Before challenging Tim Duncan to throw down
Double check and make sure you don't actually work for the NBA. Otherwise, you might find yourself watching the playoffs in a sports bar, as is the case with suspended ref Joey Crawford, who offered to step outside with the Big Fundamental. Apparently, you're not allowed to do that. It must be one of those obscure rules way in back of the book.
I'm actually happy with this decision for two reasons. First, ever since the Palace Brawl, David Stern has treated any player behavior that might even remotely come off as "thuggish"- from throwing a punch to arguing with officials to the length of their shorts- as a "Defcon 1" situation in need of a drastic measure. Personally, as I've written on several occasions, I think he's gone way overboard, but if that's how he's gonna run the league, that's how he's gonna run the league. But if that's indeed the game plan, when a ref behaves in a way that may also read as thuggish, as some might interpret baiting a player to put up his dukes, it needs to be handled with the exact same fearfulness by the league office. Even though the odds of Duncan actually accepting the challenge seem more remote than Shaq donning a Laker uni again.
Second, I'm just not a fan of Joey Crawford. I don't really have a problem with how he calls a game, but I can't stand how clearly convinced he is that the crowd is there to "watch him ref." Him and Steve Javie. It's obnoxious and ridiculous, not to mention delusional. Thrilling a sight as it may be, the Laker Nation isn't showing up at Staples to watch Crawford call a blocking foul. They're showing up to watch Vlad Radmanovic. Or maybe Kobe Bryant, assuming they have a feeling he'll get some PT during that particular game.
AK
adam kiley:
remember, Vlad was offered a $42mil extension from Seattle which he turned down, thinking he could up the ante with his play. He didn't do that and subsequently balked at the situation and got traded to the Cliips.
Anyhow, Vlad did way more for the Clips last year than he has for the Lakers this year.
If Kupchak's scouting team isn't up to snuff... then uhm.. try fixing it? That would be my first command as GM of the Lakers. It's not like he's had brilliant moves followed by terrible ones. It's that he has had few decent ones coupled with a lot of bad ones.
I listed a bunch of guys Mitch drafted/traded for, most of those guys aren't even in the league (or even made it to the league). Unfortunately, Mitch's record doesn't show too much.
Posted by: socalife | April 17, 2007 at 08:13 PM
Adam,
We are not blaming Kupcake for "every little thing". Here is a list of some of Kupcake's moves:
-Traded away Shaq for a deal that included Brian Grant's contract. He said at the time that he had no intentions of a rebuilding proces. How do you expect the Lakers to compete at an elite level with Grant's ridiculous contract, knowing that the owner did not want to go over the cap?
- Drafted Cook in first round
- Resigned Cook
- Samalke Walker - We were in desperate need for a power foward that year, so who does he get?
- Smush Parker - After the Colorado incident, after Shaq departing, after Phil's book, there is immense pressure on Kobe to redeem himself. Smush has been the best option to join Kobe in the backcourt for 2 years now! I don't blame Smush for anything, he's making pennies with the Lakers. This is entirely on Mitch.
- Sasha - Is it me or are the Lakers the only team in the entire league with Europeans that cannot ball (Slava Medvdenko included)?
- Vlade Divac - someone already noted that we were desperate for a point guard that year
- Space Cadet - Just because we got a better deal for him than the Clippers does not mean it was a good move. So Cupcake got a better deal for him then Elgin? Nothing really there to brag about.
- Shammon - again, Kupcake didn't learn the lesson from the previous year. Our depserate need for a point.
- McKie - useless
Posted by: mitchell | April 17, 2007 at 08:24 PM
Cookie - I don't think that was a bad move. The guy's progressing, actually making shots on the move. He's one of the best spot-up shooters in the league "when he's not guarded" :) Seriously, the juries still out.
Samaki - Yah, a bust but he played well for the Spurs
William - Lazy but has talent. If he tried, he could be a lock-down defender. Unfortunately, it's rare that he tries But I think he'll be key in these playoffs. He has often been a "game-changer", for both good and bad. Game-changers are rare in the NBA.
Sasha's a darn good defender if he can keep out of foul trouble. His shot is starting to come along.
Vlade was over the hill
Space Cadet - another guy who could be key in the playoffs. This guy can ball no doubt, he's just lost in the Triangle.
Shammond - He's had some good games
McKie - Useless and won't be a Laker next year.
We can't blame Kuptchak, the better question is, who did we miss out on? Not too many quality available players that we could have gotten without giving up Kobe.
Kupchak made 2 great moves in Bynum and Ronny.
IF you were in Kupchak's shoes, who would YOU have taken instead of Cookie, Smush, Sasha, Farmar, Bynum, Ronny?
Posted by: Brandon | April 17, 2007 at 10:52 PM
Crawford would have been severely damaged if he fought with the mighty Timothy Duncan!
. No doubt.
Posted by: brother | April 17, 2007 at 11:25 PM
I heard tonight that the T's DON't carry over....either way Kobe needs to chill with all the showing up the officials after non- calls.
Posted by: LALAKERLOVER | April 17, 2007 at 11:35 PM
The worst decision that Kupchak has made in my humble opinion, has to be when he took brian cook over josh howard, that was seriously offensive. But hindsight is 20/20 as the old cliche goes!
Luke walton
maurice evans
ronny turiaf
Karl malone (albeit a year)
Would have had banks, if not for that malcontent shizen koff!
Horace Grant
Smush parker (i know it looks funny, but really a steal!)
Kwame brown
Lamar odom
Jordan Farmar
Sasha Vujic
really all really pretty decent players that have contributed one way or another. In some way Kup' has had a hand in gettng all of them. Some of you really underestimate NBA talent, saying he sucks, he ain't worth a damn, not worth the money, etc... Well, sorry to be the one to break it to you , but really they are. In fact, most NBA'ers are worth a damn on one level or another. Cuz', to be able to compete in the NBA, let alone be a star, takes serious athletethism and skill. It's just some have a lot more than others, which makes it seem as though they are not as good. However, I challenge anyone on this blog to go against an NBA "scrub", and in all likelihood you'd get your ass handed to you! That's a fact, so before joanin' on players in the NBA past, future, present put in perspective of how really good they ALL are.
Sometimes some of the bloggers make it out like the success rate for NBA general managers is exponentially high, cause it ain't! Really most of these fall into success. The only one who I can think of that's seriously worth a damn is brian colagelo. In the grand scheme of things many more gm's are less competent, and would have done a far worse job with the situation kupchak is in now! So i give him a decent grade for being a decent gm.
Finally, in all of this random banter, what i really wanted to get across was the fact that are greatest utility, may be one of our most difficult problems to solve. That being the the triple post, for all it's glory, and trust me when i say it, and the princeton offense are wonderful tools. They do take certain a skill set and knowledge of the game to use them properly. Which puts the lakers in sort of a conundrum. Trying to get top level talent, with a salary cap problem, while still using their highly effective, albeitt difficult to learn offense. So, really Mitch has got his hands tied at the moment, and deserves our patience going forward.
Posted by: adam kiley | April 18, 2007 at 12:08 AM
Brandon,
For point guard, we had a chance to sign Jason Terry or Antonio Daniels, to name a few. I don't think Kupcake even pursued them.
Okay, I'll admit, Ronnie was a good 2nd rounder.
The jury is still out on Bynum. I don't see him being too much better than Olwakandi during his contract year with the Clippers, but at least he will serve as good trade bait this summer.
Are you kidding me about Cook? He is an unathletic big man that can't rebound, has no post moves, and plays zero defense. Here are some first rounders that went behind Cook: Josh Howard, Barbosa, Carlos Delfino and Kendrik Perkins. WOW. I can gurantee you that Jerry West would not have drafted Cook over any of these guys, let alone all of 'em.
All you need to do is look at the team. This is the freakin' Lakers. The lack of talent on this team is inexcusable. Now if Kupcake can somehow get Garnett or JO, without giving up Lamar, I will never say another bad word about Kupcake.
GO LAKERS!
Posted by: mitchell | April 18, 2007 at 03:35 AM
Adam Kiley,
"That's a fact, so before joanin' on players in the NBA past, future, present put in perspective of how really good they ALL are."
The best measure of that, I think, is to look at the players who don't make it in the NBA. (i.e. the great majority of college players)
Posted by: exhelodrvr | April 18, 2007 at 07:28 AM