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
Alright Ronny is gone. It's sad from a personal standpoint, but not so much from a personnel standpoint.
Ronny brought heart, effort and some blocked shots. But let's be honest. He really wasn't a great defender. He's 25, so he's not going to get any better. What we saw is what we would have gotten, and he was expendable. Part of the reason he got blocked shots was because he played poor position defense or cheated off his own man to help for blocks.
When conditions got rough underneath, Ronny backed down. He played well before Pau arrived, then folded as soon as he lost the starting job. Then in the playoffs, after getting kicked out of the Utah game for the flagrant foul, he promptly disappeared for the rest of the playoffs.
I liked Ronny, but he is a 15 minute a game back up, and that's too much money for a backup. Wishing you luck in GS Ronny!
Posted by: DrewPauKobe | July 19, 2008 at 12:06 PM
Oh god, we're back to the days of people seriously debating Mike T? Ugh.
A man who openly roots for one of our best young players to get hurt does not deserve to be honestly debated.
Posted by: DrewPauKobe | July 19, 2008 at 12:08 PM
John in Houston
"But one more time, Artest is an all star."
Once. Heck Brad Miller has been an all star twice. Maybe we should trade LO for him.
Posted by: giantsquid | July 19, 2008 at 12:19 PM
EX,
That's true, he did turn.
There was a bad Mongo and a good Mongo.
We don't want the good or nice Mongo, We want the bad Mongo.
I know some will say bad Mongo would be hard to control, but if PJ could control Rodman, bad Mongo should be no problem. If PJ was smart, he could use Kwame (Mongo) to motivate slacking Lakers players. "Do you want me to have Kwame guard you in scrimmage? That's what I thought."
Blazzing Saddles - Pushing all the edges in every direction. One of the first movies to tackle prejudicial racial humor and make Fatty spit out his coke TWICE in the theater.
Posted by: Fatty | July 19, 2008 at 12:21 PM
Sign Kwame, Sign Mata Real, Sign Garbajosa, Sign Miles
Trade Odom for Artest and Thomas
Trade Luke, Vlad, Mihm, FARMAR for Marbury's expiring contract! The key is FARMAR, Mihm, Vlad to D'Antoni's needs.
Bynum, Kwame, Mata Real
Gasol, Garbajosa, Thomas
Artest, Ariza, Miles
Kobe, Sasha
Fisher, Marbury, Sun
Kwame and Mata Real replaces Mbenga and Mhim.
Garbajosa and Thomas replaces Turiaf and Vlad
Artest and Miles replaces Odom and Walton
Sun and Marbury replaces Farmar
Gasol - former all-star PF at 28
Artest - former all- star SF at 29
Kobe - all star SG at 29
Marbury - former all-star PG at 31
Bynum - future all- star C at 21
This is a well balance all-star five at every position. Lakers should take advantage of 9rings 10 MIL Phil Jackson as a Coach, Phil's style of Coaching fits veteran stars, stop wasting his time developng newbies and give him vets stars that only Phil can handle. Besides Kobe's alha male dog status will supress Artest and Marbury. If it does not work out both have huge expiring contracts.
Kwame, Artest, Thomas and Miles (Tougher)
VS.
Mihm, Odom, Vlad and Luke (Softer)
Posted by: Staples 24 | July 19, 2008 at 12:26 PM
LTLF
Hollinger's PER rankings? The rankings that say Jose Calderon is a better player than Tony, Parker, David West, Baron Davis, Paul Pierce, Brandon Roy, Shawn Marion or Andre Iguodala (among others). And that Kevin Martin is better than Deron Williams or Caron Butler.
I think our own eyes (NBA fans in general) are far better at spotting a decent player than John's ratings are. Personally, I'm most interested in what players, former players, and successful coaches, GMs and scouts think about a player. But I can live without John's PER ratings.
Posted by: giantsquid | July 19, 2008 at 12:42 PM
Fatty,
Come on. PJ loves Kwame? PJ enjoyed the challenge of getting something useful from him because he thought it was cute and he's just going to go with the flow and work with what he has--very Zen. PJ does not love Kwame. He likes having talent and Kwame just isn't it. PJ has seen what Kwame can do in the best possible circumstances and wasn't impressed.
I'd rather bring back David Robinson from retirement.
Posted by: Benjamin | July 19, 2008 at 12:42 PM
Soft???
Tweet-tweet...it all comes down to how the ref calls the play...that dictates whether any player can be a bruiser or becomes tentative... Inconsistency from the ref crews contributes to the labeling of players....if PJ tells Gasol to play tough and throw his body around and move people around, he'd be out of the game with 6 fouls in 3 minutes. Refs are like animals, they can be trained. Lakers need to become the aggressor in games. Yes they will lose more games as they gain their reputation, but eventually they will be known as the physical team, when the refs get tired of calling fouls, hey, they want to go home each night too.
Let's go c's, needs to find his mothers nipple (on a more regular basis). Michael T. needs to stop staring at his Kwame Brown screensaver. The Lakers need to play physical. Look, when I think of the Pistons, I think they are a pretty physical team, physically and mentally tough. And they don't have any physical specimens resembling Dwight Howard or Kwame Brown (physical reference, not a skill reference)...even Tayshaun Prince invokes more toughness than the Laker small forwards......I think I heard and said a while back that Pat Riley (post Lakers) would have his team play "hard" and eventually the refs would tire of calling fouls, because that is the way that team played....We don't need no major overhaul, we need a new approach...and it starts with the letter "D", (and I'm not talking about dumb, as in Kwame...if the Lakers take him back, he pays us, and he's the 15th man on the roster, because the Lakers do not play one on 5 anymore, they play team ball, and the ball can not be dropped...and dropped...and dropped...)
Posted by: humanomaly | July 19, 2008 at 12:43 PM
LTLF
"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."
You can't be sure on this one? PERKINS, POWE and BIG BABY DAVIS are all young big bodies and they are just going to get better and stronger next year. Gasol, Odom , Vlad, Luke even with the help of Bynum/Ariza will still get bullied by this three. YOU NEED BIG BODIES TO MATCH A BIG BODY! Otherwise they will just roll over our LAKERS like they did in June.
Kwame is much needed now at 2-3MIL more than he ever was at 9 MIL. So what's the big deal? He is the excat body, height and quickness with defensive mentality the Lakers were lacking in the NBA FINALS. A tag team of Bynum - Kwame at C makes the Lakers frontline always tough and BIG. Kwame is only 25 years old. I say sign him for three years at 7MIL.
Posted by: Staples 24 | July 19, 2008 at 12:44 PM
Fatty,
"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."
Send the plan to Mitch.
Please put my initials on it.
GO LAKERS!
Posted by: Jon K. | July 19, 2008 at 12:45 PM
This is a particularly anxious offseason for me. Even worse than last year's offseason when Kobe was screaming to leave.
Why? Because I knew that Kobe wasn't going to leave and that with Fisher there, we would improve and that Andrew Bynum would step up.
It's all happened.
Now everything's in the right place and all we have to do is not screw things up.
And half of Laker Nation is screaming to torch this team.
Urgh. God, please protect this team.
GO LAKERS!
Posted by: Jon K. | July 19, 2008 at 12:51 PM
"John in Houston
"But one more time, Artest is an all star."
Once. Heck Brad Miller has been an all star twice. Maybe we should trade LO for him."
Posted by: giantsquid | July 19, 2008 at 12:19 PM
Artest has been a 3-time All-NBA Defensive Team player, Defensive Player of the Year, and has been in the top 4 in Defensive Player of the Year Voting 3 times.
Maybe we should trade Lamar Odom for him.
We need a SF, he is a SF.
All be damned, it's practically a perfect fit.
Posted by: Benjamin | July 19, 2008 at 12:53 PM
Cell 183
"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?"
Greg Oden had his surgery bfore the season of 07-08, Bynu had his surgery very late in the reg season of 07-08. Greg Oden is still not clear to play till Sept. There might be truth to what you are saying.
I do wish INCREDIBLE BYNUM is all 100% though by the beginning of next week, when he starts conditioning in Atlanta, then come to training camp in OCT BIGGER, BETTER and STONGER, and BETTER than last year opnenning day of the regular season.
I do hope you are completely wrong about my favorite Laker player right now. Yo better be wrong about the INCREDIBLE BYNUM!
Posted by: Staples 24 | July 19, 2008 at 12:58 PM
Staples 24,
I don't think cell was being serious. In fact, I'd expect that he's the same person as Stranger in the Night, who came around to make fun of Mike.
Although, I would say that Mike has already become a caricature of himself these days, with such inane comments like the Lakers are sending subliminal messages with that photo of Bynum and Kwame. As if the Lakers or the LA Times have anything to gain from this.
Posted by: Xodus | July 19, 2008 at 01:15 PM
yes, but Mongo was only a pawn... in the game... of life... as is Kwame.
I bet Kwame never dreamed he would be in the NBA, he just happened to be 7 ft tall with the body of a Greek god and was probably "encouraged" to play basketball vs. "wanting" to play bball for a living. That's ok, there's people like that in every profession, he fills a need and the guys on the team seem to really like him so he's not a detriment in the locker room. He doesn't seem to have the desire to be a starter, he would seem to be just as happy being on the bench so there's no conflict there either...
Believe it or not, it's hard to find guys like that, the only question is if some other team ponies up way to much $$$, if so, I don't think anybody wants to get in a bidding war for him but if we can get him cheap... hey, why not?
Posted by: Kwaminus III, 4th Earl of the Secret Society of the Brimming Calves | July 19, 2008 at 01:15 PM
Sad day in Lakerland today. I wish business didn't interfere in basketball, but unfortunately business is about 99.99% of the NBA. Good luck to Ronny. I wish we could drop Mihm and have Ronny, I really can't imagine Mihm doing what Ronny did for us last year. He's not agressive enough, energetic enough, and I even doubt he's skilled. Remember that game at Utah during the regular season when Turiaf had to play at center because Gasol went down? He played really well and effectively (maybe not amazing numbers), and the Lakers won.
Posted by: laker hopeful | July 19, 2008 at 01:17 PM
what are you guys talking about? Bynum is fine. Jeez! Let the guy rehab from his injury before you put him in the grave:
The Lakers played much of last season without starting center Andrew Bynum, giving Turiaf the opportunity for more playing time than he would have had otherwise. But, Kupchak said, Bynum is expected to be healthy when training camp begins in early October, and Turiaf's opportunities figured to be diminished significantly.
Kupchak said Bynum has been in New York and underwent physical therapy in 19 of the last 21 days and has been cleared to work out and play.
"He's basically on his own to begin conditioning and basketball activity, starting today," Kupchak said. "It's a process. Based on what he did last year, I would expect him to come in in mid-September basically in great shape. I know that's his goal. He's coming back this weekend, we're going to meet with him Monday. He will go to Atlanta late next week to begin his training for the upcoming season."
Posted by: Kwaminus III, 4th Earl of the Secret Society of the Brimming Calves | July 19, 2008 at 01:19 PM
"John in Houston
"But one more time, Artest is an all star."
I think you have to say more .. like ten times, before u can get it? Haha! Because Artest is an all-star and Odom is not. That's the truth. Keep saying it, you will get it. Hahaha!
Posted by: Staples 24 | July 19, 2008 at 01:28 PM
Jon K
"Why? Because I knew that Kobe wasn't going to leave and that with Fisher there, we would improve and that Andrew Bynum would step up."
You also knew it was right to sign Luke with 30 MIl for 6 years. Now we can't even resign Turiaf for 4 MIL. Thanks but no thanks to Luke Walton signing, really!
Posted by: Staples 24 | July 19, 2008 at 01:47 PM
Benjamin,
PJ loved Kwame. It is that unnatural Kwame calve love that worries me. PJ has been seduced by those calves that Jon K talks about so much.
IT was PJ that wanted him to come to the Lakers from the Wizzards.
After the Memphis trade, PJ talked to Kwame on a regular basis on the phone. So much so that Jeannie was getting jealous.
PJ lamented that Memphis should have released Kwame before the deadline so Kwame could sign with a playoff team. We all know that team was the Lakers.
PJ made excuses that Kwame wasn't as bad as the fans made him up to be. He brought a lot to the Lakers table.
Only someone in love or infatuated would make an excuse like that.
PJ loved the Kwame challenge. It was his project. "If only I could mold Kwame into something special. It would secure my legacy forever."
He will never admit it, but Coach feels like he failed, and its eating him up. You see Benjamin, Kwame is Coach Jackson's Moby Dick. He will not rest until he makes him into an NBA player. Nine rings has never failed except for once. He wants, he desires, he lusts for one more chance. His hip pain is not what is keeping him up at night. Its the all consuming thought, I can do it, I know I can.
If it brings the whole Lakers team down to the bottom of the NBA's lottery ocean, he will do it. Call it love, call it obsession, call it a bad acid trip that is still affecting his mind. But PJ will not stop until he has his figurative hands wrapped around Kwame's calves again.
Posted by: Fatty | July 19, 2008 at 01:51 PM
Benjamin
Except for the fact that Artest is a head case in a way Rodman could only dream of.
RonBill has been All-Defense (1st or 2nd team) once in the last 4 years. He has been All-Dense every year he's been in the league.
Terrible, awful pitiful fit.
Posted by: giantsquid | July 19, 2008 at 01:58 PM
>>>If that is your comparison, that is even better beacuse
>>>MADSEN is tougher than Ronny!
Certainly Madsen had no problem with playing thuglike defense.
After the flagrant was called on Ronny against Utah, he seemed
a little timid. Madsen would have gone back out there and hacked
someone else hard in the next series.
And a Madsen-like player committing a hard flagrant on Pierce
(or Posey or Rondo or Garnett) to prevent a layup or dunk would
have worked wonders for the Lakers' toughness factor.
I've never seen Mata-Real dance, so I'm not sure if he could
keep up with Ronny & Madsen on that front.
Posted by: Long Time Laker Fan | July 19, 2008 at 02:03 PM
Benjamin and Fatty
"PJ loved Kwame"
Tex Winter has confirmed every word Fatty has written on PJ's infatuation with Kwame (less colorfully perhaps).
Posted by: giantsquid | July 19, 2008 at 02:03 PM
Staples 24
Artest will not play in another all-star game in his career. Brad Miller has played in two, count them, two all-star games. He is twice the all-star Artest is. Deal with it. Repeat it over and over until your head explodes.
Geez!
Posted by: giantsquid | July 19, 2008 at 02:07 PM
giantsquid,
Okay so you don't like PER as a statistic.
So what actually contributes to winning games?
PER doesn't win games.
giantsquid's opinion of how good a team or player is doesn't
win games. It may be your opinion that Tony Parker is a better
player than Jose Calderon, but unless create an alternate universe
where you swap the two players and see how each does in
the other team's exact situation, it's just a biased arbitrary opinion
which is even less reliable than PER.
Jerry West's opinion of how good players wins some games,
but it takes more than that to win championships, as his tenure
in Memphis showed.
When it comes right down to it, what wins games is outscoring
your opponent. Not shooting percentage. Not number of rebounds,
not number of points, though all those things contribute to winning.
But your team could have two top scorers on the floor, a couple
of top notch rebounders, and the defending NBA defensive
player of the year on your team and still get swept... ask Denver.
So what 5-man squads in the league last year were the best
at outscoring their opponents?
The best was Boston's starting lineup.
Second best was New Orleans starting lineup.
Third was the Pistons starting lineup.
Fourth was Golden State's starting lineup
Fifth was Phoenix's starting lineup
And sixth was the Los Angeles Lakers' starting lineup of
Kobe, Fish, Odom, Walton, and Bynum.
That's right, both Bynum and Walton were part of the 6th
best 5-man squad in the league last season. The same
lineup with Gasol instead of Bynum wasn't too far behind.
And a lineup with Kobe, Fish, Odom, Rad, Bynum wasn't
far behind that.
So say what you will about PER or people being soft or
whatever. But when it comes to OUTSCORING THE OPPONENT,
Bynum is a pretty darned good player.
You do want to outscore opponents, don't you? Because
that is what the Lakers do at their best with Bynum.
Posted by: Long Time Laker Fan | July 19, 2008 at 02:22 PM
giantsquid,
By the way, Jose Calderon shot better than 50% from the field
as a guard, including 43% from 3-point range. And he hit 91%
of his free throws. And he got 8.3 assists per game, fifth in the league. He had an INSANE assist-to-turnover ratio of 5.38.
If you gave me a choice right now and said I could pick one point
guard right now and the Lakers could have him as their point
guard, my first choice would be Chris Paul, but for my second
choice, I'd have a hard time deciding between Deron Williams
and Jose Calderon.
Just because Parker's team is better than Calderon's doesn't
make Parker better than Calderon.
Posted by: Long Time Laker Fan | July 19, 2008 at 02:27 PM
>>>Kwame is much needed now at 2-3MIL
Oh HELL no.
I wouldn't pay Kwame that much if the team was under the
luxury tax.
No team has ever NEEDED a stiff like Kwame.
If Kwame would sign for the league minimum and ride the bench
nicely and promise not to throw any cakes, then he can come
back as an insurance player that I hope they NEVER have to play.
Kwame is almost as useful as MBenga. Almost.
Posted by: Long Time Laker Fan | July 19, 2008 at 02:32 PM
Mike T,
The only conceivable way we would resign Kwame Brown would be for a contract with the following “dis-incentives:”
(1) Fine of $10K for every dropped pass.
(2) Fine of $20K for every blown layup.
(3) Fine of $30K for every missed dunk.
(4) Fine of $40K for every Mike T post
Signed for the NBA minimum for a year, I figure that Kwame would end up paying us over $100M next year for the right to play with the Lakers. That’s a business opportunity that Jerry Buss might be forced to accept. $100M to play for the Lakers for a year. That’s the ONLY way Kwame Brown will ever wear purple and gold again.
Honestly, if I were Kwame Brown, I might seriously consider getting a restraining order. Your obsession with this perennial loser who you claim can “seal-the-lane” is truly scary. Crazed fan sneaks into Kwame Brown’s bedroom. News at 11! LOL. I was glad to see you return, but after your latest comments hoping for another bad injury to Drew, you can just pack your freaking bags and go back to whatever hole you were hiding in.
Kwame Brown is a loser who represents everything the Lakers are trying to put to rest, including players who don’t have a heart, aren’t dedicated to their craft, don’t work hard to improve, choke under pressure, can’t catch a simple pass, and can’t make a layup. Talk about being soft! LOL, Mike. That’s the perfect description for Kwame’s game and your blogging. S-O-F-T-! As in weak, without substance, without bite.
Kwame Brown is the biggest bust ever for the top pick in the NBA draft and he will never ever wear purple and gold again. He is not worthy of being on this team or of even carrying Drew’s bags, much less backing him up. That’s the reality that drove you from this blog before. At this rate, you’ll be gone by the time the season starts, too. LOL.
Tom
Posted by: LakerTom | July 19, 2008 at 02:41 PM
You guys ever going to cover the Garbajosa rumors or what? It's all over the Spanish press.
Posted by: Very Nearly the Absolute Truth | July 19, 2008 at 02:45 PM
Here's how it's going down.
Several teams are kicking the tires on Kwame Brown the way
they did with Chris Mihm last summer. But it sounds like so far he's
either gotten only small offers or no offers at all.
My theory is that Kwame's agent is telling him that he's worth
at LEAST an MLE and that he'll get it soon. I mean, look at how
much Darko got, and you're CLEARLy better than Darko.
And I think one of two things will happen. Either Kwame
will sign with some team for the league minimum or he will
remain un-signed by the start of fall training camps, at which
time he'll fire his agent and try to sign on with one of the teams
that offered him a minimum contract. I think Kwame is dumb
and could easily be led around by an agent, but I don't think
he's as obstinate as Sprewell and will eventually realize that
1 million dollars is greater than 0 dollars.
Posted by: Long Time Laker Fan | July 19, 2008 at 02:46 PM
At this moment in time we are not as good as were at the end of the season - not without Turiaf. I say this because our tougness in the paint is among our biggest weaknesses. Even with Bynum back healthy, you have to figure that over the course of a season, injuries will occur. Right now, our toughs are Bynum, Gasol, Odom and Mihm - with the exception of Bynum, none strke fear in anybodys heart when it comes to aggressive attitudes. I shudder to think what happens if Bynum goes down again with an injury. I realize that we made it to the finals, but as in any pro sport, you are either moving forward or backward, there is no standing still, at the moment, we are moving backward.
Posted by: Lincoln Laker | July 19, 2008 at 02:48 PM
Kwaminus III, 4th Earl of the Secret Society of the Brimming Calves,
You're right. Bynum is fine. I had the same kind of surgery when I was an athlete and Bynum is just a little bit behind (in terms of activity and clearance) to where I was after my surgery. He's fine. All this talk is much ado about nothing.
Staples24,
I still haven't given up on Luke Walton and I feel that too many people have been WAY too harsh on him. However, I do agree with you. Laker management was too generous with their contract with Luke. $5 million a year was too much.
GO LAKERS!
Posted by: Jon K. | July 19, 2008 at 02:54 PM
Long Time,
Yeah, those two guys you described are exactly what the Lakers need to be a better defensive team. How do we get them? Who do we have to give up? LOL.
Now, that was a well done presentation.
From one LT to another.
Tom
Posted by: LakerTom | July 19, 2008 at 02:57 PM
"Well, from a GHF perspective, look at it this way - we can now trade Luke for Ronny in time for the post-season.
Yes we can! YES WE CAN!!!
Posted by: hariyahu | July 19, 2008 at 08:44 AM"
You think? OK I'm cheered up a little bit lol.
Go Lakers!
Posted by: Faith | July 19, 2008 at 03:07 PM
LakerTom,
Your posted sounded kind not like you, but wow it was good. Disincentives put into the contract including 40k per Mike T. post? Haha, that's pretty funny.
Posted by: Benjamin | July 19, 2008 at 03:08 PM
Its the off season and this blog is in sensational form...I think the Olympics are going to have a huge impact on free agents picked this summer..I dont think the Lakers will finalize the roster until after the games just in case they find a diamond..
If you go back a to the games when Argentina played well it had a huge affect on the players signed after the games...
We seem to be focusing on power forwards,and rightfully so but i think we are going to need another point guard pretty soon.I personally dont think Farmar is the answer for us at that spot.Why?...Because defensively he cant stay infront of his man and mentally he still does not have a steady head..I know he improved this year but he just does not seem to be the type of player of floor general we need to set things up and to take pressure of Odom and Kobe when bringing the ball up the court..To be a pesky defender is one thing but in order to be effective at it you need muscle..Thats why Fisher although not that tall has still been a good defender throughout his playing days..The power forward spot will get taken care of its the point guard slot that worries me....
Posted by: Thirty2 | July 19, 2008 at 03:08 PM
Kwaminus
"yes, but Mongo was only a pawn... in the game... of life... as is Kwame."
So true, sadly, but so true.
But aren't all of us just pawns of the K's on the blog?
- Fattius Maximus Gluttonius
Posted by: Fatty | July 19, 2008 at 03:11 PM
okay, lets make this real quick. . . good-buy rOnY [who is this guy anyway]!!
SIGN MR ARTEST NOW and lets get to work!!
Posted by: HottLAFanStill | July 19, 2008 at 03:13 PM
Laker Tom.
Personally, I think you're the dumbest blogger in the history of blogging. Honestly that's what I think.
mike t.
Posted by: Michael C. Teniente | July 19, 2008 at 03:19 PM
This is getting ridiculous.
Do we want players we like or players that win rings? Turiaf is soft, soft soft. We need tuff. Bring on the tuff.
Odom, Mihm, Walton, VladRad- all softies.
We need angry thugs. We need Rick Foxes and Kurt Rambises.
The only players I'd keep after the unbelievable farce that I had to endure in June are AB, Pau, Mamba24, D Fish Sasha and Farmar.
We need Artest like you would not believe.
Very first game of the season: KB and Ron-Ron start like animals playing full court defense from the opening whistle. Then on the first drive in from the other team Pau hammers the punk unconscious taking a flagrant and a two game suspension. AB goes strong on every play trying to rip the iron off of the backboard and gets 4 charging fouls in the first 8 minutes while leaving a trail of bloodies opponents in his path.
It's not the losing that was bad it's how we lost. We looked like scared children in June. I can't wait to see KG try to guard Pau and Perkins try to guard AB while Artest shuts down Paul Pierce.
Forget about Turiaf and the other crybaby softy Lakers. If the Lakers FO took the Finals as anything but a declaration of war upon them we won't be winning anytime soon.
Diesel
Posted by: Dieselpower | July 19, 2008 at 03:19 PM
Benjamin
Except for the fact that Artest is a head case in a way Rodman could only dream of.
RonBill has been All-Defense (1st or 2nd team) once in the last 4 years. He has been All-Dense every year he's been in the league.
Terrible, awful pitiful fit.
Posted by: giantsquid | July 19, 2008 at 01:58 PM
They're different flavors of head cases. Artest is downtrending his insanity, at least as it would relate to him being a player for us.
Artest All-NBA defense 02-03, 03-04, and 05-06. But, hey saying only once in 4 years makes your point so much stronger (unfortunately it's cherry-picking specifically designed to subjectively adjust perception).
All-Dense. You're the cleverest person ever. I bet you impress children worldwide with your rapier wit.
At least you took the time to make a strong, well-thought out case against the guy though...
Oh, wait!
Posted by: Benjamin | July 19, 2008 at 03:20 PM
All this Bynum healthy/unhealthy stuff is making me nervous.
Wasn't he cleared to play like weeks ago. Then all of a sudden it's some big bombshell that he is cleared a few days ago, but wait only for being on the court, not for actually playing?
What the hell is going on here?
Get back to me when he can scrimmage and is ready to enter a game (assuming there are games to be played--hopefully he can actually play before then).
Posted by: Benjamin | July 19, 2008 at 03:22 PM
Why is this blog wasting html code and bandwidth discussing Kwame Brown? LOL
Dog days of summer indeed.
Posted by: LakerinBC | July 19, 2008 at 03:24 PM
Okay,
I'm open to changing what I think PJ thinks of Kwame.
Here's what is necessary.
1. Links indicating this is true.
2. PJ has to like Kwame as a player, not a person.
PJ called Kwame soft and talked about his shortcomings all the time. I still find it highly implausible that he'd want Kwame back on his team. I am aware Phil said he enjoyed the challenge of getting Kwame to play good ball.
I still say Mitch and PJ got suckered by Jordan about Kwame. I think they made a desperate move to get a PF that could defend. Unfortunately, they got a center that couldn't put the ball in the hoop. I think Mitch and Phil recognized taking damaged goods, mentally broken (my Michael Jordan calling him a fag and a bitch and whatnot), butterfingers Kwame was a big risk and weren't really enamored with him when they made the trade.
I can accept being wrong, but in this case, I require evidence.
And random poster saying Tex Winter said what Fatty said is true just isn't sufficient.
Posted by: Benjamin | July 19, 2008 at 03:28 PM
My fellow fan, we can only hope that the Lakers organization will make wise decisions concerning players in the upcoming months to keep us excited about the product we grown to love and care about. Darn, can't wait till October!
Posted by: Let's go L's! | July 19, 2008 at 03:51 AM
Here, here! Well put.
Posted by: Benjamin | July 19, 2008 at 03:29 PM
So many debates here but will pass up on except one!
For someone who called out Laker Tom in mentioning Bynum, it is actually you who mentioned him first on this thread!
The rest I will save for another day. Getting late.
Posted by: JustaLakerFan | July 19, 2008 at 01:31 AM
Ooooooh, you got me. You're so good. Buddy, I only was predicting a storm to come. It's a far cry from an attempt to revisit the topic. It was just an attempt to make a half-joke at LakerTom's expense. He knows I like him and appreciate his thoughts because I've been very clear. At this point, don't you think it's hard to say he didn't earn the half-joke? And if I hadn't done it, someone else would have.
No worries folks. Ronny will go up north and grow tremendously as a leader and mentor, just like Fish did, then come right back to us
Posted by: Vonislav Waferdenko | July 18, 2008 at 08:49 PM
----------------------------
Why does he have a daughter with eye cancer too?
Posted by: JustaLakerFan | July 19, 2008 at 01:33 AM
I'm not really sure what your point here is or if even you know what it is. All analogies break down at some point which is why they're analogies and not identities. I can't help but feel that bringing this up is in bad taste. Also, didn't all Fish's daughter's eye problems happen in Utah?
I really appreciated Vonislav Waferdenko's sentiment. I know a lot of us will miss Ronny and hope he returns. How about you?
Posted by: Benjamin | July 19, 2008 at 03:37 PM
From Eddie Johnson's Blog:
http://blogs.hoopshype.com
/blogs/johnson/index.php
"The Celtics are probably the only team in the NBA with not one foreign import on their roster. OK, what does that mean? Well, in this instance, especially judging by how the Celtics just manhandled the Lakers, I would say hunger, pride and toughness."
How many sportswriters have to use the words: MANHANDLED, DOMINATED, THE LAKERS ARE SOFT before you understand that it is plain to see?
For those who think Mihm is a capable back-up...come on, the guy when healthy allowed lay-ups like crazy.
Anyone who equates Mihm as a capable back-up is using flawed basketball philosophy to analyse what they're trying to get across concerning the Lakers.
This roster can't remain the same. I mean read more from Johnson's blog:
"The Lakers are littered with players from all over the world. And yes, they deserved to be in the Finals. But they also on paper deserved to be smacked around. I said before the series that they were a soft unit and they did not disappoint."
IT'S PLAIN TO SEE! Jerry West, Rick Fox and PJ have mentioned these things. And still it's like (people like Laker Tom) I don't hear that! I don't hear that! I wasn't watching the finals. I mean, how dumb can these people be?
mike t.
Posted by: Michael C. Teniente | July 19, 2008 at 03:42 PM
Long Time,
Yeah, those two guys you described are exactly what the Lakers need to be a better defensive team. How do we get them? Who do we have to give up? LOL.
Now, that was a well done presentation.
From one LT to another.
Tom
Posted by: LakerTom | July 19, 2008 at 02:57 PM
Who's the real LT though? One of you guys, Lawrence Taylor or Ladanian Tomlinson?
Will the real LT please stand up?
Posted by: Benjamin | July 19, 2008 at 03:42 PM
Check out the Nuggets' situation:
"If Smith returns for the qualifying offer and the Nuggets fill remaining roster spots up to 13 with minimum-contract players, they would have a payroll of about $75 million, about $4 million in excess of the tax line."
The Nuggets have 9 players under contract right now. That includes J.R. Smith's qualifing offer of about 2.3 million dollars. Now if the Nuggets sign 4 more players at the minimum amout of money that would put them at 75 million, which is 4 million in luxuray taxes.
The Lakers have 75 million in 11 players right now. That included Sasha's qualifing offer. The Lakers would still need to sign at least 2 more players possibly 3.
If Sasha accepts the qualifing offer than nothing changes as far as dealing with the Lakers' problems go. Addressing their "softness". To address their softness they would have to fill the roster with some physical players. That means the Lakers are going to have to pay at least 3 million each for 2 of those players. That's 6 million. That would mean the Lakers would be at around 81 million with 13 players.
I don't see how you can keep this squad together and expect to win a championship when all you're going to pay is 6 million for defensive purposes in 2 players. Unless, of course, the Lakers are willing to pay more than the 3 million per defensive player. Then we would be at around 83-85 million in salary. That's between 12-15 million in luxuary taxes.
Simply put...I expect changes for basketball philosophical changes and salary concerns.
mike t.
Posted by: Michael C. Teniente | July 19, 2008 at 04:08 PM
Lakeraholic,
I had to delete your post. Language. Gotta clean it up, and that's more than just omitting one letter from the off-limits word. Find another way to get your point across.
Thanks
AK
Posted by: Andrew Kamenetzky | July 19, 2008 at 04:08 PM