Ronny the Warrior
And we mean that literally. ESPN.com is reporting that the Lakers will not match the four-year, $17-million offer sheet Ronny Turiaf signed with Golden State, meaning he will officially become a Warrior. No official confirmation from El Segundo, but since the report essentially confirms what most have said would happen over the course of the week, I have no reason to question the accuracy. It's a disappointment, for sure, as Turiaf was about as well loved (deservedly so) as a Laker can be, but it's hardly a surprise, either. Given where he's projected to fit in the current rotation, that's a lot of scratch for the Lakers to pony up, especially with the Sasha Vujacic situation yet to play out.
As for Turiaf, he'll almost assuredly get more playing time up in the great north than he would have in L.A., though obviously it's a step down in terms of postseason hopes. I certainly can't begrudge him for accepting the offer. Best of luck from Lakers Blog.
BK
Good website on basketball statistics:
http://tinyurl.com/58t7na
Posted by: exhelodrvr | July 19, 2008 at 09:03 AM
I think Turiaf will show the Lakers what they lost. I know the Lakers couldn't afford to pay him. He'll be a great player someday. I remember when the Lakers played the Spurs in the regular season and he blocked Duncan twice. I'd never seen that from any other Laker ever. He's a good 1-1 defender, good rebounder, and for his size, plays the center position very well.
I think now that the Lakers have lost Ronny, it's actually more of an need to keep Odom so that he can play back up at PF with Gasol and Bynum also backing each other up at center.
Posted by: sclakerfan | July 19, 2008 at 09:04 AM
I've figured it out! Let's go C's must be a computer generated post and not a human being. It just keeps repeating the same things over and over again without any original ideas.
I can't imagine that a real human being would have so little creativity.
My other theory is that Let's go C's is human after all, but is so boring in real life that he/she has no real friends so this is just a sad attempt to have anyone acknowledge him. If that's true, it's so sad.
Posted by: sclakerfan | July 19, 2008 at 09:12 AM
Rocky,
Without Posey, the Celtics will be exposed. The Pistons are salivating trying to get at the C's.
My point is that we should get Kwame as an insurance policy in case Bynum goes down again.
Kwame is a good locker room guy and he has the ability to do what we need him to do.
Whether he actually does it or not is another story.
But there's no denying that Kwame can do what we need/want him to do.
We paid him 9 million, let's get him for 2 million or less.
Posted by: Rocky | July 18, 2008 at 11:27 PM
Are we talking about the same Pistons that are willing to trade all of their best players to rebuild around Rodney Stuckey? I think the Pistons have, in fact, conceded, not gotten excited because they know they can beat the Celtics.
I'll take any other insurance policy other than Kwame. It's too hard to play 4 on 5. Kwame's rebounding isn't good and that's already a problem for us. Kwame is a bad influence doesn't work hard enough on his game, particularly the mental aspects of his game. I think bringing him in at any price would be a serious mistake.
Posted by: Benjamin | July 19, 2008 at 09:12 AM
LTLF
"The Lakers doctors have now examined Drew and cleared
him to workout and play, and he expects him to be back in great shape at the start of camp. He said that they'd be meeting with Bynum on Monday."
I chose not to believe anything the Lakers say concerning the health of their players. That being said, I hope it's true.
Posted by: giantsquid | July 19, 2008 at 09:14 AM
Good Morning Family!
Good Luck Ronny! I don't think that any of us on this blog would have turned down that type of pay increase.
Posted by: Caliphilosopher | July 19, 2008 at 09:17 AM
Let's go C's
So you're the size of a leprechaun and you live under Fenway.
Why are you afraid to tell us anything about yourself? Don't kid yourself, you are afraid. You're a very small person with nothing better to do than to try to annoy your betters. Are you a junkie? An alcoholic? Why such low self-esteem? Really. We're here to help. Don't be afraid. Come out of your hole and play.
Posted by: giantsquid | July 19, 2008 at 09:21 AM
ex, I agree that Gasol helps to spread the floor better as a PF than he did as a center. That said, I don't share your confidence in his ability to hit a 17 foot shot consistently, nor do I think it is wise to depend on your PF to take that shot. Instead, I see Gasol at the high post, with Bynum at the low post. A long defender (like KG) can easily clog the lane while sagging off Gasol at the high post while still being able to rotate back.
We obviously saw different Laker teams in the finals. I saw a team that didn't have the ability or the heart to beat the Celtics. Not sure how home court advantage would have helped considering that the Lakers lost one of their 3 home games during that series. Moreover, I saw a Celtics team that had dealt with more injuries during the finals than the Lakers.
Look, I think that if the Lakers do nothing this offseason they will win the division, win the conference and probably have home court advantage for the finals. I'm just saying that being "close" gives a team one of two options: hope that a few minor moves will be enough to put them over top; or accept nothing less than a move that will all but guarantee a championship. Sometimes the former approach works, and sometimes it does not.
In 1992 the Lakers won the west and took a lead in the Finals against the Bulls. The organization's response to this was to stand pat. The result was a long period of bad teams, while Chicago went on to form a dynasty.
A couple of years ago the Dallas Mavericks had the best record in the regular season, won the western conference and took 2 games in the NBA finals. Their approach was to try to make just enough changes to get over the top. They were not bold. They have followed that season by losing the first round of the playoffs and eventually firing their coach.
My fear is that the organization takes the view that they are already good enough, and that there isn't a need to improve the roster very much. It could work; but it could also backfire.
To me, Lamar is the epitome of this kind of mentality. Things have always been just "good enough" for him. He was just happy to be in the league, so he didn't become the best player on his team. Then he was just happy to be playing regular minutes so he didn't improve his game to become an allstar. In the finals, he seemed just happy to be there and showed the same lack of heart that has plagued him throughout his career.
He's a nice guy and a good player, but he does not have a championship mentality. He takes losing "in stride" and has had 10 offseasons to practice things like dribbling with his right hand--but he doesn't do it. Again, that's fine, and that hardly makes him unique in the league, but it also makes him an unreliable player. There is simply no way that a guy with those skills and that potential should have never been an allstar or should have a career scoring high of barely over 30 points.
Seriously, with the garbage teams he has been on, he should have had multiple 40-plus games just by taking games over. He has never done it. Maybe, just maybe, a guy who had more pride and took offense to losing would have shown up in the finals. Maybe such a player would have worn a scowl on his face during the finals instead of that smile.
In the end, I want a team filled with players whose faces look more like Kobe's than Lamar's when things aren't going well. The difference between those two guys isn't just talent; it is heart. Heart is what the Lakers lacked in the finals, and heart is what they need to get over the top. Mabye Bynum (who has shown more heart in limited playing time than Odom in his whole career) will be enough; but why risk it...?
Posted by: Leo | July 19, 2008 at 09:21 AM
So, one effect of not matching the Turiaf offer is that we've just set the bar unreachably high for possible free agent signings.
Let’s see. We won't match a 4 million a year offer for a young, talented big man with a soft outside touch, above average shot blocking and passing ability and an obvious and contagious love for the game, his teammates and the club he plays for.
Who will we sign then? What kind of character, game and below average buying price is our next free agent going to need to get this club to offer a contract?
I say the player probably doesn't exist, and if he does, he's not available in this market.
The Lakers have painted themselves into a corner (from my perspective, but I'm not paying the bills) with this one, and probably will only have Sasha and a league minimum guy, like say Quinton Ross, to show for this offseason.
We spent our free agent money on Gasol, and I still make that deal with no hesitation at all, even though we are financially strapped because of it.
Wes
Posted by: Wes J. Nixon | July 19, 2008 at 09:26 AM
As a point of clarification, reports are that Drew has been cleared to do on-court activities, not that he's cleared to play. Just so people are aware.
BK
Posted by: Brian Kamenetzky | July 19, 2008 at 09:32 AM
Kiwi,
Big, big Dylan fan here. What's in the bag? Have you heard about the new Bootleg series? Outtakes from all the recent great albums from Oh Mercy thru Time out of Mind and Love and Theft. Some of that stuff is really, really good.
I'll try to drop you a line.
Wes
Posted by: Wes J. Nixon | July 19, 2008 at 09:33 AM
According to MikeT
"There's no way this roster can stay the same."
Does anyone need further proof that the Lakers shouldn't mess with a good thing. Sign Sasha. Bring in Sun Yue. Maybe add a serviceable PF. Otherwise, with AB and TA in the mix, the Lakers have the best team in the league. Period.
Posted by: giantsquid | July 19, 2008 at 09:41 AM
Leo...
Lamar is just a victim of expectation.A particular physique and then a big contract.People expect and have expected him to be a certain player when it just wasnt and isn't who the guy is.Now the way the league works and the financial implications doent really allow for that thinking but instead of accepting and appreciating him for what he is he's constantly under a cloud.If someone had locked him into a long deal for 5 mil a season people look at it differently.
Same goes for Kwame - just isnt who the guy is but at 3 mil a year and say he's been a 12th pick or something it would have been different.it must be discouraging for these guys becasue sooner or later they must feel (rightly or wrongly) like they have no control to improve things.We can look at the physical gifts all we like but at the end of the day theres no shortage of examples that mental gifts are a huge part of the package to ultimately being great player.If a guys 5 foot 6 you accept theres certain things he cant do.if a guys got certain mental deficiencies or limitations we refuse to accept it.
In a way its not the players fault but the GM's who dont look at the full picture and only look at the physical side.
...keep Lamar and we've got a great chance to get him cheaper next season.
Secondly the lakers improve alot regardless with Bynum and Ariza.
Not having Turiaf could leave us exposed in the middle with three relatively injury prone centres...then again we didnt do well with him playing big minutes there anyway.
Posted by: Kiwi | July 19, 2008 at 09:49 AM
Leo,
"Mabye Bynum (who has shown more heart in limited playing time than Odom in his whole career) will be enough; but why risk it...? "
If you are looking for someone with consistent "heart", Artest is not the place to shop. He has yet to show that anywhere. There is more risk going for him than not. (Admittedly, a higher potential payoff.) And while I am not a big fan of Odom's on-court lack of focus/intensity, until Bynum's health is proven, Odom is too valuable.
And, again, it's NOT just Bynum. It is also Ariza. And it's Ariza and Gasol getting to do a training camp with the team. It's another year of experience for Ariza, Farmar, and Vujacic, which is huge for players at that age who like to put in the work.
Posted by: exhelodrvr | July 19, 2008 at 09:49 AM
tha show
"not every team was as desperate and stupid as the memphis grizzlies."
that was a great trade for the lakers, but memphis wasn't being stupid. the grizzlies were nearly as awful with Pau as without him. they weren't going anywhere. For Pau they got Critt, who will be a very good NBA player, Marc Gasol, who probably would have been a lottery pick this year, and 2 first round picks. they also got cap space. doesn't seem dumb to me.
Posted by: giantsquid | July 19, 2008 at 09:51 AM
THIS MIDDLE FINGER IS FOR mitch........
WOW.......are you kiddin me.
were jus gonna let him walk.......some-guys you jus cant replace an RONNY was one of those guys.
You cant replace HEART......PASSION.....He brings energy on-off the court......an your jus gonna let him walk.
He was the ulimate role player.......did every-thing the coach ask of him......played center for us an in that span we went 6-1.....an your jus gonna let him walk.
mitch THIS FINGER IS FOR YOU...........
FOR PUTTING ALL YOUR EGGS IN ONE BASKET.
Lets hope lamar bynum gasol can play all 82 games plus play-offs about 35-40 min a game......with-out getting hurt.......ohh no worries I forgot we have chris as a back-up WTF
You wanna know the worst part.....is that were stuck with trash ass luke walton.....WOW
Posted by: COMPTON'S FINEST | July 19, 2008 at 09:53 AM
Mike T
Is Cakeman your son or your cellmates kid, this guy cannot play in the NBA. He should just go to france so he can be around a bunch of pastry, then he can have his cake and eat too.
Posted by: pk-in-the-mesa | July 19, 2008 at 09:54 AM
Leo
Was that a pro-Kwame post? If Kwame's ankles aren't the size of watermelons, he's worth 2 mil. That's just how I see it.
Posted by: giantsquid | July 19, 2008 at 09:55 AM
Kwame Brown?
Kwame stinks. Mr. Butterfingers cant play O, barely play D and can't shoot free throws.
You Fakers got lucky with the gift from Jerry West of Memphis.
You Fakers got lucky making the finals last year. So far, I don't see no stinkin free agents breaking down the Lakers dorr to play next to Mr. "I can get off at anytime" Starlet Bryant.
What the hell kind of statement is that anyway? "I can get off at anytime"?
Does that mean theat the other guys in the Fakers stink?
I guess so, cuz you foos were EXPOSED nationally and internationally by my C's.
haahahahahahahahahahah
Let's go C's!
P.S. Squid, I ain't afraid to have a serious discussion, but all i see coming of most Fakers fans is hot air. HOT AIR!
HAAHAHAHAHAHAH
Posted by: Let's go C's! | July 19, 2008 at 09:56 AM
Scot Pollard is a free agent, Adonal Foyle is a free agent, Jamaal Magliore, and there's Kurt Thomas who's really a PF.
Maybe someone can help out with some more options for a backup center. But of these guys, I would only take Kurt Thomas over Kwame.
Yes, Kwame is a terrible basketball player. There's no doubt about it. But there's one thing he can do at the championship level, play some defense.
Sad to say, there aren't many options out there. Why not bring in a guy who has the experience on the cheap just in case Bynum goes down?
This is my last post on the subject. It's making me sick to have to defend Kwame Brown because I know he sucks balls as a basketball player. But if Bynum ever goes down, or if we need someone to play some defense on the Duncan's and Garnett's for a few minutes, Kwame would be a useful player.
Go Lakers!
Posted by: Rocky | July 19, 2008 at 09:58 AM
Wes,
"a young, talented big man with a soft outside touch, above average shot blocking and passing ability and an obvious and contagious love for the game,"
Injury- and foul-prone, not a good rebounder, not a good inside game. Turiaf is a great teammate, mediocre player, and not worth paying that much for when he's not going to get any playing time.
Posted by: exhelodrvr | July 19, 2008 at 10:02 AM
pk,
"then he can have his cake and eat too"
He'd better get a place that has tile floors instead of carpet.
Posted by: exhelodrvr | July 19, 2008 at 10:04 AM
Mike T,
>>>"I don't think I'm stretching when I say that Bynum is
>>>injured. He got cleared to start conditioning but that's
>>>far from being cleared to play."
Check your facts. In the article about Lakers not re-signing
Turiaf, Mitch is quoted as saying that the Lakers doctors have
examined Bynum and now he is cleared to train and play.
But keep up your litany of hate if you'd like. Let's go Cs and
BUTLER haven't been posting much lately and KL is banned
so it's good to have some idiot wishing bad things for the Lakers,
otherwise we'd all sound like a bunch of yes men.
Posted by: Long Time Laker Fan | July 19, 2008 at 10:05 AM
Leo
Kwame at anything under £4 mil...is a steal.That would be a huge luxury for this team.Seperate your idea of a number 1 draft pick franchise player from the idea of a big body who can do certain things.
Sorry but Kwame would add a lot more than Turiaf (on the court at least)
And Kwame is a team guy - he took care of Bynum and came off the bench where necessary at his own expense.When he was healthy he could be very useful and he's a good locker room presence.
The difference in the way you view the two players has its basis in expectation.But Kwame will have a decent contract from somewhere.he wont be coming back to the lakers for nothing.One day he'll be getting paid peanuts and have a couple of huge playoff games and be a hero.Its just the way it works
Posted by: Kiwi | July 19, 2008 at 10:12 AM
Kiwi, in a sense I agree with you. I think the expectations for Lamar are WAY out of whack. However, at $14 million a year, a guy has to live up to those expectations.
ex, I do agree with you that Bynum's health is the key. If Bynum is not right, I think all bets are off. If he is healthy, however, I don't see Gasol improving his numbers. Gasol will become the #3 option--and one who is playing a new position (for him).
I think that Artest has demonstrated more heart than most players in the league. His reputation is a bit overblown. He was a model player and teammate in Sacramento until he was essentially told that he had no future with the team. To me, there is nothing that shows heart more than defense, and he is inarguably one of the best defenders in the league. That's where his value is.
I have high hopes for Ariza, but at this point it is purely hope. Quite frankly, for all the reasons that I prefer Artest to Odom I would rather see Ariza in the starting lineup over Odom, but that leaves them with a $14 million backup....
In the end, I think this probably boils down to Bynum. If he isn't healthy, then you are right and Odom is more valuable. If Bynum is healthy, then the Lakers need to pay him, and if they do that they probably need Odom's cap space to do so (making neither Odom nor Artest part of this team's future). If I had to guess, the 2009-2010 Lakers will have neither Ron/Bill nor Lamar, and will start Ariza at the SF alongside Kobe, Pau & Andrew. If so, i hope Ariza reaches that potential that he's flashed.
Posted by: Leo | July 19, 2008 at 10:16 AM
Leo,
>>>Game 2 was a complete blowout but for a huge Laker
>>>comeback that was owed more to the Celtics easing
>>>up than anything L.A. did.
The Lakers got within 2 with just under a minute to play. They
came back from a 24 point deficit in about 7 or 8 minutes. One
more made basket and they would have won it. One basket.
You can call that a blowout if you'd like, but if you don't
HOLD the big lead, then it isn't a blowout. By your definition,
game 5 was a complete blowout by the Lakers, except for
the big comeback that allowed the Celtics to win it.
Posted by: Long Time Laker Fan | July 19, 2008 at 10:17 AM
GOOD MORNING Lakers Blog!
Mata-Real could be Ronnie Turiaf replacement. The guy that sits on the bench unless somebody gets injured or in foul trouble and can play both PF and C. Turiaf deserves to get paid and get playing time at the age of 25. Too bad Vlad and Luke got signed for more and TURIAf not. That sucks!
Jul 18, 2008 | 8:43PM | report this Friday (I'm Audi)
OJ Mayo has been outstanding this week, but not as impressive as Jerryd Bayless. Bayless has dominated play and shown that he may be most NBA ready of all the guards.
Kevin Love is an absolute beast on the floor and will immediately help the T-Wolves.
Donte Green's 40 piece earlier this week was the performance of the week. The most impressive thing about that game, was his efficiency.
My young boy Bobby Brown has been solid this week. I saw him give DJ Augustin the business. He has shown that he can score on anybody, but it is his defense and IQ that have impressed me most. He has been the biggest surprise of the week for sure.
Robin Lopez looks like he has the fire and tenacity to be an impact center in the NBA. When his offensive game catches up with his hustle and defense, he will be a tough matchup in the NBA.
Joe Alexander can be a star in this LEAGUE, if Scott Skiles let's go of the reins on him. He can't shoot as well as Peja, but his floor game is more advanced right now.
Julian Wright has been one of my favorite players since his Kansas days, and he has really improved since last season. The key for Julian will be his ability to knock down the open jumper.
Big props to Lorenzo Mata-Real for a couple of strong performances this week. He is a much better athlete than most realize, and has a developing offensive game. He should get an invite to vet camp.
Brian Morrison of the Spurs looks like he could be this year's Mike Penberthy. A 6'2 combo guard, Morrison has above average athleticism and showed solid playmaking and ball handling decisions all week. He will be playing for the Spurs at the Rocky Mountain Revue, and is closing in on a vet camp invitation.
Posted by: Staples 24 | July 19, 2008 at 10:19 AM
OK. We all get the point Kwame stinks and Mike T. has an unnatural obsession with him despite him being buried on the Memphis bench.
Nothing's changed here. Let's move on.
Posted by: Xodus | July 19, 2008 at 10:20 AM
giantsquid,
"but memphis wasn't being stupid."
It was a great trade for the Lakers - just what they needed at that point. I think that the over the long term, Memphis will gain more than they lost. And the Lakers will probably be able to say the same.
Posted by: exhelodrvr | July 19, 2008 at 10:21 AM
Ronny Turiaf- best of luck to you my friend.
Tim-4-Show
How does the missed feel today?
Colorado loves the Lakers!
Posted by: Hugo Boss | July 19, 2008 at 10:27 AM
PIG........
That was a nice youtube post........
I was there at that game......if you notice in that clip luke walton had a couple of turn-overs too ......an if you listen to the crowd they wasn't saying luke they were booing him too an it would've gotten worst but phil took him out.......kwame brown at center........luke at small forward........that take me back a couple years......I never want to see that line-up again..........mitch this finger is for you.......letting ronny walk was a big mistake.
Posted by: COMPTON'S FINEST | July 19, 2008 at 10:29 AM
To those of you saying that the Lakers are "hard-balling" Sasha:
The Lakers and Sasha's camp are keeping the negotiations very
quiet, so you don't even know how much he's asking.
If Sasha is asking for 10 million a year, do you think the Lakers
are hardballing him by not agreeing to it?
By LakerTom's logic, Sasha could say that Corey Maggette
just got a deal for 10 million per and Machine is better than
Magget.
Gee LakerTom, I hope they don't insult the Machine.
Posted by: Long Time Laker Fan | July 19, 2008 at 10:33 AM
giantsquid,
the grizzlies could have got a better package for pau gasol.
the lakers used their jerry west ties to strike a deal on the low.
seems pretty dumb to me that they didn't decide to build around gasol.
instead they have 10 potentially good guards and a couple of athletes.
and a ton of cap space.
oh yeah, and no quality free agent nba player wants anything to do with memphis...don't see anybody in line to sign with the grizzlies - even though they have a ton of dough to spend...
seems pretty dumb to me to trade your only player that could attract interest from other nba free agents...for a potentially good point guard when you already have 3 of them, gasol's little brother who will need 2-3 years to even develop (if that), and kwame cakes.
don't get me wrong, as a laker fan - i love it.
i just don't think any other nba team will be as generous when it comes to making a trade with the lakers...nobody will want to be known as the second team to donate their best player to the lakers.
Posted by: tha show | July 19, 2008 at 10:34 AM
Michael C. Teniente,
Do you consider yourself to be a Lakers fan?
GO LAKERS!
Posted by: Jon K. | July 19, 2008 at 10:40 AM
Leo
I agree with you too...of course you need a guy performing at that money and when you see players you want to keep go it makes the reality kick in.
BUT
The at the end of the day on every team at any given moment some guys will be overpaid and some underpaid.The end goal for the lakers is a championship and right now we have a group of players who can win one.Its crazy to mess with it.
The lakers in reality might have this one season to win - after that Lamar might go,Bynum wants paid...not to mention Farmar etc.The lakers best hope is to keep things how they are,hope the team gets it done and Lamar will come back for less money (given the team didnt trade him and he loves LA) if not he goes freeing up space but do we still contend?
Will Kobe take less money? I think he should...or will he leave if it all goes wrong?
This season we've got everybody theoretically and we've got to make the most of it.It can change fast.Dont mess with a good thing.
So overpaid is one thing but theres a bigger picture to think about - survival.
Posted by: Kiwi | July 19, 2008 at 10:46 AM
To those who are saying that the Lakers can't win a championship
if they just "stand pat" because they're not tough enough:
How about this...
What if the Lakers could add a big bruiser similar to Kendrick Perkins.
He weighs about the same but he's two inches taller. Like
Gasol's height, but 20 pounds more muscle. He's strong
so he doesn't get shoved around in the post.
He's a good rebounder and shot blocker. In fact, he was
eighth in the league in shot blocking and 15th in the league
in rebounding (not quite as good a rebounder as Odom, but
almost).
He doesn't have a lot of offensive moves, but he finishes
with authority, no weenie shots.
Oh, and he had the 14th highest PER in the league, so he
was very very effective when he was on the court.
If we could get that player, do you think that would help?
Posted by: Long Time Laker Fan | July 19, 2008 at 10:49 AM
Pig,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=p5-A8Ao47nU&feature=related
Says it all.
If we took Kwame back for more than the minimum, it would not be a good thing.
GO LAKERS!
Posted by: Jon K. | July 19, 2008 at 10:49 AM
We don't have room for Kwame with Mihm already the back up for Bynum. We know, Kwame can only sort of play the center position.
So we have to make room. And here's the solution.
Trade Mihm and his expiring contract of 2.5 to Memphis for Critt. Memphis is actively shopping Critt and they need a Vet big on the cheap with an expiring contract. This is simple and easy for Mitch. When he calls, all he has to do is say on the phone is, "Expiring Contract" (Picture 'Rose Bud') Memphis which is having problems paying the light bills will listen.
We get back Critt and create a roster spot for the Kwam at the Vet min. 1.1 mil. Did you know the NBA pays about 450,000 of the Vet Min and that the 450,000 doesn't count against the cap? Its sort of like NBA welfare.
Everyone is happy.
PJ loves Kwame. Dr Buss saves money. Lakers get back a promising guard. Some on the blog are very happy. BK loves this move for the blogs Bonnie Rait's 'Let's give them something to talk about' value. Endless hours of discussion.
Fatty will approve this trade IF Kwame agrees to become the Lakers 'Mongo' from the Blazzing Saddles movie. PJ uses him to take out and maim opposing players and GM's that I don't like. (see KG, Pierce, D'antoni, McHale, Ainge, Shaq, Nash)
PJ will just need to point to the player in question. "Kwame, maim!" And all I EVER want to hear from Kwame is, "Kwame maim players. Kwame like job. Kwame like to hurt people. It make Kwame happy." Kwame will finally earn his salary as he puts fear into the minds and hearts of NBA players. I can't wait to see Pierce fake another injury as he 'runs' off the court screaming in pain.
With your blessing, I will write this up and send it off to my buddy Mitch.
["Hi, I'm Pig Miller, and I do not approve of this lame message."]
Posted by: Fatty | July 19, 2008 at 10:51 AM
tha show,
The Grizzlies did get the rights to Marc Gasol who's tougher than Pau Gasol. I guess Pau Gasol's "softness" had become a critical source of complaint among Grizzly fans. So, with the trade they not only received lots of cap space, but they may soon have a replacement for Pau Gasol who is almost as good, but a lot tougher.
GO LAKERS!
Posted by: Jon K. | July 19, 2008 at 10:53 AM
More on the "don't stand pat" rant:
Okay, so after the Lakers get that big guy I mentioned, there's
another guy they could add. He was coming back from injury
during the playoffs so he didn't play very well, but here's how
John Hollinger describes him:
>>>"one of the most athletic small forwards in basketball.
>>>He's a devastating finisher in transition, and his hops
>>>make him a big asset on the glass despite a lack of
>>>muscle. He's also quick, and those feet might make him
>>>one of the best defenders at his position in a couple
>>>years."
Athletic. One of the best defenders at his position. A devastating
finisher in transition.
Does that sound like the kind of guy that would help improve
the Lakers defense?
Oh and he had a PER of 16.09, making him an above average
player in the league. Much better than Walton's 12.37 PER
or Radmanovic's 12.69 PER.
Does that sound like a guy who the Lakers might want to add?
Posted by: Long Time Laker Fan | July 19, 2008 at 10:55 AM
Staples 24,
>>>Mata-Real could be Ronnie Turiaf replacement.
Closer to the truth would be that Mata-Real could be a
Mark Madsen replacement. Ronny at least had SOME offensive
skills.
Posted by: Long Time Laker Fan | July 19, 2008 at 10:58 AM
Bynum has microfracture problems..Bynum will not be ready to go start training camp. In fact, I will have a full detailed report in 4 weeks time. What can brown do for you today?
Posted by: Guy in cell 183 | July 19, 2008 at 11:08 AM
Wes,
There are players (mostly veterans like PJ Brown and Kurt
Thomas) who will play for 1 million for the chance to get a
championship ring.
There are also players in the Summer League right now who
show some amount of promise that they may one day be able
to contribute to an NBA team.
And there is also Sun Yue, who's training for the Olympics right
now, but will surely sign for a 2 or 3 year rookie-level contract.
The thing is, the Lakers don't have to add a lot to be one of the most
competitive teams in the league. Losing Ronny is a big risk, because
they're counting on Bynum and Mihm getting healthy and staying
healthy. If that doesn't happen, then the Lakers will miss Ronny
badly, but if they do get healthy, then Ronny would have been
superfluous.
If they can keep Sasha, then the addition of Bynum will mean
that Odom and Mihm will take up all of the minutes that Ronny
would have played, so they'll effectively be a better team than
last season, even without Ronny.
But it's a calculated risk. I think the Lakers will try to bring in
someone for a minimum salary to be a deep backup. Or they
might leave two roster slots open and only add the big man if
Bynum or Mihm isn't able to play up to the expected level.
You'll notice that the Celtics didn't match the offer for James
Posey. I think that is a much more significant loss to the Celtics
than Turiaf will be to the Lakers. And the Celtics are probably
also going to lose Eddie House and PJ Brown as well (House
to more money and Brown to retirement). So they'll have to
come up with some cheap replacements as well -- many more
replacements than the Lakers will have to find.
Posted by: Long Time Laker Fan | July 19, 2008 at 11:11 AM
In case you didn't figure it out yet, the two players I described
are Bynum and Ariza.
The Lakers already HAVE the players they need to add to make
them tough enough to beat the Celtics.
Posted by: Long Time Laker Fan | July 19, 2008 at 11:16 AM
Sign Kwame for a basement bargain price and be off with it. Nobody can measure Ronny's heart but the fact is, he played most of his minutes at the 5 and he's way undersized for that spot. Just as much as Mike T has an overblown obsession for him, some of you on the other hand has this overblown hate for him. What Kwame can give you is 10 minutes of banging with the opposing center instead of watching Gasol turn pale again when Bynum comes out for a breather.
Posted by: sixonezero | July 19, 2008 at 11:23 AM
Wow!
I just visited the Celtics blog to find out whether fans everywhere complain about their team/front office no matter how well they've done during the past season.
I wasn't disappointed. A lot of bitching and moaning about signing O'Bryant, not signing Posey, and about all the "stupid" moves Ainge has made in the past (Scalabrine, Pollard, etc).
It just cracks me up.
Posted by: giantsquid | July 19, 2008 at 11:24 AM
Fatty,
"IF Kwame agrees to become the Lakers 'Mongo' "
Of course, Mongo turned against his employer.
Posted by: exhelodrvr | July 19, 2008 at 11:30 AM
Wes,
>>>So, one effect of not matching the Turiaf offer is that
>>>we've just set the bar unreachably high for possible free
>>>agent signings.
Let me give specific examples.
Do you think PJ Brown contributed to the Celtics last season?
He was paid a pro-rated portion of 1.2 million
Do you think Eddie House contributed to the Celtics?
He was paid 1.5 million
Do you think James Posey contributed to the Celtics?
He was paid 3.225 million
Did you think Grant Hill did a good job for Phoenix last year?
He was paid 1.8 million
And all of them were signed either last summer or during the season.
If you're one of the top teams, there are always veterans who
will be willing to sign for very little money for the chance to try
for a ring.
Ronny (and Sasha) are not older veterans trying to get some
glory. They are young players with their first chance to get
a big money contract, so they must take what they can get.
I hope the Lakers will match whatever Sasha gets offered,
or will make an offer themselves that he will accept. But
if he can get more money elsewhere, then more power to
him.
Posted by: Long Time Laker Fan | July 19, 2008 at 11:32 AM
LTLF,
">>>Mata-Real could be Ronnie Turiaf replacement.
Closer to the truth would be that Mata-Real could be a
Mark Madsen replacement. Ronny at least had SOME offensive
skills."
If that is your comparison, that is even better beacuse MADSEN is tougher than Ronny!
Posted by: Staples 24 | July 19, 2008 at 11:32 AM
This is what happens when you've got a deep team. Ultimately this will be good for Ronny. If the Lakers can't give him more than 10-15 minutes a game, then he should move on for his sake.
We've got to sign Sasha now.
Posted by: bum | July 19, 2008 at 11:52 AM