into the lakers, he didn't have shower socks so he had to use normal socks in the shower. Hence Socks.
Braveheart is a nickname for Turiaf, it's a pun (favorable pun) on his return from heart surgery and his big heart (metaphorically).
Other ones you might not know...T-Sef is short for Thabo Selfalosa. Kwame has been nicknamed the Kwam (by yours truly, lol...no by the blog)---during one of the many successful K bros live blogs. And of course Mamba and LO you know.
Posted by: Faith | June 28, 2006 at 12:21 PM
wizo .wade(he cant do a windmill and we have a guy here in lebanon who can do it ) isnt more athletic ,tmac too i dont think they are more athletic.what i said is that MJ is more athletic,vince and Jrich are on a diffrent level but the video is to show that kobe dunks better in the games.he has more heart and more creativity.MJ is more athletic. i think u forgot the days of the one handed three sixties or the dunk contest winning between the leg windnill.
he dunked on yao dwight mutumbo and ben.he had the crazy sacto dunk . there are guys like fred jones who are more athletic but i was comparing MJ and kobe.
Posted by: purple and gold | June 28, 2006 at 03:41 PM
KOBE's 3 rings (courtesy of SHAQ) doesn't mean crap! and you can PLAY/replay that over and over into your HEAD.
Lets see...
MJ made the winning shot and WON an NCAA title.
KOBE... eh burrito's?
Dude, cool down...
KOBE can be the greatest imitation of MJ though, that I would say YESSSSS SIRRR!!!
So my bro' in Lakerland... the BEST you can do is PRAY that your KOBE doesn't FOLD again when he gets that chance to advance in the second round.
I know its really difficult to swallow that a 23 year old, DWADE, (3 years) in the NBA has made a great impact & winning an Finals MVP(something your princess KOBE can only salivate and wished of). And now your going to turn tables againts... MJ!!!... GET REAL BABY!
Release Lamar Odom (Former Heat star player) for Marbury (Kobe's equal talent).
Posted by: tarugo | June 28, 2006 at 09:26 PM
FROM LAKERS WEBSITE:
Lakers Take UCLA's Jordan Farmar
The Lakers selected UCLA guard Jordan Farmar with the No. 26 overall pick in Wednesday's NBA Draft. The 6-foot-2 Farmar averaged 13.5 ppg and led the Pac-10 in assists with 5.1 as a sophomore. The Lakers also acquired guard Maurice Evans from the Pistons for Cheick Samb, their second-round pick. Evans averaged 5 ppg and 2 rpg for Detroit. LA traded a future second-round pick to Dallas for George Washington guard J.R. Pinnock. Pinnock averaged 14.5 ppg and was named Atlantic 10 Sixth Man of the Year. Check out Draft Central for the latest information.
Posted by: Staples 24 | June 28, 2006 at 11:31 PM