Talking with Maurice Evans, Part II
At long last, the second half of my interview with Maurice Evans. Sorry it took a while to get this part finished up, but we've been extremely busy with a few ESPN assignments the last couple of weeks that have required a lot of hours on a plane or in the car. I could break the excuses down into further and more specific detail, but you'd probably rather just read the interview. Part I was about Mo's trip to Kenya with the NBA Player Assn.'s "Feeding One Million" campaign. Part II is more hoops-centric, with topics such as Kobe, K.G. and the upcoming season. Here's what Evans had to say:
Andrew Kamenetzky: Moving a little more into basketball, I know there are going to be a lot of Laker fans disappointed that you couldn't parlay your friendship with Kevin Garnett into him wearing purple and gold. Have you talked to him since the trade? (Note: This interview took place Aug. 3, so the two may have spoken by now.)
Maurice Evans: No, I haven't talked to Kev. I haven't gotten a chance to congratulate him on his signing with Boston. I'm sure I'm gonna see him at some point. He has a home in L.A. and Malibu. But I'm happy for him.
AK: Is it pretty crazy for you to imagine him in green?
ME: Yeah. Obviously, with him being a Timberwolf for so long, I think everybody's going to have to ease into seeing him in green and white. But they've done a total makeover. Ray Allen added. K.G. And having a great player in Paul Pierce.
AK: The rumor mill was going pretty crazy with proposals bringing him to L.A., and the Laker front office pursued him aggressively. When you hear that talk, do your own hopes go up, or do you just wait to see how it plays out?
ME: Well, there's so much that goes into it that you never want to get (caught up). I've learned for myself that things can change so much in the NBA on a day-to-day basis that you don't want to get your hopes up for things like that. But it was hard not to get emotional when one of my really good friends is involved in talks, and knowing that a guy like that could really make an impact in leadership and the skills that he would bring to the table. I was kind of looking forward to that, because being such a young team it would have been welcomed a great deal.
AK: So I imagine that you share some of the Laker fans' disappointment?
ME: Yeah, definitely. I would have liked to have played with him, and he could have helped our team. But that's the reality of playing in that situation. You just have to deal with whatever you have to deal with. I'll continue to work and improve upon my skills so that I can go out and accomplish the things that I want this year.
AK: The offseason issues between the front office and Kobe got a lot of attention for obvious reasons. Is it hard as a teammate not to get caught up in what you're reading or hearing?
ME: I think you learn playing in a place like L.A. that you don't want to get caught up in that, because again, we're gonna have to deal with whatever team is there come October. We're gonna have to go in there and not let it affect the way do your job anyway. But it's hard to kind of not know who you're going to be involved with and what kind of team we're going to have. Whether it's gonna be, Is Kobe gonna be there or be traded? Are you going to be traded with him?
AK: Have you talked to Kobe since everything came up?
ME: No, I haven't. I haven't talked to him since the season ended.
AK: Did you imagine or have any inkling that something like this might be coming, or did it take you by surprise?
ME: I kind of took me by surprise. I didn't ever expect for him to, you know, for him to possibly be traded. I expected maybe for someone to possibly get brought in, kinda like K.G., like we had talked about.
AK: Do you feel like come October, enough time will have passed that everyone can move forward and let the past be the past?
ME: Well, the thing about a great player like Kobe Bryant, regardless of the things he says or does, his skill level is so high that he's still going to go out and be highly productive. No one's really going to remember some of things he said or did in the offseason after he starts playing again.
AK: Does it bring any urgency for you as a teammate and an important part of the rotation to up your own game, in terms of trying to reassure his faith in the team? Or is it one of things where you go about your business, do what you always did and let things play out?
ME: Well, I guess in that sense, you always want your teams to up your skill level, and to me it's an improvement. That's what my focus has been. I just continue to try to expand my role again, so hopefully that he'll have more faith in me, Coach Jackson will have more faith in me and I'll get even more of an opportunity to help our team out than last season.
AK: And as far as the moves that have been made this offseason, bringing back Derek Fisher.
ME: I was very excited about the acquisition of D. Fish, because he's a veteran player who knows how to play, and I'm hoping that he can enhance our skills by being a guy who knows how to distribute the ball and help guys continue to be involved. He can run a little bit. Guys like myself can get out and get a lot more easy baskets in transition maybe. We have a lot of talented tools and a lot of weapons on this team, and if we use them properly -- Chris Mihm back healthy, Andrew (Bynum) getting another year's experience and better, myself getting better -- I think we have a really good team.
AK: What specifically were you looking to work on over the summer, in terms of expanding your role and improving heading into the season?
ME: Now that I have a better understanding of the triangle offense, I know where my scoring opportunities will come from. I know how to be a little more aggressive offensively. I know I have to continue to pick up my level defensively, as maybe a guy who can defend several offensive players to take big stretches off of guys like Kobe, so that he can be freer to be aggressive offensively. Also, maybe even pushing the ball a little bit more off rebounds and maybe initiating the offense. Creating opportunities that way as well.
AK: Along those lines, have you been working on your ball-handling skills?
ME: Yeah, very much so. That was something coach told me in my exit meeting, that they would like me to do a little bit more. That's something I'm very much capable of, because I can use my athleticism and quickness to attack the rim even more so than what I did last year.
AK: If you're able to break guys off the dribble more, or at least make them respect that skill when they're trying to guard you?
ME: Exactly. And obviously, the offense isn't one where it allows a lot of freedom to just be creating off the dribble like that without running into somebody already in a set position. In the triangle, everyone has a set position and they're actually predicated off of what another person does. That's why I'm saying I know where opportunities come from. I've watched a lot of tape. And from being in the system for a year, I know where my opportunities are going to come from. I know when I can be a little bit more aggressive and take advantage of those a little bit better.
AK: How's your knee?
ME: My knee is great. I've gotten with some trainers and guys who've helped me out in the past, who've helped me condition. I saw a guy who checked on my knee and he said everything was great. I've been strengthening it and the swelling's gone. I feel like my old self again. It's great. When I get into the gym, I can play above the rim and work on moves. Just play again.
AK: It was pretty obviously hindering a lot of what you could do toward the end of last season.
ME: Yeah, it did hinder me, but I was excited that I was still able to be as effective as I was. There were a few games where I was still able to really have some good games. And there were some games, of course, where it hindered me and I wasn't able to do as much. But I was just happy that I was still able to be effective, because I played pretty much the last two months with it like that. Over my career, I've never really missed a lot of games, so if I could go into the season next year healthy, I'm looking forward to really having a good year.
AK: Can all the offseason drama -- for lack of a better word -- ever serve as a way of unifying a team?
ME: Definitely. Obviously, it wasn't good the way things finished up with Smush (Parker), but he really did contribute a lot to the Lakers organization over the last couple years. I'm sure he'll be happy to have that compensated a little bit for some of the things he did, now that he's going to Miami. Now you have D. Fish coming here. He's a veteran, a leader, he can bring some more experience. Luke (Walton) has gotten his deal. I was excited for him that he was able to get compensated and rewarded. Now he can continue to be that much better of a player, because he'll be relaxed and not have to worry about contract issues for the next 5-6 years. He can just go out and play. I think that adds a lot. There's a couple more players. Cookie got his deal done (last season). We got a lot of guys who are able to just play. Go in, look to have a good year and get better as a team. We had various issues, but we still got to the playoffs. What we could do next year with a healthy team, everyone knowing their role and everyone playing, I think we're set up to be that much better of a team.
AK: When you mentioned a guy like Luke getting his contract, how much does that help players in general? Not so much the actual money involved, but just the idea of stability, feeling like you have a place and that the team has enough confidence to invest in you?
ME: That makes all the difference in the world. Now he has, exactly like you said, stability. The organization is showing faith in a player, and not just in how much they're compensating him. Obviously that matters too, because it shows you how much they value you. It's easier to go out and, in return, give that much back to them. Even more so. He's gonna go out and play his heart and soul out for the next six years. He can get rooted into the community. He can get rooted into the Lakers organization for another six years.
AK: It basically removes that element of feeling like you're almost auditioning for your own team.
ME: Exactly.
Regarding LakerTom...
i have to admire the guy's intellect. He has a way of saying "you're an a$$hole" without actually saying it.
Case point:
"That’s the real shame of KL’s low-jacking the blog."
low-jacking instead of high-jacking...brilliant.
"The comments are proof that he [KL] views everything through those myopic distorted Kobe-hating frames."
ie, KL short-sighted and is not open to new ideas or opinions.
I GOTTA RESPECT LAKERTOM FOR RIPPING ME A KNEW A$$HOLE, BUT INTELLIGENTLY.
Posted by: KLBeast | August 15, 2007 at 08:03 AM
jormea
"What really socks is reading guys like you [lakerlarry] and KL blaming Kobe for the underachievement of this team."
what does Bynum have to do with LakerLarry and myself?
Posted by: KLBeast | August 15, 2007 at 08:04 AM
WE WANT MIKE T. WE WANT MIKE T. MIKE T. WE DEMAND THAT YOU
RETURN IMMEDIATELY AND RESTORE THE BALANCE IN THE BLOG'S FORCE.
Posted by: Mamba24/10 | August 15, 2007 at 08:05 AM
Lake Show,
You're really an idiot. When did I put any stats in ANY of my posts? I'm not one of those so called fans that use stats, because I KNOW they lie. You on the other hand posted some stats yesterday (i.e. Evans rebounds, and his minutes) and conviently left out how many minutes Cook played last year!!! He got little to no burn, so the STATS are scewed. Wow, you can't hang with me in an intellectual basketball conversation, so you decide to bring up some phantom stats that I never posted, or mentioned. Once again, I don't have time for a CHILDISH POSTER who doesn't know what he is talking about.
Posted by: Weave-Man | August 15, 2007 at 08:06 AM
1st Round
Welcome to the blog. Please continue to give your opinion, good or bad.
"Obviously, Kobe is not as popular to youth as he thinks he is. i have to say, he look a bit immature on the Kimmel Show the other night. He acted like he was from a deep italian background with his "try-hard" way to pronounce soccer players names in the way most italians pronounce it but it came off very amateurist at best."
i have the same view on kobe. the dumb-a$$ know-it-all kid. always have been and still is. remember a 24-somthing kobe calling shaq a "child". in my mind, having somone my junior calling me a "child" is fighting words. i'm surprised that shaq didn't kicked the bejesus out of kobe. remember kobe calling raja bell (my hero) a "kid" when bell was kobe's senior by 2 years? same MO (method of operation).
Posted by: KLBeast | August 15, 2007 at 08:08 AM
fearless
first off, kobe sucks (i want to keep this post about the lakers).
second, dow dropped below 13K today (intra-day)...
Posted by: KLBeast | August 15, 2007 at 08:10 AM
Lake Show,
I'm really mad at myself for doing this, but one more thing. When I said name me 3 ROLE PLAYERS on Denver that can consistently hit the 3 that did I confuse you somehow? Yeah, Kleiza is a decent shooter, and JR Smith is a nice player (I wouldn't mind having him), but where's the THIRD ROLE PLAYER that I asked you to name? And another thing, Iverson, and Anthony are far from ROLE PLAYERS, AND neither one of them is a CONSISTENT 3 point shooter.
You messing with someone with far more basketball knowledge than you, and your too stupid to realize it. Everything I've said about Denver has been true (Once again check out Hoopshype) while you on the other hand have been sitting at your computer fafbricating things that I have posted, and acting like a elementary school student. I was gonna come at you with more FACTS about Cook, and his game, but
1. I'm NOT the biggest Cook fan
2. I've already wasted enough of my fingers energy, on a no basketball knowledge having fool!!!!!! Oh yeah, YO MOMMA(I figured I should say something as juvenile as you, so you don't get too confused with all the big boy talk).
Posted by: Weave-Man | August 15, 2007 at 08:18 AM
1st round thats the worst comment i've heard from people bashing kobe. You know he grew up in italy right? he once owned shares in ac milan? (an italian football club). he played football as goal keeper with italian kid so they would play b ball with him in return? are you italian? how do you know his pronounciation was bad?
Posted by: max | August 15, 2007 at 08:21 AM
The Lake Show
This era features more defenders with MJ's size and speed if not his overall skill set. He'd have a tougher time against Tayshaun Prince than he did against Craig Ehlo, but he'd still hit the leaner at the buzzer.
The Knicks were one phantom Pippen foul from losing to the Jordanless Bullls before they lost to Hakeem and company. If they were to be great, that would have been the year to show it. Are they better than today's best? Maybe but they were built to bruise and those rules have changed a bit. They certainly wouldn't win any track meets.
You're right about expansion and add to that the salary cap. Expansion has hurt in the quality column even with the foreign explosion filling in some gaps. What the 90's and today's game is sorely missing is the great finals matchups of the 80s. It's been downhill since NBC with the Celtics / Lakers. Bird had Magic, Mike had ? Kobe had Shaq and that battle was fun to watch, haha
Posted by: Vman | August 15, 2007 at 08:35 AM
Benjamin,
". I have zero interest in encouraging the many people negative about Kobe, so you can reply,
but I'm not going to reply back. I've read enough of that poorly considered, judgemental,
negative garbage for a lifetime."
KUDOS!
Posted by: Mamba24/10 | August 15, 2007 at 09:25 AM
lakeshow
" When did I [weaveman] put any stats in ANY of my posts? I'm not one of those so called fans that use stats, because I KNOW they lie."
i have to back up weaveman on this one. as a finance guy, i concur that stats can be used manuplated to say anything.
Posted by: KLBeast | August 15, 2007 at 09:33 AM
My apologies JJ that prior post should have read weave-man. Sorry Bro.
Posted by: Mamba24/10 | August 15, 2007 at 09:34 AM
mamba24
"WE WANT MIKE T. WE WANT MIKE T. MIKE T. WE DEMAND THAT YOU
RETURN IMMEDIATELY AND RESTORE THE BALANCE IN THE BLOG'S FORCE."
i want Mitchell. where is Mitchell? Kobe's agent must be on summer vacation or embarassed to represent kobe.
Posted by: KLBeast | August 15, 2007 at 09:35 AM
My index finger is hurting from spinning the scroll wheel down so fast.
Easy on the lengthy posts. Nobody is reading them.
Stop with the statistics and hardware crap. That's looking at the result, which is based on circumstance (era, popularity, degree of competition).
All I'm saying is that Kobe is just as good as Jordan was, the only difference is their circumstances. Kobe could have done everything Jordan did given the same circumstances.
Why is that so hard to believe? You think Jordan would have taken this cast past Phoenix in the first round? If so, your're overestimating Jordan's abilities and the power of team.
Posted by: Kobe Apologist | August 15, 2007 at 09:39 AM
Benjamin,
". I have zero interest in encouraging the many people negative about Kobe, so you can reply, but I'm not going to reply back. I've read enough of that poorly considered, judgemental,negative garbage for a lifetime."
speak for yourself. plus i know you lie when you say that you don't read the reply post. in honor of the NBA ref scandal, YOU WANNA BET?
Posted by: KLBeast | August 15, 2007 at 09:43 AM
Mamba- Thats LALakerLover on the 55 win bandwagon. I think the Lakers will win 42 ro 45 games
Posted by: Laker Lover | August 15, 2007 at 09:48 AM
Vman,
"Expansion has hurt in the quality column even with the foreign explosion filling in some gaps."
The biggest causes for the decrease in quality play are the increase in free agency (teams don't stay together as long), and the overall decrease in the level of "fundamentals". That is caused by a combination of players leaving college earlier, and the increased attention paid to certain individual skills (specifically dunks and three-point shooting).
Posted by: exhelodrvr | August 15, 2007 at 09:51 AM
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
TSphere,
"these bloggers would no more be recognized as enemies by their quarry
than Muhammed Ali would have been worried about a fly buzzing around his head
in Kinshasa. Like the flies of Zaire, they may be attracted by the sweat of the gladiators
before falling to the ground unnoticed following their ephemeral, meaningless ballet with glory."
I'm going to cut this one out and keep it.
Posted by: Mamba24/10 | August 15, 2007 at 09:53 AM
KL Beast,
Good points (regarding your reply). You were objective, while being civil at the same time. I respect this.
AK/BK,
I'm sniffing around for a new thread, maybe you guys could wave your magic wand and make one appear?
GO LAKERS
Posted by: derek | August 15, 2007 at 09:53 AM
Stats are like mini-skirts - what they reveal is useful. But what they hide is far more interesting :)
Posted by: hariyahu | August 15, 2007 at 09:55 AM
I was going to remain quiet on the debate concerning Kobe vs MJ. In the past I have gotten involved but I was going to remain out of this one. However, I would like to pose one question to the blog which I think is an interesting one to discuss and could possibly offer some insight into this whole debate. Here it is....
Given similar circumstances, however including his North Carolina background, how would Michael Jordan have responded coming to a Bulls team that signed free agent Shaquille O'Neal during the same summer?
How would starting out with Shaquille O'Neal as your center have changed the legacy/legend that is Michael Jordan?
Posted by: JJ | August 15, 2007 at 10:08 AM
Laker Lover,
"Mamba- Thats LALakerLover on the 55 win bandwagon. I think the Lakers will win 42 ro 45 games"
Sorry Laker Lover. But you Lovers get me confused, much the same as all the Mambas.
Again my apologies. But............... You'll be sorry....... this year they win the title!!
Posted by: Mamba24/10 | August 15, 2007 at 10:14 AM
JJ,
"How would starting out with Shaquille O'Neal as your center have changed the
legacy/legend that is Michael Jordan?"
Right on target as usual if Shaq had been Mikes center then Mike's stat's would look
exactly like Kobe's stats today including titles.!! ps. Again I apologize Brother
Posted by: Mamba24/10 | August 15, 2007 at 10:23 AM
JJ
"Given similar circumstances, however including his North Carolina background, how would Michael Jordan have responded coming to a Bulls team that signed free agent Shaquille O'Neal during the same summer? How would starting out with Shaquille O'Neal as your center have changed the legacy/legend that is Michael Jordan?"
Great question as long as this isn't a Kobe versus MJ comparasion. Personally, kobe's got nothing in MJ.
if this is a MJ discussion only, i'm not sure. i suspect it'll be 2 extremes, one which the Bulls win more than 6 rings with Shaq being the #1 in earlier years then transitioning to MJ in the later years (kind of like Magic and Kareem).
The other extreme is the Shaq-Kobe question where one has to go after a championship.
Very provocative Mr. JJ.
Posted by: KLBeast | August 15, 2007 at 10:23 AM
JJ,
MJ and Shaq would have won 10 championships. It wouldn't even have been fair.
Posted by: zen | August 15, 2007 at 10:40 AM
I want to see Kobe wearing a red wig WITH CURLS! come training camp. Then I want him to hold a press conference and stomp his feet and cross his arms and say, "I want to LEAD. I want to be the MAN around here. But, I don't want to lead mere mortals because that would take a lot of effort, I want to LEAD seasoned veterans and borderline allstars who don't really need me to lead them in the first place. BUT! I could take credit for "leading" them by scowling at them when they miss shots and getting animated during timeouts - when we're on national tv, of course! Otherwise, I want to be known as a great leader but DON'T BOTHER ME with those pesky little details about actually "leading"! I'm busy! and oh yeah, I'm the ONLY one who wants to win around here, I want you guys to print that over and over as if it is the truth."
then he could stalk off and either hold out or whatever the hell he is going to do...
Posted by: TaosHum | August 15, 2007 at 10:42 AM
kobe apologist
"My index finger is hurting from spinning the scroll wheel down so fast."
what's the excuse for your forearm?
Posted by: KLBeast | August 15, 2007 at 10:49 AM
Follow-up...
Those that lean towards the Bulls being even more successful than the Lakers were in winning those 3, are you making the assumption that MJ AND Shaq would be able to handle their shared space much better than Kobe and Shaq were able to? I am making the assumption that you believe that, which is why you only see their being a positive possibility?
Not that I am saying I agree or disagree, but what leads you to believe that MJ and Shaq could coexist so well?
Oh, and KL, although this isn't directly a comparison between MJ and Kobe, it sort of has to involve that comparison somewhat.
Posted by: JJ | August 15, 2007 at 10:58 AM
Im not jumping in any-one spat,are taking sides
But (BRIAN COOK) does'nt belong on anyone's team.
I grew up watching basketball in the mid 80's.......where POWER-FORWARDS were just that......grabing boards....... blocking shots roaming the paint giving hard fouls to any-one who come's to the hole.
If you can name me 3 good thing's BRIAN COOK can do.........an i'll match you with (30) he cant do......we can trade cook for a 4th round draft pick for all I care......I would rather see RONNY T get those min anyway's ....than i'll be a happy laker fan.
lo-bynum for jo make it happen mitch
lets go!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: COMPTON'S FINEST | August 15, 2007 at 11:07 AM
zen,,
"MJ and Shaq would have won 10 championships. It wouldn't even have been fair."
Sorry Zen but the result would be exactly the same as Shaq with Kobe. 3 and out.
Posted by: Mamba24/10 | August 15, 2007 at 11:08 AM
Exhelo,
"The biggest causes for the decrease in quality play are the increase in free agency"
Expansion is at the base of that as well. Free agency saps the cap, the salary cap exists to protect the small markets that have been created by expansion.
You're right, as usual, about the dunk, MJ's flying logo ruined the game, which is Kobe's fault, naturally. Kids these days have personal basketball coaches year round and camps at 11 years old and younger. They learn fundamentals, it's the team game, I think you'd agree, that's getting lost in the shuffle.
Posted by: Vman | August 15, 2007 at 11:37 AM
Mamba24,
Is Pippen on this team as well? If so, no chance! They would have won more than 3! Your kidding yourself if you think otherwise!
One thing I do question is whether Michael would have developed the same as far as involving his teamates and who would have been the Man? Shaq would have been the man. That team would have made a run at 82-0.
Guys I think this because Michael was just a better all-around player. There has been nobody like him. Here was a guy that was completely intimidating when he went on the court. Same as Shaq. In fact, Shaq is the only guy that put fear in everyone since Jordan. People don't fear Kobe. Kobe is an offensive machine on most nights, but he can be stopped. Jordan was smarter in every aspect of the game.
Posted by: zen | August 15, 2007 at 12:03 PM
Derek: "...I'm sniffing around for a new thread, maybe you guys could wave your magic wand and make one appear?"
Sorry, Derek. Mitch K. already told us there were no magic wands.
Posted by: Marty | August 15, 2007 at 12:11 PM
Zen,
"Is Pippen on this team as well? If so, no chance! "
The way I interpreted the question was if MJ was on that Laker
team in place of Kobe. The one that won 3 rings all the characters would be
the same except MJ would take KOBE's position
Posted by: Mamba24/10 | August 15, 2007 at 12:34 PM
zen,
I don't disagree with the idea that they would have won more titles than the 3 won in LA. I will explain why I believe that in a minute. However, I do disagree with the belief that Jordan was a better all-around player. Jordan was better at what he did best, but he wasn't better at everything. Jordan was NEVER as good a shooter from the perimeter as Kobe is right now. REALLY, what made Jordan so deadly on offense was in part his ability to always have a counter move on instinct, and the other part was his ability to make the game simple. I have watched many of his games on Classic Sports hoping to see things clearer now that I am older and what I see is not a hugely flashy game, but I see a guy that was able to simplify his movements and his effort while in the process totaly destroying his competition. Remember how Kobe a couple of years ago was all about the pump fake? Jordan pumped when he had to, but most times he went straight up, but he did it in such a disceptive way that he couldn't be stopped. He appeared to make his defenders look like they were stuck in mud or even cement.
Now, because he managed to make the game simple is not the reason why I think he would have gotten more titles. No....the reason why I think he would have is because his personality would have meshed better than Kobe. MJ even at a younger age could manage to punch you in the face during practice, and then offer to take you to dinner later that night. He was openly rougher on his teammates which would have caused friction wit he and Shaq at times. However, his ability to be more of a friendly person off the court would have made them always work together when it counted. Part of this I believe is the result of MJ spending those 3 years in college. Just being in college alone allows you to work on living with others and have those personal relationships. Plus, he had to deal with being a young guy among older players by playing with some of the guys like Worthy and Perkins in college. Kobe has always been by himself and never had to understand sharing his space or making the extra effort to get along with people. Also, MJ and Shaq, being both Ques, would have only enhanced their relationship. They would have bee lifelong brothers. That means something.
Now, I wasn't even thinking about Pippen being in the equation. I was strictly dealing with MJ and the overall growth as well as the media perception of him if he had been on a team with Shaq. I do believe that from a legendary standpoint, he would have been considered the second fiddle just like both Penny and Kobe were. However, because he and Shaq would have been able to play together for as long as Shaq played, I believe that eventually he would have had his opportunity to lead the team and he most likely would have excelled in his latter years doing that.
Posted by: JJ | August 15, 2007 at 12:55 PM
Put me on the 55-win bandwagon.
We've got more and better size at center than most teams. Kwame is a beast guarding the other big boys. Mihm can put the ball in the basket rather well. Andrew is still up in the air, but he'll be an above-average center at both ends of the court next season. And there's something to be said for having good big men on your team.
There's no way vlad can play worse than he did last year. That automatically means we're improved at forward. If Lamar can stay healthy, I think he can be more consistent on both ends, and maybe even score a little more. So we should improve at both forward spots, assuming Turiaf and Luke can make strides, or at least play at last season's level. Vlad will improve. Lamar too, if he stays injury-free.
Kobe will be Kobe.
Fisher will help at the point guard spot, and Farmar and Crittenton should provide quality minutes as well.
In short, with Mihm back, Kwame in a contract year, and Bynum older, we'll be improved at center
Vlad should help us improve at forward. Luke might improve as well. Lamar is iffy, but if he stays healthy, watch out.
And with Smush out and Fisher in, I think we can all agree that the point guard spot is at least a little better held down.
So it looks like we'll be better at every position, except maybe shooting guard, where we have Kobe, who I am not sure can even improve.
42 wins last year with an injury-plagued team. 55 wins, barring serious injuries, doesn't sound so far off for this season.
Posted by: Mickey | August 15, 2007 at 01:08 PM
Mickey,
"There's no way vlad can play worse than he did last year. That automatically means we're improved at forward."
Not necessarily. You need to compare his performance this year to the performance of the players whose time he is taking. Some combination of Odom, Walton, Turiaf, Evans, Cook, and possibly Brown and Mihm.
Posted by: exhelodrvr | August 15, 2007 at 01:32 PM
Vman,
"Expansion is at the base of that as well"
I believe that the increase in the quality and quantity of international basketball offsets the effect of expansion. There is a much bigger pool of players to choose from now. And the decreased interest of African-Americans in baseball increases that pool even farther.
The problem is not the number of players relative to the number of teams, the problem is the quality of the players.
Posted by: exhelodrvr | August 15, 2007 at 01:36 PM
Mamba24/10 ,
Oh ok. I misunderstood. If Jordan was on the Lakers with Shaq, it would have been maybe the same or a little better. I'm leaning towards a little better. Jordan was incredible without a center. With a center and it makes it that much easier for him
JJ,
Kobe being a better shooter from 3pt land is just about the only thing he has over Jordan. Jordan was better at everything else. It's one reason why Jordan had a better shooting % because he took more high percentage shots.
I watched game 6 of the 93 Eastern Conference Finals a couple weeks ago, and it was amazing to sit back and watch Jordan now (like you said) when your older.
The game was different back then though so it's a little harder to compare. But man was he good!
Posted by: zen | August 15, 2007 at 01:57 PM
Re: the Kobe MJ comparison,
Guys lets not forget that MJ did not have to face any zones like Kobe does today. The way the game is set up today, its not meant for 1 on 1 play, but rather team ball with movement and outside shooters. Kobe scored 81 against a zone defense, thats rather impressive. MJ never had to face a zone so you have to figure that into your discussion also.
Posted by: tripgame3 | August 15, 2007 at 02:43 PM
tripgame3
"Kobe scored 81 against a zone defense, thats rather impressive. MJ never had to face a zone so you have to figure that into your discussion also."
do you mean the "zone" on the raptor's faces when kobe was doing layup drills during the game?
Posted by: KLBeast | August 15, 2007 at 03:54 PM
KL,
LOL, yea man the zone on those boys faces when Kobe put up some serious #'s. He also hit alot of 3's, jumpshots, and free throws.
Im not saying he's as talanted as MJ, but put him on that 90's bulls teams and give him a no zone defense and he might have scored 100 against the league at that time.
Posted by: tripgame3 | August 15, 2007 at 04:11 PM
AZ:
“That's what Ric Bucher does, but like other naive Laker fans, if one of these reporters does what you say you want them to do, and they report something you don't like, you call them liars and bad journalists.”
Good point! Actually, most of the journalists out there are usually lying when they say what I want them to say, too. lol.
Tom
Posted by: LakerTom | August 15, 2007 at 04:45 PM
tripgame,
"Im not saying he's as talanted as MJ, but put him on that 90's bulls teams and give him a no zone defense and he might have scored 100 against the league at that time. "
With Pippen to cover the opponent's best perimeter player, Kerr/Paxson to spread the floor, etc. You are absolutely right.
Posted by: exhelodrvr | August 15, 2007 at 05:14 PM
trip
"Im not saying he's as talanted as MJ, but put him on that 90's bulls teams and give him a no zone defense and he might have scored 100 against the league at that time. "
i won't give you the 100 points, but the 90's Bulls team could have done some nice things...with Pippen as the #1 and kobe as the #2......
Posted by: KLBeast | August 15, 2007 at 05:35 PM
KL,
Thanks for the double-whammy. Needed that.
--FearlessWhackJob
Posted by: FearlessWhachJob | August 15, 2007 at 11:59 PM
KLBeast,
Do you hate Kobe that much to say that Pippen would be the number 1 and Kobe would be the number 2?
I know you don't like the guy, but at least give him the recognition as the number 1.
Posted by: JJ | August 16, 2007 at 06:49 AM