"The procedure will entail the modification of larger, stronger hands. It will be performed by Dr. Sean McNamara of McNamara/Troy."
-Ajax

The problem with Kwame Brown is the expectations was just to high.
If he was a late first round or second round pick, it would have been more realistic.

His defense is adequate. His offense will be catch and shoot, and not a create type game.

What you have is what you have.

Kwame can be a decent defensive player clog the middle type. He can guard the bigs.

And if he hangs around the basket he will get his share of dunks.

I wouldn't give him away for nothing, for he can do the job.
Not try to do too much, but in the flow.

I am so tired, I need painkillers!

KG, please come to LA. I can't take this anymore!!!! :-(

Time for a reality check. Today was the perfect day to slide some more bad news past the Laker's fans. With everyone fixated on the KG trade drama it was announced that Kwame will have surgery on his shoulder. This after recent surgery on his ankle. Wow, his trade value is going through the roof!

Kwame Brown might be the most perplexing player ever to wear a Laker uniform. Has the look of a star, Hell, Jordan picked him #1 straight out of college. They thought they had a franchise player. Sadly, it takes more than a 'NBA body' to compete at this level.

Kwame came into the league with no training in fundamentals, no post moves, no understanding of team defense. Well all these years later Kwame still has no grasp of fundamentals, no real post moves (a dunk is not a post move) and clueless as to team defense and switching responsibilities.

How can someone learn so little in all this time? HE DOES NOT CARE!!! Kwame is a paycheck casher. He does not play the game because he loves it, no, because fools will pay him millions. To get some one to improve they first have to care.

His apathetic approach allows him to rationalize sitting out games. Stubbed toe, Can't play.... hangnail, take a day off.. hemoroids, take a week off...

Kwame will not play in pain. (you wonder why he gets such little respect from Jordan and Kobe) How is he going to react to the eventual pain when rehabbing from surgery. Will he put off rehab because it hurts too much?

Lakers are really in a tough spot. With all these faults, Kwame is still our best inside defender and the only person we have to match up with Duncan and Stoudamire. WE CAN"T TRADE HIM! He has almost no trade value and we don't have a replace ment. So all we can do is hope that we can get KG. The doubleteams on and boxouts on KG may give Kwame some opportunities.

So it looks like the Kwame supporters can have their cake and throw it too. lol WHAT SAY YOU?

Jim Gray reports Garnett to L.A. is dead - Phx/Bos/Minny 3 way alive

http://getgarnett.com/blog/?p=359

You gotta be joking. Why would the Celts trade the #5 and Al Jefferson to get Marion? who can opt out after next year? This is ludicrous!

J-Cool,

The key here is KG. I think he likes the Lakers because of multiple extention of his contract while others are asking for waive clause but could not give multiple extention that Jerry Buss is going to give. I think we still have hope through Bobcats or the opt-out next year assuming KG will have a banner year again next season. If his b'ball abilities starting to fade, then it would mean a different price like Grant Hill, Chris Webber and Juwan Howard.

Do we have any news on Head/Bonzi deal for Sasha/Cook?

========================================================

(Paul Shirley is a Ex-NBA player who now write a blog for ESPN and suddenly he became a Slate columnist. The guy is a Laker hater, but today in Slate he wrote this large piece that merits some reading from the smart and opinionated Lakers fans. Some concepts are ok, others are very questionable, but worth the reading.)

==========================================================

Kobe and KG
What would happen if the NBA's two most intriguing players ended up on the same team?

by Paul Shirley/Slate

The NBA Finals ended 10 days ago. By all accounts, including my own, they were a disaster—the lowest rated Finals in the history of the world. Bucking my normal holier-than-thou attitude, I tried to watch the games. I should have stuck with aloofness; my strategy of combating boredom with lines of cocaine probably won't aid me in finding a basketball job for the coming season.

Fortunately for the emotional health of the general public—and for the nasal health of me—more important events have come to pass since the Spurs won the title. It has been reported that Kobe Bryant (arguably the league's most marketable player) and Kevin Garnett (arguably its most talented) might … in theory … possibly … be traded … if about 573 variables line up correctly. And now, "league sources" are saying that both guys could end up on the Lakers. In the wake of the Finals debacle, all of this has been sufficient to ignite the requisite sports media firestorm.

I have something of a unique viewpoint on all of this. In the fall of 2001, I lasted three weeks in training camp with Bryant's Los Angeles Lakers before being released and told that I probably ought to go play in Europe. In 2006, I repeated the experience with Garnett's employer, the Minnesota Timberwolves, before being cut so the team could concentrate its financial resources on an alcoholic, a guy who dances like Elaine Benes, and a man who had only that year crashed his SUV while masturbating.

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Having spent a similar amount of time in the semi-intimate company of both men, I can say confidently that two people couldn't be more different. Kevin Garnett is one of the most impressive humans I've ever been around.

Kobe Bryant isn't.

As a strict contrarian, I wish it weren't so. But in this case, there have been no mischaracterizations. Garnett is noble, loyal, and larger-than-life. And, again, Bryant isn't.

Of course, Kevin Garnett is no teddy bear. When I arrived in Minnesota for camp, I spent my first two days playing pickup games with the team. Upon finding me—a person he had never met before—on the court, Garnett quickly had me replaced by someone from the sideline. Which I certainly didn't appreciate. But after a few weeks around the man, I decided that he had the right to tell me what to do—the court we were playing on was his court. The team playing on it: his team.

As for personal encounters with Bryant, suffice it to say that his replica jersey is not hanging in my bedroom. I related a few details of our brief time together in my book—the multiple bodyguards he employed in training camp, his insecurity, his general surliness toward most of humanity. Feel free to jog down to the local Barnes & Noble and skim the first 30 pages as supplementary reading. (I wouldn't sink so low as to tell you to buy it. That would be despicable.)

Garnett is a throwback superstar, a Bill Russell for the modern age. When some people conjure up Russell they visualize the consummate winner, a man who led his teams to 11 NBA championships. But I link the two men by personality. By all reports, Russell shares Garnett's intelligence, grace, and intensity. And, in his defense, Garnett has never had a Cousy or a Havlicek.

Unfortunately, it could be that the modern age has no use for Bill Russell. One of Garnett's greatest strengths—his loyalty—is laughably out of place in the superstar-focused NBA. Compared, for example, to the Kobe Bryant school of leadership. Bryant has publicly questioned the ability of his teammates; Garnett has never complained about the mediocre supporting casts he's been given. Bryant refused to play for the team that drafted him (the Charlotte Hornets); Garnett has embraced the state of Minnesota like a taller, darker version of Prince. Even this year, with his team in a tailspin and his own game under scrutiny, Garnett did nothing to shift the blame. Meanwhile, Bryant was preparing for a summer of trade demands and pro-wrestler-style pronouncements.

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As for the rumors of a Bryant/Garnett combination in purple and gold: The scenario might be plausible if everyone who's not on the Lakers payroll lost his mind at the exact same moment. Then again, Kevin McHale has long been considered a rather ineffectual GM. It is possible that he would be dumb enough to help create the most unstoppable pairing since He-Man and Battle Cat. But I've gathered that his IQ hovers above the level needed to button a polo shirt in the morning, so I'd wager that he's smart enough to avoid bringing about the basketball apocalypse in his own conference.

Should McHale's neurons stop firing and the trade get made, the resulting cauldron of intensity would be impressive to behold. For all their differences, Garnett and Bryant do share one trait. They might be the two most focused human beings I've been around. In fact, if they were on the same team, they'd probably each reach new heights as a result of their efforts to outdo the other. The Lakers would cease to exist as a team, per se. Instead the "team" would be two dudes screaming at each other while three others ran around trying to avoid their wrath. Should the trade happen, the Lakers' front office would immediately begin a search for players with only one trait: "enjoys being subjected to extreme levels of verbal abuse."

Of course, the most likely outcome of the Garnett/Bryant brouhaha is the most boring one. In all probability, neither player will be traded. Bryant's Lakers will be unwilling to part with a proven cash cow, and Garnett's Timberwolves will struggle to find a partner in a trade. In the NBA, the salaries of the players involved in a trade have to match up, more or less. Garnett is scheduled to make $22 million next year. Last year, the Charlotte Bobcats' team payroll was $41 million. It would take a bunch of Bobcats to buy one Timberwolf.

Even so, all of this trade talk is good for the NBA. David Stern loves when the NBA knocks baseball off the front pages in the off-season. It gives basketball fans something to talk about. And it gives them hope after an awful, boring season. And sports is nothing without hope. Hope that the Cubs will win a World Series. Hope that a two-lap lead will be enough. Hope that the starting outside linebacker will stop impregnating 17-year-olds. And, this summer, hope that a very tall, very athletic man—good or bad, noble or not, hero or archenemy—will come to town to save the day.

Jorema,

Can you include the link for that piece? Thanks. Nice find, by the way. If it's from the Slate, I'd have never thought of looking there for NBA material.

I totally forgot about Shirley's preseason "days" (if you want to call them that) as a Laker. Blast from the past. haha

AK

AK here is the link:

http://www.slate.com/id/2169154/

P Ang,

"Maybe we can get Rachel Ray's man hand? lol."

LOL!

Kobe Bryant is a great role model, father, and husband.

Kobe Bryant has NO illigitimate children, a la Shaq O'Neil, is not nearly as promiscuous as Magic Johnson, Wilt Chamberline, or probably 80% of the other NBA players, he attends church, is active in his children's schools, and is very charitable to local communities (do the research on that one).

As a young man, in his early 20's, he was tempted by court-proven scandoulous woman. He cheated on his beautiful wife, but he's not NEARLY, and I mean NEARLY alone in that endeavor. Reports I've researched have the percentage of men cheating on their wives anywhere between 22% to 78%. It's safe to bet that number goes up with celebrities and athletes.

Kobe's wife had a clear cut opportunity to divorce him and take 1/2 his assets. Her family had the opportunity to trash him pubically. His family had the opportunity to abandon him. However, all reports show that Kobe and his wife are deeply in love, had brought another beautiful daughter into the world (post Denver), and have reaffirmed their love and devotion together through family support and through their devotion to their religion. Some say Kobe bought her love. Uh, no. His wife could have divorced him and bought herself hundreds of diamond rings. But she stood by her man because she recognized a good man who made one mistake.

As far as the incident in CO itself, read this very carefully. No one but the two people who where involved truly know what happened. I cannot speculate because I wasn't there, and neither can anyone else. There is circumstantial evidence that make both Kobe's story and his accuser's story shaky (again, do the research). I do know that educated and professional people brought this case to a court of law. The legal system operated without flaw, and the only conclusive, court documented results were that fallacies in the accuser's case were so strong that the case was dismissed. As such, I have rationale to believe Kobe Bryant was innocent, because a strong case would have seen him convicted.

However, at the very least, you cannot pass judgment upon Kobe and ignore the fallacies in his accusers case. There is no justification to do this, and no viable argument to support such an act. To do this plainly, and without debate, shows clear and precise prejudice and bias against Kobe Bryant. There's no other way to approach it.

Since the Denver incident was unresolved, I don't see the legal or moral right anyone has to implicate either Kobe Bryant or his accuser, as per my aforementioned contentions.

What I see now is a man who has remained happily married (can you say that?), has two children that love him, whom has the love of both families, and attends church. As such, I stand by my statements that Kobe Bryant is a good father and husband.

As far as role model, Kobe doesn't drink and party like Shaq and other NBA players, he doesn't sexually harass women (remember Shaq had to apologize for a sexually charged, public statement he said about Serena Williams- oh, I guess that has that been conveniently forgotten), he doesn't do drugs like Lamar Odom, he doesn't beat up his women like Allan Iverson and Charles Barkley. He works hard, he prays, and he loves his family. He made one mistake, he paid the price. His wife and both sides of the families have forgiven him, so what right do I, or anyone else, have not to?

Kobe Bryant is a great husband, father, and role model. Millions of people agree to that, which is why he's admired and loved throughout the world, it's why his jersey is the number one seller.

Case made...case supported...case close.

Kobe Rules. Get over it.

Let me just expound on something I didn't make quite clear in the last post: Kobe is 'going dark' because he can't keep from saying something injurious to his image, so it's better to let the sycophants do their jobs for him while he gets to pretend to be 'above it all.'

In public relation terms, Kobe has what's known as a 'tin ear.' He has an amazing knack for saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. Somebody convinced him - after the radio tour flip-flop debacle and now the "KG is not enough" disaster - that he REALLY needs to keep his mouth closed while the Lakers go out and do what Kobe said they weren't doing.

Hence, Kobe 'goes dark.'

At least he's getting some decent advice, finally.

Troy,
"guy's a great father, a great husband, and a role model for youth around the world. "

I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT TYPE OF FATHER YOU MUST BE. "A RAPIST, ADULTERER, AND LIAR"

J-Cool

You Getgarnett.com getting the love From Eric Pincus of Hoopsworld

========================================
Eric Pincus....."GetGarnett Blog Leading the Way"

"In early May of 2007 three friends got together with a single, simple purpose . . . bringing Kevin Garnett to the Los Angeles Lakers. Of course none of the trio were in position to directly impact the Minnesota Timberwolves or Lakers, so they set out to do the next best thing: blogging.

Thus was born GetGarnett.com.

The site immediately garnered a following, receiving over 10 million hits to date.

Whether or not they've made an impact in the "real world" is hard to gauge but recent reports indicate the Lakers are in fact working on a deal to get Garnett . . . and the Wolves may actually be willing to play ball.

"GetGarnett.com represents the spirit and a dream for better days for Lakers fans," says 20-year old Chris Manning (LD2k). "GetGarnett represents the passion that Lakers fans will always dream. That's the beautiful thing about the site, the fans check in every day for news, reports, and our takes. We are fans too and even if Garnett is traded elsewhere, someone has to carry around the torch."

Manning serves as "The Video Maker." His partner Kam Pashai (hZm) is the "The Graphics Maker" - and Jaime Murdoc (The Nugget) is "The Code Maker."

"Before the site was created, I let a few people know about the idea," says 19-year old Pashai. "They thought it would be a bust. Luckily Chris and Jim shared the same passion."

While Pashai was confident GetGarnett would be popular, Murdoc (the eldest at 24) was surprised at how quickly it became a hit.

"I remember when I got the call on my cell from Cameron that we were mentioned on NBC," says Murdoc. "I started to scream at PetSmart. Everyone thought I was having some sort of panic attack."

The fans have responded to their dedication. The guys keep their site constantly updated with news on the Lakers, Garnett and NBA in general.

"We're all online daily and Jim set up a great blogging system that makes it extremely easy to get an article up in a matter of seconds. Lakers fans are a connected, loyal bunch. I get text messages from friends every day," says Manning.

There's been no shortage of topics considering Kobe Bryant's trade demand and word Kevin Garnett may actually be on the market.

"I personally love the fact the Lakers are making a push for Garnett," says Murdoc. "I mean, it's the reason why we started the site."

"It's the news we've been waiting for all these seasons. This is the closest that we've ever been," gushes Pashai. "Its honestly a breath a fresh air seeing that management is actually going for it; attempting to get a big deal like this done. It's pretty much like a roller coaster ride right now. We're clinching onto anything that we hear from any news outlet because it looks like this time around we really can get the Big Ticket here in LA.

Manning urges the Lakers to trigger a deal, regardless of the price, "The question is not what is too much; the question is what is too little? Not making a move for Garnett may be worse than overpaying. The West is strong and getting even stronger. It will take more than just Bryant and Garnett, but like the Shaquille O'Neal-Kobe Bryant days, role players and chemistry guys will get onboard for the opportunity to win."

Not everyone at GetGarnett agrees, especially if the price is Lamar Odom, Andrew Bynum, Kwame Brown and the 19th pick in Thursday's NBA Draft.

"If that trade went down, I wouldn't be happy about it. I am not sure how this team would do," says Murdoc honestly. "I want the team to be good but with that trade, the Lakers would be giving up too much."

Pashai's take is similar to Manning's, "I would do that in a heartbeat. I love Lamar to death, I like Kwame and Andrew too . . . BUT I would not hesitate to trade those guys for one of the best players in the league. If you build it, the free agents will follow."

But can the Lakers and Bryant make amends? Will Bryant back off his trade demand?

"As fans all we can do is believe. I think relationships can be fixed. No one would've thought Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson would've grown this close," says Manning. "But the time for change is now. The fans believe, and who knows, maybe they might just 'Get Garnett' after all."
So for you, the site is about faith?

"Absolutely," replies Manning. "We're the fans; we're trying to lead by example."

For Murdoc, GetGarnett represents "Hope. Hoping for another championship. Hoping for another shot to beat the [Phoenix] Suns in the playoffs. Hoping to have a great team that we can be confident in, that can win it all."

Pashai summarizes GetGarnett with one word, "Passion."

And if the Lakers actually land the former MVP?

"Relief!" says Pashai.

"If our mission is accomplished, then we'll have a few surprises for the website up our sleeve," says Manning.

They'd like nothing more than to change the name of the site . . . to GotGarnett.com."

http://www.hoopsworld.com/article_22457.shtml

I have hard time believing KG is going to the Suns.
First because I hate the Suns. :-)
Second, they have to give up Amare, and seriously, I would rather have Amare than KG. Because he's younger.
I think the Suns problem is not something KG would solve. Amare is getting better, so I think next year Suns will be the team to beat.
Plus, the Suns are cursed, they need to be humble in order to him a championship. So KG, you will not be a champion there! :-)

I am still positive about KG coming to LA.

What the heck do we do now Laker nation??!!!!!!!!!!! It doesn't look like we are getting KG, Kobe is close to leaving. Man, dark, dark day to be a laker fan.

Oh man, I just saw that the trade for KG has been "tabled" and now the Suns are back in the picture. :-(

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2917781

All I got to say is this made me so mad and frustrated with Kupcake that I finally had to post here after reading the past few years. God please help us!!!! Mitch MUST go if he can't get this done!!!!!!!!!!!

On am 570 this afternoon, the consensus seemed to be that nothing would happen this summer. Any talk for Garnett was nothing more than talk and, with regards to Bryant, he isn't going to be traded. Even if that means watching him sit out, Jerry Buss would be willing to let him do just that. While Kobe can finanically afford to not get paid, he most likely does not have enough dough saved up in his PR account...and Buss knows this. Either Bryant plays out the season and Buss cashes in on one huge (if unproductive) cash cow of a season or Kobe sits out, fully realizing the bad guy rep he's been trying to live down. In both scenarios, Buss comes out a winner. The team, coaches and fans may not get much out of it, but that may not be Buss's immediate concern. If, three years ago, Buss bungled the Shaq situation, he appears intent on not repeating mistakes of the past.

As far as I'm concerned, as a fan, I would be thrilled to see the Lakers go into next season led by Lamar Odom and anchored by Andrew Bynum. When the Lakers were eliminated by the Suns, Odom stood by his locker, holding back tears, and said he hoped that he did enough to remain a Laker for the rest of his career. Kobe, on the other hand, began to execute an offseason plan that, by all apperances, had been worked out long before the season ended. I would get more satisfaction out of watching a true rebuilding project with the core of Bynum, Farmar, Turiaf and Walton, as opposed to the unreasonable goal of trying to win a championship every year at the expense of never developing young talent.

As for the K brothers: I've never addressed you two in this blog space (mostly because it never occurred to me), so I thought I would take a moment to thank you for the blog. Having a chance to converse with a couple of reporters who are actually within shouting distance of the Lakers organization is pretty cool. Kudos!

Martin

NOV, 7, 1991
*****************

It feels exactly like November 7, 1991, Johnson shocked the world with the announcement that he was infected with HIV and would immediately retire.

Lakers are falling to abyss of early 90's. It is very very depressing.

I am speechless........ just staring at this damned monitor................

The Celtics are giving up the 5th pick to get Marion???? Why would they do that?
Plus I thought Marion said No extention in Boston or Minn?? I haven't heard otherwise? If you were Marion would you sign off on Boston?? I didn't think so..

This is going to be a roller coaster but LAKERS still have a shot at Garnett!!!

bd

Martin,

This is my opinion only. Walton is over developed, he need to be exchanged. While the history of the Lakers goes against what you are saying, Lakers always compete for the playoffs and if possible in the Conference Finals or The Finals. That could be the reason why they refuse to trade Kobe or cut off ties with PJ who's paid $10M. Why will Hollywood pay $2200 courtside seat just to watch Bynum, Farmar, Turiaf and Walton commit gargantuan turnovers! If you want to cheer a team always developing, then go for small markets or Clippers. i like Bynum, Farmar & Turiaf and also Odom but if you talk of KG coming to the Lakers, why kill the idea on the eve of the draft day? Never say it cannot be done until the deadline. However, you can have a company with AZ who also believe in developing players. I am sorry if I was too critical to your post, it is just my opinion that you posted at the wrong time when Lakerville is at its height of excitement.....

Fakers,

As Vic the Bric would say, step out of the darkness and see the light. You're living in too much hatefulness, too much frustration and anger.

Kobe isn't nearly as bad as you think, and he doesn't deserve such anger from you. He cheated on his wife, just like many men do. His wife forgave him. There's nothing else there. Why do you want to keep judging him on this sin? Why don't you judge Shaq, the adulter, James Worthy, who cheated on his wife with a prosittute (remember that?), Magic Johnson, who cheated on his wife and contracted HIV, Michael Jordon, who left his wife of over 20 years to run off with a Las Vegas showgirl, Jason Kidd, who cheated and beat his wife. Fakers, please tell me, why don't you ever mention these player, or the many other who've also cheated on their wives. Why don't you, Fakers?

The case in Denver was a wash; there was a ton of evidence that suggests the accuser was lying and motivated by money. Why do you ignore this? If Kobe was guilty, he would have been found guilty. But he wasn't found guilty, Fakers. So why do you assume he IS guilty. Please, explain this to me. Will you?

Kobe settled because he didn't want to drag his young wife and his young daughter through such an ordeal. Oh sure, he shouldn't have been screwing with that foul woman in the first place, but we've covered that already. And, as far as an acquittal, not east, not easy to get a 12/12 vote for an acquittal under the circumstances Kobe found himself in. Remember, he was in Denver, CO, not the most hospitable climate for Kobe Bryant.

And how can you call Kobe a social pariah when millions of fans all over the world love and adore him? He's got the number 1 selling jersey in the world. People love Kobe, Fakers. Don't you know what a pariah is? A pariah is avoided, not celebrated. Maybe you were just confused.

He's spoiled? How so, Fakers? Explain why Kobe is spoiled? And explain how Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnet, Alan Iverson, Jermaine O'Neal, Shawn Marion, and many other NBA'ers who demanded to be traded are not spoiled? Tell me, Fakers, what has Kobe asked for to make him spoiled? Explain, please.

Kobe ratted out a team mate? What, the Shaq was paying prostitutes for services? Why not criticize Shaq for breaking the law by soliciting whores, as well as cheating on his wife? Why not, Fakers?

He has personal issues? How do you know this, Fakers. Have you spoken to Kobe. Are you his therapist. Or is this just your unsubstantiated opinion?

Accused Karl Malone of hitting on his wife. Why is this a negative for Kobe? Why would he say such a thing if it weren't true? From what I read about that, his wife make the accusation, and Kobe confronted Karl about it. You know Karl, the same man who said he's never play on the court with Magic Johnson because he thought he'd get HIV. Why would you blame Kobe for defending his wife?

I've put forth facts, you put forth opinions. Compare. Kobe and his wife are in love. Fact. Kobe has the love of his family and his inlaws. Fact. Kobe is involved in charity. Fact. Kobe is involved in his children's school. Fact.

Now, refute my facts. Better yet, compare what facts you listed in your post to the ones I listed. Fakers, just how many facts did you really have in your post?

Well, I've set the table for you, now, cut and paste my responses to you, and refute them. I'll be waiting. Okay?

breaking:

ESPN says Garnett to the Lakers "trade dead" ESPN NEWS cites sources "The T-Wolves have told the Lakers they no longer will discuss that matter"

The deal is off the table cause LO coming off surgery, Bynum, and 19th pick is a joke compared to getting Marion, Kurt Thomas, two drafts picks, and ATL's 08 unrestricted pick which will prob end up being in the top 10.

To be honest though...I doubt the Wolves were ever serious about trading with us anyway. This was probably just them putting the pressure on the Suns to get a better deal.

Err...lol I'm getting pissed off! If the Suns get KG, we have to trade Kobe and start over. There's no way we're winning anything in the next 5 with a roster of KG/Amare/Nash.