Because the Western Conference wasn't stacked already
There must be Celtics fans tossing themselves off buildings tonight. In any event, the already mammoth Western Conference got a luxurious infusion of star power in tonight's draft lottery, when the Blazers snagged the first pick, followed by Seattle at number two. That means in one form or another, Greg Oden and Kevin Durant are about to make the Pacific Northwest about much more than rain, lush green space, and concern for global warming. About the only thing that kept the E.C. from risking permanent fiefdom (at least as measured by number of quality teams) was Atlanta sneaking up a spot to number three, robbing Phoenix of the opportunity to steal their pick and beef up an already quality squad.
At this point, it's fair to say the Western Conference could get very Lord of the Flies in '07-'08. Not that Portland and Seattle are suddenly going to morph into title contenders, but the Blazers were a pretty good bad team last year, have a ton of potential, and now have the flexibility to move Zach Randolph and get even better. Or keep him and figure out how to work a massive and athletic frontcourt with Oden, Randolph, LaMarcus Aldridge. Or swap picks with the Sonics and take Durant, who fits a little better, in theory. Seattle now has insurance if Rashard Lewis leaves and options if he stays.
Go down the line. Dallas will be good next year, as will Phoenix, San Antonio, Utah, and Houston (barring major injuries). Considering how they finished, a full season with A.I. makes Denver dangerous, which also describes a talented, improving Golden State team when Baron Davis is healthy. NO/OKC could be better, we've already talked about Seattle and Portland, and the Clippers are at worst mediocre, and could be better depending on how the offseason goes. Memphis has the cap room to get better. Not necessarily good, but they'll have a high pick and the potential to not be crappy. Even Sacramento, as big a mess as they are, still had a crack at a playoff spot last year.
If I'm K.G., I'm checking for real estate outside of Minnesota ASAP. You can make an argument that they'll be the worst team in the conference heading into next year. Not sure I buy it, but that I could reasonably defend that position kind of proves my point. There likely won't be a lot of gimmies next season on this side of the Mississippi.
Work those phones, Mitch.
BK
All this draft talk has been fun to read and to contribute.
Of all the big guys we have talked about extensively on this blog (Gasol, JO and KG), the one I have truly wanted the most was Gasol. I like Gasol more because he fits into what today's big man NBA should be. Someone that can shoot, has a great post game, can pass out of the double team, and can Knock down his free throws. KG and JO do have outside shoot, but not as pretty and consistantly as Gasol.
And Gasol salary is way better than KG and JO. And Gasol I think compliments Kobe the best. He still allows Kobe to be the Ultimate leader, because hes only gone as far as the first round in the playoffs. Plus, I loved watching Gasol play in Spain, you can see all his talents, especially when he had great teammates with the Spainard teams.
I love KG but the only I would accept us getting him, is if he opts out of contract, gets signed with the lakers for 3 yrs 15 million per year. His salary pay is just too much to absorb.
As far as JO, I think hes reached his potential and don see more and his salary is off the chart.
Posted by: wow | May 23, 2007 at 02:56 PM
Aloha everyone
Just was thinking of how a lot of bloggers really do not seem to think Andrew has much value and hes never going to be good etc but scouts and gms feel differently and here is why.
Andrew 22 minutes per game 5.9 ppg 7.8 rb 1.6 blocks
Eddie Curry 35 minutes per game 19.5 ppg 7.1 boards. Remember this was Currys big break out season and NY was loving him.
Frye 27 minutes 9.5 points 5.5 rb another NY big that gets alot of love on this blog
Cris Kaman 29 minutes 10.1 ppg 7.8 rb Scored a big contract with similar#
Darko 24 minutes 8 points 5.5 rb this guy will score 8 to 10 mil this year
Mcdyss (det) 22 min 8.1 ppg 6.1 rb cagey vet that is consider a important contributer.
Now considering Andrew is the 19 and the same age as Oden and Durrant, this is why there is a lot of interest in him and why we trade him on our terms only. I will be interested in seeing andrews numbers vs Odens next year. I would be willing to bet that Odens # will not blow away Andrews.
MH
Posted by: michael h | May 23, 2007 at 03:00 PM
yeah, it's just fun... who knows who the Lakers are looking at? Maybe Matt Barnes, PJ Brown, Mikki Moore and converting Eddie Jones to be their new PG? LOL! Oh... maybe that's not as funny as it sounds? Ohhhh...
Posted by: TaosHum | May 23, 2007 at 03:04 PM
Yeah they say Sabonis in his prime was like Bill Russell with a 3 point shot...scary.
Posted by: richtown | May 23, 2007 at 03:10 PM
As far as Bynum being the odd man out, I think he will still be a great talent. But thats not the moral of the story. You can't watch Kobe's performance this past two seasons and not feel for the dude. Because you understand that if you put a team with Kobe and Phil as the coach, there is a likely chance that the lakers will be hoisting multiple trohpies in June. At the end of the season I saw something in bynum, he started to refine his game to his strength, like making those mini fade away jumpers in the paint.
I dont even want to see him traded already because I think it sends a bad Karma to his career, and might really break his spirit. Plus, he is so young. Its unfortuanate that he his our trade bait, and if we do end up trading him, we'll just have to wish him the best. But you cant watch Kobe put up 81 points, four consecutive 50 points game and not have nothing to show for it. No MVP award, no NBA finals MVP award, and no post Shaq championship. We need a real team around him and its time to go for it. Time we make solid decisions again.
Posted by: wow | May 23, 2007 at 03:13 PM
Brandon C, on Zach Randolph:
"am I the only one who thinks he looks like the guy who played "Eddie" on the sitcom "Family Matters"?"
LOL!!!!! No my friend you are not. I don't agree with you about Randolph as a player, but on the Eddie Winslow thing, we agree 100%
PS: Randolph isn't the best defensive player, but his offense is sick, and he is a rebounding machine. I think he could be good for us, but he would HAVE to try to score the ball from the post more.
Posted by: Weave-Man | May 23, 2007 at 03:13 PM
Yeah folks, as if the Lakers need another project at point guard (you can't say Sasha without a smile) -- pick up Texas A&M point guard -- Law. He is an assassin with proven range. He isn't a big guard by any means, but he is respectable. Just what you need to kick out for a three under a double-team for KB -- and I don't mean Kwami Brown.
Posted by: Mike | May 23, 2007 at 03:17 PM
The one thing I remember about Sabonis, aside form his sweet touch and nifty passing, is that Shaq made him cry like a 6 year old. He will be in the NBA Cyring Hall of Fame someday alongside Adam Morrison, D Wade and D'Antoni.
Gunner,
Don't worry. Nobody is going to take the "dumbest idiot on the blog" award away from you. You can feel safe....unless KL decides to post.
JayJay,
WE NEED ARTEST ASAP!! Artest might be a cancer, but Phil, and Ron's FRIENDS, Kobe and Lamar, will cure it. I'd like to see Raja clothesline Kobe again with Artest by his side.
Posted by: mitchell | May 23, 2007 at 03:20 PM
Would it be the worst thing in the world if the front office didn't really make any moves this offseason and waited until the trade deadline, when Kwame's expiring contract is more valuable, Andrew Bynum has another off-season and half of a regular season under his belt, to think about making a deal?
We could try and sign a vet or two using the MLE and I'm pretty sure, health permitting, that we would be in the playoff picture.
Every year there is speculation of a big name going somewhere else and at that time it takes expiring contracts, young talent, and draft picks to make it happen. Well, we'd have Kwame's contract, Bynum-Farmar-Turiaf-this year's pick all with more time to develop and inexpensive deals, and our draft pick next year.
It just might be the best thing for this franchise to just wait all this craziness out and not do anything too drastic.
Just a thought.
Posted by: Andrew Z | May 23, 2007 at 03:20 PM
I'm seeing a lot of free agent names being thrown about: Mo Williams, Mikki Moore, Mo Peterson, Steve Blake etc. My question to you guys is who do you think would be more important for us to have?
Personally I think it depends on the trades we make (Duh), but I would take one of the point guards, and/or Mikki Moore before I took Peterson. Peterson is a nice player, but how good can he be if he's getting replaced by Candice Parker's big brother who hadn't played in the NBA in about 10 YEARS!!!!!(I'm obviously exaggerating)
Posted by: Weave-Man | May 23, 2007 at 03:28 PM
gunner24,
WHAT'S UP WITH ALL THE SCREAMING CUPCAKE?
It took you 5 hrs to respond. You coundn't find anybody to spell check your last post, so you waited until now. You have nothing else to say because you're just like all your post concerning the lakers
"ASININE AND INCORRECT". Go back to school, a mind is something you'll never waste.
Posted by: Ramses | May 23, 2007 at 03:29 PM
yeah, I'd like to wait for the trade deadline and see who suddenly becomes available too but... that triangle offense... I dunno, it doesn't seem to be THAT complicated to me but apparently some people come in - like Vlad Rad and it makes their heads spin... so it would seem that whoever we start out with in training camp are the one's we are going to ride for the rest of the year. Plus, you have to consider that if Gasol or Paul Pierce or whoever is really on the trading block, somebody else could swoop in and get them and of course Bynum could sprain his ankle and then we're really screwed...
Posted by: TaosHum | May 23, 2007 at 03:29 PM
gunner24,
WHAT'S UP WITH ALL THE SCREAMING CUPCAKE?
It took you 5 hrs to respond. You coundn't find anybody to spell check your last post, so you waited until now. You have nothing else to say because you're just like all your post concerning the lakers
"ASININE AND INCORRECT". Go back to school, a mind is something you'll never waste.
Posted by: Ramses | May 23, 2007 at 03:31 PM
Picking up Matt Barnes would be a HORRIBLE move. He's just another example of a guy who was nobody his whole career, had a good playoffs, cashed in, then checked out. You can add him to the distinguished likes of Tim Thomas, Mark Blount, Bonzi Wells, Austin Chroshere, and Troy Hudson.
Posted by: psp956 | May 23, 2007 at 03:32 PM
$B,
Stay out of my head man. That's exactky how I feel about Artest. He would give us a major boost in defense, hussel and all around energy. Something we def lacked last year.
Posted by: richtown | May 23, 2007 at 03:38 PM
COMPTON'S,
you are sayin wat I'm saying... it must be that compton-to-carson reality check !!!
Bynum hasnt shown NO WHERE NEAR THE POTENTIAL that any of the top stars showed in their 1st year of play:
Amare
Howard
Shaq
Yao
KG
JO
stars are stars are stars... they just have it...
You want to give me Eddy Curry? That guy sucks. How do you play 35 mins a nite , be 7ft, 300 pounds and ONLY average
7 boards a game
0.8 assist a game
.49 blocks a game
.42 steals a game
61% FTs
AND
3.64 TOs a game!!!
THAT IS TERRIBLE!!!!! that offsets the modest 19 point average... wow.... dont give me eddy curry
Posted by: Korey | May 23, 2007 at 03:38 PM
Michael h,
That should read "5.9 rpg, 7.8 ppg for Bynum"
The biggest question with him is whether or not he has the intensity/work ethic to reach his potential.
Posted by: exhelodrvr | May 23, 2007 at 03:41 PM
Mitchell - you are wrong. Period.
You say "I'd like to see Raja clothesline Kobe again with Artest by his side." That's your scenario right?
Ok here's what happens - Artest flies off the handle and punches Raja in the face which leads to a bench clearing brawl with half a dozen Lakers and Suns suspended for 8 to 10 games and Artest suspended for the season. Ya, that will help......
Posted by: Jay Jay | May 23, 2007 at 03:42 PM
Richtown, that's the problem we have 60% of our team is worthless... I like Farmar myself, but we may have to use him on a trade bait because we just don't have a lot of assets on this team... Our 1,3 and 5 spot is extremely week as far as being starters... Our bench players with the exception of Turiaf and maybe Evans where all offensive minded one dimensional loosers (Cook, Sasha, Vrad and even Smush at the end of the sesason)....
I like to give Vrad one more chance, but with his space cadet ways I don't mind if he get's traded too....
I just hate to see the fallowing people back on this team again... They just don't belong in a Laker uniform....
Kwame
Cook
Smush already gone
Sasha
Vrad needs dramatic imporments
Makie will be gone
Shammond maybe gone
Bynum too raw and too lazy
Listen I like Bynum, but I like him maybe 3 years from now.. But the bottom line is with Phil as our coach and Kobe as the #1 we can't offord to wait, period.....
We need an overhaul... And it starts with Kwame since Smush is already gone and it then goes on to Cook and Sasha and maybe even Vrad and Bynum....
Lamar if he can put on extra 15 to 20 pounds of muscle I see him as a dominant PF... I think we are through of seeing him as a SF if he stays as a Lakers, so therefore he needs to add a little more pounds and works on this outside shooting, as well a post moves... I think if we add a 2nd opition to this team, I see Lamar becoming that dirty 3rd option player (rebounds, steals, blocks, hustle plays) that we really hoped Kwame ( lazy ass, no hearted, cake throwing, efforless bastard) of being...
Posted by: Gino | May 23, 2007 at 03:43 PM
Andrew Bynum is going to average a Double-Double next year, hopefully its as a Lakers, remember I said this, so I can throw it in everyones face when it happens.
Posted by: Oscar | May 23, 2007 at 03:44 PM
Andrew Z:
"We could try and sign a vet or two using the MLE and I'm pretty sure, health permitting, that we would be in the playoff picture."
The biggest concern I have right now in using the MLE is that we'll take someone on and then another team will cut someone like what happened to Chris Webber midseason but we would lose out on him because someone else would have more to offer. If we can't get a decent point guard during the summer, I'd rather just hold off on using it altogether. It's not much more than the Vet Minimum, but it's still more to offer.
I guess it really all depends on what kind of trades we're able to work out and what the team looks like by the time free agency starts.
Posted by: generic_one | May 23, 2007 at 03:45 PM
Andrew Z
ahh no
I think it was pretty clear with Kobe as well as Phil that we need to upgrade, and upgarde fast... I don't see trading Kwame for Ron Artest as being a drastic move if we can sign Maglore for a veterans minummum... I personally think Maglore is an upgarde over Kwame... Come on people think... Buss get it done at least the above proposal... Sign Artest for Kwame and sign Maglore as well... Charlie Beill is a free agent, Milwakee will not give him more the MLE, they have Mo williams for that or even more as well as Earl Boykins whos under contract for next season too...Not to mention they have Michael Redd that can play the point at times as well... There really deep at the 1 spot.... I think there trying to sign Desmond Mason as he really wants to move back home and I just don't see Milwakee signing three free agents over the MLE in ( Mo, Charlie Bell as well Mason)
Posted by: Gino | May 23, 2007 at 03:48 PM
"WE NEED ARTEST ASAP!! Artest might be a cancer, but Phil, and Ron's FRIENDS, Kobe and Lamar, will cure it. I'd like to see Raja clothesline Kobe again with Artest by his side."
Best post of the day Mithcell, I wish we can have a video of this play and have the right angle at it, no one I mean no one comes to Kobe's rescue... This is the reason why this team needs a major overhaull... We have wimps not warriors on this team....
Posted by: Gino | May 23, 2007 at 03:51 PM
Oscar,
"Andrew Bynum is going to average a Double-Double next year, hopefully its as a Lakers, remember I said this, so I can throw it in everyones face when it happens."
OK. And if he gets less than that, you still get credit for being correct. Ground rules of the lakersblog.
Posted by: exhelodrvr | May 23, 2007 at 03:56 PM
"You say "I'd like to see Raja clothesline Kobe again with Artest by his side." That's your scenario right?
Ok here's what happens - Artest flies off the handle and punches Raja in the face which leads to a bench clearing brawl with half a dozen Lakers and Suns suspended for 8 to 10 games and Artest suspended for the season. Ya, that will help......"
Jay Jay
I would rather take Artest over anyone else except Kobe, Lamar and Bynum on this Laker team.... The point is not what will the end result be, the point is that Raja will never of done what he did if Artest was on the floor for the Lakers.....Think about it don't you see Artest itimadating when his on the floor, or are you blind.....
Posted by: Gino | May 23, 2007 at 03:59 PM
The problem is that making a "half-butted" attempt at improving the team this off-season will probably not be enough to make the Lakers contenders next year, but it will be enough to keep them from making significant moves next season. They'll be a little better, but not enough, and Kobe will be older.
Posted by: exhelodrvr | May 23, 2007 at 04:00 PM
Andrew Z,
There's no guarantee we could get better offers at the trading deadline than we will now. Actually there is a chance the offers could be worse. What happens if Bynum comes in and has a bad first half? We all saw what injuries did to us this year, what if the same thing happens next year? Not too many teams are gonna take a risk with a 19-20 year old that doesn't seem to be improving (remember this is hypothetical), or would want to make a trade for our other young guys if their hurt.
Another big factor in doing what you suggest is the triangle. We all know (or have at least heard) how hard it is to learn the triangle in a full season, and offseason, but it probably is damn near impossible to learn it, and run it effectively in less than half a season. Maybe if we had another coach who just ran the run of the mill NBA offenses we could do it, but with Phil believeing in the triangle soooo much I don't think we can make a move mid-season.
Posted by: Weave-Man | May 23, 2007 at 04:05 PM
Gino,
If we're looking at Charlie Bell to make an impact on this squad, we suck more than I thought.
I think Kobe screwed things up by demanding publicly that the front office has to do something. It's Shaq all over again, forcing the Lakers hand.
You know anyone they deal with is going to try and screw us over because they know that Kobe wants something done at any cost.
Way to go Kobe.
Posted by: Andrew Z | May 23, 2007 at 04:07 PM
Gino, did you see Magloire this year? I saw him live and he was a TURD! LOL! Let me put it this way, if we had to trade Sasha for him, I'd have to think that over for a couple of days and probably call several people connected with him to see if he was... what? dismayed at playing for Portland or ??? what was going on. You guys didn't like Smush's attitude this year? Well remove him and insert Magloire and Laker nation has someone new to hate! Anyone but Magloire, is Travis Knight still available? it's almost 4:20 in the afternoon, maybe somebody could get ahold of him before he disappears for the day...
Posted by: TaosHum | May 23, 2007 at 04:12 PM
KORY
my dude you feel me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
watching baby drew trying 2 develop,is like watching my 6 year old daughter tyring 2 ride a bike for the first time.
UNLESS IT'S IN/OUT BUGERS
I DONT SEE DOUBLE-DOUBLE'S FROM BABY DREW
WITH HIS SIZE HE SHOULD BE A REBOUNDER BUT HE'S NOT, HE WAIT'S FOR THE BALL 2 COME 2 HIM( ALA EDDY CURRY).
UNLIKE RONNY T ARE TYSON CHANDLER WHO GOES AN GET REBOUNDS.
Posted by: COMPTON'S FINEST | May 23, 2007 at 04:15 PM
Andew Z, name one impact or should I say dominant PG that Phil has had with the Bulls or the Lakers... All we need is a defensive minded good shooting smart ball player.. If my trade goes down, we would already have Lamar and Ron Ron as our facilitators.... We don't need our Pg to give us 10 assists a game, we just need him to do his job and that is play hard nose defense, hit the open jumper and play consistant ball.....
Posted by: Gino | May 23, 2007 at 04:18 PM
Hey guys, I am a new guy on the board, but have been reading for the entire season. I just want to know what do you guys think about this video. This look like Kobe here, but I bet the NBA will not do anything..take a look
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGnnN5BMXwE
Posted by: laker4life | May 23, 2007 at 04:23 PM
I dont see Charlie Bell as a must get, but I do see him as a formal fit in our triangle offense.. He avg 14pts 4rebound and 3 assits with only 1 turnover this season shot 79% from the free throw line.. The only bad part is that he shot 44% from the field but his a guard you can't expect him to shoot better than that .....In addition he shot 36% from the 3 point line and made over 130 three's which is better than any of our guards period... Actuall kobe made 137 threes but shot more than a 100 more than Charlie... THink before you comment...
Again I'm not saying his our savior, but with Kidd, Mo Williams as well as other top PG not being available I would rather take him over Steve Blake for sure.......
Posted by: Gino | May 23, 2007 at 04:31 PM
Jay Jay,
I only brought up Raja's clothesline on Kobe to point out that, despite all of Ron Artest's faults, he is a tough warrior on the court. He is the type of enforcer that will always have his teamates' back, similiar to Michael Cooper in that aspect. I agree with you that he could potentially hurt the chemistry of this team. But at the same time, a dedicated Artest, with the guidance of Phil and FRIENDS, Kobe and Lamar, can actually promote chemistry for a team as well (just like Rodman). The team's response to Raja's clothesline proved to me that our team is full of pussycats. Do you think Michael Cooper, Rambis or Michael Thompson would of stood pat if Magic was clotheslined by Lambeer? They would have beat him down to a pulp! I am not condoning fighting, but all of Artest's positive attributes (defense, post scoring, nastiness, and most importanly his "I will not back down to nobody" mentality) are exactly what this young team of pussycats needs.
Posted by: mitchell | May 23, 2007 at 04:36 PM
Someone suggested we get Steve Blake, here are Steve Blakers numbers for this season.. On every catagory his much much worse than Charlie Bell, and you know what's funny he will probably end up costing more than Charlie just because he had a couple of big shots in the playoffs....
Avg 41% from the field 32% from the three point line making only 62 threes for the whole year, 67% free throws 2 turnovers a game and only 6 pts a game...
Posted by: Gino | May 23, 2007 at 04:37 PM
Gino,
Yes, Lamar will score more points in the post next season, but he will never be a "bruiser". If LO adds 15-20 pounds of muscle he will lose a lot of quickness, and would lose his strongest asset....his versatility. I think hime putting on some more muscle is a pretty good idea, but just not that much. What he really needs to work on is dribbling, and scoring with his right hand. If and when he really utilizes his right hand THERE WILL BE NO ONE IN THE LEAGUE THAT CAN GUARD HIM!!!! Once that right hand comes along he truly could be our #2 option.
Posted by: Weave-Man | May 23, 2007 at 04:41 PM
Compton,
"watching baby drew trying 2 develop,is like watching my 6 year old daughter trying 2 ride a bike for the first time.
UNLESS ITS IN AND OUT BURGER,
I DONT SEE DOUBLE-DOUBLE'S FROM BABY DREW"
LMAO!! Funny, but so true!
Posted by: mitchell | May 23, 2007 at 04:43 PM
Bloggers...
KG & JO are pipe dreams...Lakers cannot package anything resembling a good deal for either one of those two players. Think if you were the Pacers or Wolves, would you take anything the Lakers could package? NO!
The best thing they can do is trade Artest for Brown and (instert name here). Use their MLE for a vet PG i.e. Mo, Blake...even Brevin Knight. Bobcats don't want him back with Felton and their going to make a hugh push for other marquee FA. I like Knight. He distributes, plays good D and doesn't need the ball to score...the only thing he can't do is shoot the 3...(see Sasha Vkdsafidsna)...at least BK knows he can't. However, he can distribute like a poor man's Steve Nash.
Then draft help...whatever...so look at the new lineup:
PG: Knight/MO/Blake, Farmar
SG: MVP, Evans, Sasha
SF: Artest, Walton, Vlad
PF: Odom, Cook, Turiaf
C: Bynum, Mihm
Also keep in mind we have three draft picks...that will add depth to any needed posistion.
Let me hear what all your opinions are???
Posted by: MVPKOBE | May 23, 2007 at 04:44 PM
Gino,
"I dont see Charlie Bell as a must get, but I do see him as a formal fit in our triangle offense.. He avg 14pts 4rebound and 3 assits with only 1 turnover this season shot 79% from the free throw line.. The only bad part is that he shot 44% from the field but his a guard you can't expect him to shoot better than that .....In addition he shot 36% from the 3 point line and made over 130 three's which is better than any of our guards period... Actuall kobe made 137 threes but shot more than a 100 more than Charlie... THink before you comment..."
I have to admit I didn't think of Charlie Bell as a serious option, but you make a good argument. With numbers like those he would be the perfect fit for the triangle. We probably could get him for half the MLE, but I think I would be willing to bring him in for the whole MLE if he really demanded it. Half of it would be better though because we could use the rest to bring in another good vet (big or guard doesn't really matter as long as the have playoff experience).
Posted by: Weave-Man | May 23, 2007 at 04:51 PM
I'll take Maglore's at 6 pts and 7 rebounds a game playing 10 min less than Kwame a game and making the veteran minimum...
Plus his last 15 games of the regular season and Kwame last 15 games of the reuglar season which counts for about 50% of his games played all season long his averaged more in rebounds pts blocks as well as free throw and field goal perentage.
Posted by: Gino | May 23, 2007 at 05:05 PM
Weave man.
MLE is the most that Chalie would end up getting if his lucky becuase his mainly been behind the scenes playing with Milwakee... Plus there team is really not going to have 3 guards making more than the MLE exception... I say we can easyl get him for about 3.5 million for 3 years ...
Did I mention his 6.4 guard as well
Posted by: Gino | May 23, 2007 at 05:22 PM
Weave, I think LO prefers his size-body wise because of speed. I think he feels that if he bulks up he's slower. I think I read something about it lol.
But I'm with you about him going right, using his right hand lol.
Posted by: Faith | May 23, 2007 at 05:24 PM
Why is lebron james not suspended for this act?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGnnN5BMXwE
That is exactly what Kobe did, why is ESPN not showing this video over and over again?
Lebron should be suspended because Stu Jackson said anyone who did that would be suspended.
could it be that the NBA just wanted to create an image that Kobe was a dirty player? because Kobe was again the main star in the NBA, no thanks to the nba.
Can we now say the nba has it against Kobe, now that Lebron did the same thing and was not suspended?
Posted by: lakofan | May 23, 2007 at 05:24 PM
MVP Kobe... Knight is to short to run the triangle offense... I like him off the bench though for veternes mim.... I'm with you on the Artest deal...But I would love to see us use those picks with a package of Luke Walton or VRad since they will be playing behind Artest to get us a decent PF or Center...Remember we need experience not raw tallent.. We would have Farmar and Bynum and Turiaf if we decide not to deal them...
Posted by: Gino | May 23, 2007 at 05:28 PM
lakofan,
Wow. How can they let Lebron get away with that? I completly disagreed with Kobe's suspensions, but if you are going to enforce the rule, you must be consistent and fair. There's absolutley no excuse for not suspending Lebron. If Horry's hip check can warrant a suspension, then an unatural basketball move that slams a person in the head should also merit one. There is definiley a bias in the NBA against Kobe and this incident just adds more fuel to the fire. We should all write a complaint to the NBA.
Posted by: fkillah | May 23, 2007 at 05:44 PM
Watch Oden destroy Bynum next year. I feel sorry for Bynum b/c Oden is going to make Bynum cry. I take that back, I don't feel sorry for Bynum b/c this kid needs to get his act together or else he is going to be the next Kwame/Dudley/Olowakandi.
Posted by: fkillah | May 23, 2007 at 05:55 PM
GENERIC_ONE
DID U LOOK MW UP GO 2 GOOGLE
BRAIN HOOKS NORTH HIGH SCHOOL RIVERSIDE
HOLLA AT CHA DUDE
COMPTON
Posted by: COMPTON'S FINEST | May 23, 2007 at 06:01 PM
Aloha weave man
Personally I think Lamars offensive game is fine. Only thing he needs to really work on is mind set. He can could easily average 20+ a game if he made offense more of a focus. And ya right hand? It wouldnt even be fair.
MH
Posted by: michael h | May 23, 2007 at 06:03 PM
What kind of guy is Rashard Lewis? is he the kind of guy that would want to play in a big market in LA or the kind of guy that thinks he should have his own team?
If he WANTS to come to LA Im wondering if we can put something together for him and Earl Watson who was unhappy with his minutes last year...given they have Ridnour at his position and Watson has a long contract maybe Farmar would suit them as a backup.
Since the sonics risk losing Lewis for nothing their only hope is for a sign and trade in which they cant really expect equal value so if Lewis wants to be a laker it can happen.
Kwame/farmar/Cooke FOR Lewis/Watson
Watson is a great defender but not much of a playmaker and doesnt need to be.The sonics will probably still be in need of a centre so Kwame fits for them.
The lakers are then well covered at four of five positions and just have to hope Bynum and Mihm can be serviceable BUT if Bynum can get it sorted out by the following season then the lakers will be strong.
Posted by: Kiwi | May 23, 2007 at 06:06 PM
Two things:
"My coworkers glared at me for snorting"
First, drugs and office politics dont mix well, second, don't hide it, divide it!"
Also, someone said:
"I wouldn't be surprised to see him (Kwame) pull a Bison Dele and retire after next year and spend a few years just walking the earth like Kane in Kung Fu, helping random people in small towns with their problems."
I'd be surprised as heck if Kwame did anything but play video games after retiring, and the only walking he'll be doing is to seven eleven for munchies or Best Buy for new video games, and if I were a in trouble in some high-plains mining town and I saw Kwame coming in his safron robe and shaved head I'd hide all my nice clothes, my wife and kids and my birthday cake and wait quietly for him to pass.
Wes
Posted by: wesjoenixon | May 23, 2007 at 06:15 PM