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
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
-Mike T-
I cannot believe you just wrote that...and though I agree..it kinda hard to take that coming from someone who wants to insert Kwame who himself allowed numerous layups..haha even allowed Amari (whom is smaller) to dunk all over him. Oh and since you want to use Rick Fox and Magic..and Jerry West comments as a conerstone for your argument about The Lakers being soft..I will be more than happy to post a consensus write up about Kwame featuring the likes of Jordan and various other men of the round ball! Shall we take there words as the truth also..or how about the general consensus that Kwame is the worst 1st round bust in NBA history..agreed on by other various writters and players..geezzz man its like your robbin Peter to pay Paul then preach rightousness soon after!
Posted by: lakeraholic | July 19, 2008 at 04:19 PM
So all this talk about Kwame leads me to believe he wears briefs, no? I mean, boxers are for real men right?
What about Pau "the marshmellow" Gasol. This team needs some cajones!
BHB
Posted by: BeverlyHills_Bernie | July 19, 2008 at 04:24 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
Hahaha..darn..I guess not posting in a while..then starting off my post the way it did would prompt you to read the whole darn thing. Your right..I gotta clean it up..but you read it! and wether or not you want to admit it..I Know you feel me on what I wrote..haha
Posted by: Lakeraholic | July 19, 2008 at 04:26 PM
Lakeraholic,
I didn't have a problem with your general point at all, but don't try to "sneak" stuff past us. It just makes BK and my job that much harder, one way or the other. We're busy enough as it is and don't want to waste time with that stuff.
Thanks
AK
Posted by: Andrew Kamenetzky | July 19, 2008 at 04:34 PM
Bevery Hills Benie,
LOL! I have to laugh at that one.
"What about Pau "the marshmellow" Gasol. This team needs some cajones!"
I laugh because I think I'm the one who gave him the marshmellow handle. LOL! My, my, my...how things get around.
mike t.
Posted by: Michael C. Teniente | July 19, 2008 at 04:39 PM
Actually I didn't sneak anything...I just figure you wouldn't bother reading a post from such an insignificant blogger who hasn't posted much lately haha. And your right..I wouldnt dare wana make you and BK's job any harder than it is right now. Haha..or do I?
Posted by: lakeraholic | July 19, 2008 at 04:48 PM
lakeraholic,
"how about the general consensus that Kwame is the worst 1st round bust in NBA history"
You don't have to be a standout star to seal the paint. That's your problem...you keep on tying the number 1 pick as a reason to not acknowledge what the guy can actually do. Maybe he never be an offensive star...but, despite being a number 1 pick bust doesn't mean he can't play defense.
Mihm, Gasol are finesse offensive players. Number 6 and 7 in their drafts, I think...but they can't play a lick of defense. They can score but they allow as much as they score on the defensive end.
mke t.
Posted by: Michael C. Teniente | July 19, 2008 at 04:49 PM
Benjamin
"Phil really likes Kwame," Lakers consultant/guru Tex Winter offered recently. "He thinks he's one of the best defensive centers in the league, with his quickness and strength."
http://tinyurl.com/6fxkbu
There's lots more where that came from. Please do your own googling. I thought this stuff was common knowledge.
Posted by: giantsquid | July 19, 2008 at 04:51 PM
The point guard i would like the Lakers to go after is Marcus Williams from the Nets...I know he has had his mental issues but those issues are nothing compared to Artest..Good size,not bad range and if need be can run an up tempo stlye as well..As for Kwame ...I dont think i could go another round of all the frustration he delivers every game..If Kwame was as great as made out to be he would have inked a deal already..How many teams have already had him in for work outs and let him walk out the door?...Kwame is a 3rd string big at best in the NBA..Thats being to nice..The Lalers need to go forward not backwards...Common sense will prevail....
Posted by: Thirty2 | July 19, 2008 at 04:57 PM
PJs belief that he could fix what's wrong with Kwame should be a cautionary tale to those of you who think PJ can keep Artest in line. Phil is a great coach but he's not a magician.
Posted by: giantsquid | July 19, 2008 at 05:02 PM
Mike T,
You like talking about how the Lakers are soft and just for the sake of argument, I'll say yes the Lakers are soft. And you like throwing out how this person or that person said the Lakers were soft...yet you ignore how all of those same people like Rick Fox and everyone in the national media thinks Kwame is terrible.
Do these all of these basketball people not matter unless they agree with you? Oh yes, I forgot you're the infallible Pope of the Lakers blog.
Why don't you take your teachings back to that blog you started that no one ever read. I'm sure they'll go over much better over there, since you'll be able to pat yourself on the back (like you do so well) and not worry about people who don't praise the worst player in the NBA's merits.
Posted by: Xodus | July 19, 2008 at 05:11 PM
the clown is gone
no more distractions on the sideline
running for donny in oaktown will give him …
a total loser in the playoffs. gave us nothing. deserves nothing.
Posted by: Zin Master | July 19, 2008 at 05:14 PM
"Laker Tom.
Personally, I think you're the dumbest blogger in the history of blogging. Honestly that's what I think.
mike t."
I SECOND THAT. ALL HIS LAME PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS AND NOT ONE CAME TRUE!
BTW, I remember reading last week something Lecture Tom said about the Lakers are not going to give up Turiaf and that they will match the offer. I guess that lame prediction was not true either!
Posted by: Gunner | July 19, 2008 at 05:43 PM
here, let me give you people some logic.
1. we don't want nor need mr. KWA-ME brown. the reason why we traded him in the first place was because fans kept booing him. if you bring him back, he will be booed once he fumbles the ball. also, we have enough players in the front court. we don't need anymore deadweight. thus, we prove the point that kwame cannot and would not contribute either way.i don't care how cheap you want to pay him. we wouldn't even play him when we're down 14 men. kwame should just retire.
2. i think we give TREVOR too much credit. i love that he's a slasher and i like his pace, but he is still learning the offense. he has a lot of work to do since the offense always stops when he gets in the game. if he's going to be a starter, which i wouldn't do, he needs to get his offense together.
3. play odom at point guard and fish at the 2, kobe at the 3 for the starting lineup. odom may be even more lost at the small forward position, so give him something new. let him be the ball handler so he could initiate the offense.
isn't this beautiful?
PF: Pau
SF: Kobe
C: Drew
SG: Fish
PG: Lamar
PF: Vladdy/Newble
SF: Luke/Trevor
C: DJ/Chris
SG: Sasha/Coby
PG: Jordan/Crawford
4. we need to develop coby karl. period. depending on how much sasha gets... i dion't know. i wanted to keep ronny more than i wanted to keep sasha.. since ronny can fill the injury void and dance around... while sasha... i don't know.
Posted by: fat yellow purse | July 19, 2008 at 05:43 PM
Benjamin
I'm not looking this up again. You're telling me if John X was all-NBA 7 times, it would be unfair to point out that he wasn't even 2nd team all-NBA 3 of the last 4 yrs.
You're kidding? Aren't you? It's not how good you were, it's how good you are that's important.
Posted by: giantsquid | July 19, 2008 at 05:48 PM
Benjamin,
As you notice, I have been having a little anger management problem with my writing recently. LOL. Anyway, I just got really pissed when Mike starting talking again about Drew getting injured again as part of stupid bring back Kwame campaign and reacted accordingly. I don’t mind his chaotic leaps of logic or crazy theories about conspiracies by the Lakers and the LA Times, but any poster who wishes for ANY Laker player to get injured can just take a hike and disappear as far as I am concerned. In my mind, that’s worse behavior than KL or any troll displayed on the blog. I would ban his ass for life.
Tom
Posted by: LakerTom | July 19, 2008 at 05:49 PM
I pick as a back up post man is either Jamal McGliore or Kurt Thomas. Every championship team as at least one veteran post man on the roster. Celtics had PJ Brown.
I think either one of those guys will sign for $1 mil.
They are better backups than Mihm or even Kwame.
----------------------------------------------------------------
As for LTLF, I agree with you on Ariza and Bynum but we're weak on the bench. And that's what killed us in the finals. I don't believe we can go in the season with Vlad and Luke as backups. Hoping we can have a healthy season next year because if we have to go with those guys for alot of minutes we're in trouble.
And too all the bloggers, We loss Turiaf because Mitch made the biggest mistake last offseason resigning Luke Walton to a James Posey type contract. And I said last summer James Posey was the person we should have went after before quickly signing Luke 24 hours after free agency started.
Posted by: Gunner | July 19, 2008 at 05:51 PM
Mike T.
Eddie Johnson is not a writer. I live here in AZ and Eddie is a former Suns player, and now 'Homer' announcer for the Phoenix Suns. Its Eddie's job to hate on the Lakers as the Suns TV guy. And he does it ALL the time. Not that its not possible for him to be honest, but when it comes to the Lakers, he rarely is fair in his comments.
Posted by: Fatty | July 19, 2008 at 05:56 PM
Benjamin,
>>>>> All this Bynum healthy/unhealthy stuff is making me nervous.
From the LA Times today:
"The reports are very positive," Kupchak said. "Everything is upbeat. We expect Andrew to be able to go full steam, full bore by training camp."
http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/lakers/
la-sp-lakers19-2008jul19,0,6257129.story?track=rss
Tom
Posted by: LakerTom | July 19, 2008 at 06:06 PM
It's ironic that GUNNER would second MikeT's attack on the intelligence of another blogger. (I apologize if the irony isn't obvious, maybe it's just me).
Posted by: giantsquid | July 19, 2008 at 06:08 PM
LTLF
"but for my second choice, I'd have a hard time deciding between Deron Williams and Jose Calderon"
mmm
Sorry. I'm speechless.
Posted by: giantsquid | July 19, 2008 at 06:17 PM
Fatty,
Are you trying to tell me that Eddie Johnson didn't describe what happened to the Lakers with an accurate perspective? Are you trying to tell me you saw something different?
One of the L.A. Times writers called Gasol "the willowly soft Gasol". I mean what more do you need to convince you that the Lakers are soft? And softness in the NBA starts and finishes with the 5 spot.
It's not like he's the only one. I mean, like I said time and time, again, it's plain to see. Only a fool won't acknowledge that.
mike t.
Posted by: Michael C. Teniente | July 19, 2008 at 06:26 PM
LTLF
"You do want to outscore opponents, don't you? Because that is what the Lakers do at their best with Bynum."
Please let me know where I gave the impression that I don't like Bynum. I actually love Bynum. I have a slight problem with Gasol at PF. If I had to chose between Gasol and Bynum, I'd take Bynum in a New York second.
And what's with mentioning Luke? Are you saying we have to start Luke to outscore opponents?
That was a very strange post.
Posted by: giantsquid | July 19, 2008 at 06:27 PM
Sup K-Bros and Laker Fam,
Hope everyone is having a good summer.. I really got nothing to add, just a lil bummed that Ronny is gone and worried about the Bench Mob's intensity and flow without him next season.. I understand why Mitch did it.. gotta re-sign Sasha.... I'll catch up on sports in about another month or so.. I just wanted to show a lil love to my dysfunctional laker family and let ya kno.. I miss ya ( kinda)
Posted by: complex brotha | July 19, 2008 at 06:34 PM
Xodus,
I think you meant "unfallable poop of the Lakers blog" - as in the problem with constipation that sometimes shows up.
Posted by: exhelodrvr | July 19, 2008 at 06:42 PM
Mike T,
>>>>>Personally, I think you're the dumbest blogger in the history of blogging.
>>>>>Honestly that's what I think.
Thanks. Coming from you, I take that as a compliment. I’ve tried being civil with you and have had about as much success as Kwame had on the court. Lesson learned.
When you wished for a franchise player like Andrew Bynum to get injured just to further your mid-life fantasies and ridiculous prophecies about Kwame Brown being defense’s gift to basketball, you became a sad and empty excuse as a human being and Lakers fan.
Unless and until you apologize for wishing that Andrew Bynum would get injured, you will remain a persona-non-gratis on the blog as far as I am concerned. You’re a legend in your own mind, Mike, but just the oblivious butt of a virtual joke in everyone else’s.
GUNNER,
>>>>> I SECOND THAT. ALL HIS LAME PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS
>>>>>AND NOT ONE CAME TRUE!
Actually, all of them BUT ONE did come true. I predicted the Lakers would sweep Denver (which they did), sweep Utah (they won 4-2), beat San Antonio in 5 (which they did), and beat the Celtics in 6 (which they didn’t). I’ll stand by that record any day.
How about you? If I recall correctly, you predicted that the Lakers with Kobe would get booted out of the playoffs in the first round again. But then, we know you’re exactly the sharpest tool in the shed, don’t we? LOL.
>>>>>BTW, I remember reading last week something Lecture Tom said about
>>>>>the Lakers are not going to give up Turiaf and that they will match the offer.
>>>>>I guess that lame prediction was not true either!
If you actually read posts on the blog rather than imagining them in your feeble brain, you would you have realized that I predicted that the Lakers would NOT match Ronny’s offer but WOULD match Sasha if he received an offer sheet, which he hasn’t to date.
Anyway, predictions are just our opinions of what we think or often hope will happen. Most of us are more interested in the logic, reasoning, intuition, and vision we use in making predictions rather than trying to keep score or winning a contest or bragging rights on the blog, which is what you seem to be all about – other than trashing Kobe.
Try and stay with us this year, GUNNER. Don’t let the infantile side of you embarrass the person and fan you could be. You were making great progress but I don’t think your parole officer would appreciate your hanging with an ex-con like Mike T. Try and keep it together and be a productive member of society and the blog. You can do it.
Tom
Posted by: LakerTom | July 19, 2008 at 06:45 PM
Benjamin,
>>>>> Will the real LT please stand up?
It has to be Ladanian Tomlinson. Whenever somebody calls me LT, that’s what I usually think even before I realize they were just using my blog name initials. Although, it could have been Lawrence Taylor if my googleless brain worked differently. LOL.
Tom
Posted by: LakerTom | July 19, 2008 at 06:56 PM
Come on...read Laker Tom closely and it's plain to see he knows nothing about basketball. I stopped reading this guy long ago because of how ignorant he is about the game.
It's like this: I didn't follow the Lakers this year because when they traded for Gasol I knew he couldn't play defense and that would lead to the Lakers being crushed by the Celtics in the finals. I didn't have to watch the season to know that was how it was going to end because Gasol is a pure defensive marshmellow.
Like I knew that about Gasol and the Lakers...I know about Laker Toms dumb posts. Why read them...you know there stupid. LOL!
I mean how stupid do you have to be not to know that Gasol was going to be bullied against a physical team like the Celtics? Was that hard to see? That was obvious. Again, how stupid do you have to be not to see that coming? It's this simple: Perkins 6'll and 280. Gasol 7' and 260. One is strong and one is weak. One is a scorer and one is a defended. The strong guy is the defender and the weak guy is the scorer.
Is this so hard to figure? On the Boston defensive end of the game the strong defender pushs the weak scorer away from the basket. What do you think was going to happen? There are not much entry passes because Gasol is too far away from the basket to initate the offense. In game 6 when Rando stole the ball from Gasol in the first quarter. How far from the basket was Gasol? He was near the foul line. That's how far Perkins had pushed him out to allow Rando to come from underneath to steal the ball. If Gasol had recieved the ball near the basket down low Rando wouldn't have room to come from underneath to steal the ball. But because Gasol is so weak he is pushed way out of his comfort zone and the Lakers have the ball on the wings trying to figure out how to penetrate. All of that is based on how weak Gasol is. And this ignorant Lakers Tom is going on how the Lakers are just fine? I mean, how dumb can you be?
On the Boston offensive side of the game Perkins, P.J. Brown and other pushed Gasol away from the basket and that opened up lanes for Perkins to blow past his man to an open lane for a basket. A lay-up parade because Gasol can't hold his position on the defensive end of the game. Is all this too hard to figure out?
mike t.
Posted by: Michael C. Teniente | July 19, 2008 at 07:05 PM
Laker Tom,
Mike T called u the dumbest blogger in history. Then, Gunner had the gall to jump in and agree.
Congratulations!!! Therefore, you must be the best blogger in history!!!! I want to be the first to say, wow, good for you!!!!
DPK
Posted by: DrewPauKobe | July 19, 2008 at 07:06 PM
You see my last post? How I explain how these things work? That lame Laker Tom doesn't explain anything close to that and yet he thinks he some type of basketball expert? Please! The guy knows nothing.
mike t.
Posted by: Michael C. Teniente | July 19, 2008 at 07:10 PM
You're kidding? Aren't you? It's not how good you were, it's how good you are that's important.
Posted by: giantsquid | July 19, 2008 at 05:48 PM
Actually, I care about how good you will be. The past seems like a useful way to predict that, don't you think? That's why we (even NBA players) have resumes, after all.
Of course, a little common sense doesn't hurt. It's possible Artest has slipped a little in his D. He only got the 17th most votes for the NBA All-Defensive team this year and 14th last year. It may be partly due the fault of an injury, suspension, and other games missed in the season. It may be partly due to the fact that his team isn't great defensively.
Voting is obviously partly political (teams matter) and there's some wiggle room in which deserving players (like Hedo Turkoglu for the All-Star Team) get overlooked. Players that don't reflect well upon the league probably get a little less credit than average players.
Does Artest play defense at an All-NBA level currently? Maybe, somewhat close. Can he again? I don't see why not as he did it a mere 3 seasons ago and only a suspension probably prevented him from doing it in 2004-2005. It's not like he had microfracture surgery last year.
The real point is whether Artest does play good D and whether that can help us at defending, particularly the 3 spot for the next few years should we trade for him.
That seems to be a pretty clear yes, especially considering his focus will be more on D than it is currently and he'll have at least two other very good defenders (Kobe and Bynum) helping him out. You could arguably put Fisher in that same category.
If you really wanted to be objective and fair instead of making a guy look bad, you'd say Artest was an All-NBA Defensive player from 2002-2003 to 2005-2006 except in 04-05 when he probably missed out on the award due to suspension and that he's been close to making it since. You would also point out that he's still regarded as one of the league's premiere perimeter defenders and two-way players that adds toughness and intensity to any roster he joins.
That's of course only if you wanted to create a fair assessment of a guy.
You obviously have no such desire.
Posted by: | July 19, 2008 at 07:23 PM
Long Time,
>>>>> If we could get that player, do you think that would help?
OK, Long Time. Time to fess up. Do you sell cars for a living or did you just finish Sales Tactics 101? JK. Actually, I am curious as to what you do for a living. On the one hand, you’re always on the computer so I’ve crossed off salesman despite your obviously ingrained tendency to pose hypothetical questions that will logically be answered “yes.”
The other logical options might be an IT related position, much like Mamba24, that lets you spend a lot of time on things other than work. Or you could be like many bloggers who just spend a lot of work time blogging and quickly switching screens whenever the boss or supervisor walks by. LOL. When I’m at work, I always take care just like an old gunfighter with my back to the wall and only the backside of my monitor visible.
Personally, I worked in the software industry when I first started posting on the Lakers Blog and then in a series of contract finance jobs. I now work as a financial controller for a high tech distribution company in NorCal so I am always at the computer whether in the office of working remotely from home, which makes it easy to blog all the time and keep an eye out for new threads and posts. To say that this blog is addictive is so true. I’ve always said it was better than pharmaceutical coke and make-up sex combined.
Tom
Posted by: LakerTom | July 19, 2008 at 07:26 PM
giantsquid
I had not seen that article before. It was an interesting read to see how PJ viewed Kwame.
How do I really feel about Kwame as a Lakers? When he was a Lakers, I tried to support him, even though not understanding what PJ saw in the Kwame. I even went so far to publish a piece on why Lakers fans should get behind their guy.
http://tinyurl.com/5uetnd
But to bring him back? I don't know. I really like our teams chemistry and as one commenter said earlier, true his D is good, but we take such a beating when he's on the offensive end, 'its like the Lakers are playing 4 on 5'.
Posted by: Fatty | July 19, 2008 at 07:26 PM
Wow - no Ronny next year.
I'm bummed....but I guess he's doing the best for him & his family, and I wish him all the best. I hope he kicks butt for Golden State.
Laker Tom - thanks for the post on Bynum. Man I seriously hope all the optimism is well-founded. It's amazing how so many are pinning the hopes of the future of this franchise on his shoulders (and knee). I hope the kid heals well. I have no doubt as to his ability or passion or even his bball IQ - just any tendancy to either not heal well, or get reinjured easily. The FO is either going to look like heros if all goes well, or we're going to go back to calling Mitch "Cupcake" and start calling for his head if Bynum doesn't live up to the hype. Either way it's going to be an interesting season - I'm looking forward to it! Only 81 (?) days before training camp - and it can't come too soon.
Any news on viable prospects to add some tough D to this team? Are we seriously debating the merits of bringing Kwame back to the Purple & Gold??? C'mon - everyone was screaming to have him strung up last time & now all of a sudden he's the key to our "softness"?? Really? No offense to "Him of the Magnificent Calves" - I'm sure he's a great guy & I'll even agree he was probably a great teammate, but there is no way that cake-throwing, hard handed clown is going to lead us to the promised land. No offense - I'm just saying.
Posted by: justanothermambafan | July 19, 2008 at 07:29 PM
giantsquid,
Yes, Brown seemed destined to sully not only his own reputation but that of Michael Jordan, who selected him with the top pick in the 2001 NBA draft. Kwame Brown was the second coming of LaRue Martin.
Until he got traded to the Lakers in 2005.
It's not like Brown has become a beast in his 18 months in Los Angeles. Fans in Washington still smirk when you mention his name. But Brown is quietly and steadily impressing the only person who really matters, his boss, Lakers coach Phil Jackson.
"Phil really likes Kwame," Lakers consultant/guru Tex Winter offered recently. "He thinks he's one of the best defensive centers in the league, with his quickness and strength."
Yes, Kwame Brown is quite a reclamation project.
This sounds a little like a PR, build up Kwame's ego sort of thing. It sounds like what we thought of Project Kwame before we gave up on him. The article was written 19 months ago.
Do you notice how the article focuses entirely on the positive for Kwame?
You did not acknowledge my point. I thought maybe PJ enjoyed Kwame as a project, but didn't think that much of his as a basketball player. We all know Kwame has the physical tools to be a good player, particularly on the defensive end. What does Phil think about his overall contribution? Would Phil really want him back given alternative backup centers (or even just the ones we have)?
Kwame himself mentioned that he knows he disappointed the expectations that the Lakers had of him as a team. He conceded this point in articles after he was traded. One of the main people involved here was his coach, Phil Jackson.
Another temperature gauge is how the Lakers almost secretly signed Kwame an extension. Remember how most of the blog was surprised by that fact?
You haven't answered my more difficult questions or proven me anything about what Phil Jackson thinks about Kwame, the likelihood the Lakers would be willing to bring Kwame back. You've just told me things I already knew.
What you linked me to is common knowledge and I was previously aware of it.
Again, if you want to make a strong point, don't just google me one random (weak) article that doesn't really address what I've asked you previously.
Posted by: Benjamin | July 19, 2008 at 07:51 PM
Mellow out on the personal insults, folks. If you want to debate basketball, that's fine. Stop with the other stuff.
Thanks.
BK
Posted by: Brian Kamenetzky | July 19, 2008 at 07:53 PM
More housekeeping notes:
We're not pushing comments without a name and email through- no anonymous posting (yes, we realize people change their handles all the time).
Thanks.
Posted by: Brian Kamenetzky | July 19, 2008 at 08:02 PM
Benjamin
"He thinks he's one of the best defensive centers in the league, with his quickness and strength."
I think this indicates that PJ had some regard for Kwame as a basketball player. (this not my opinion, it's Phil's)
Posted by: giantsquid | July 19, 2008 at 08:06 PM
The post above to giant squid related to "how good you will be" was mine.
I didn't intend to not claim it. My browser just didn't fill out the Name and e-mail address fields like it normally does.
Posted by: Benjamin | July 19, 2008 at 08:26 PM
Hey, there's Phil Jackson playing for New York. He just made a lay-up.
mike t.
Posted by: Michael C. Teniente | July 19, 2008 at 08:27 PM
" I didn't follow the Lakers this year because when they traded for Gasol I knew he couldn't play defense and that would lead to the Lakers being crushed by the Celtics in the finals"
----
You should've watched then. Gasol played phenominal defense throughout the playoffs, including the finals. KG (Pau's assignment) isn't the one who killed the Lakers, in fact KG had a relatively bad series against Pau, it's just that nobody could stop Pierce and Lamar on Perkins was a total snowball in the Celtics favor.
Posted by: Very Nearly the Absolute Truth | July 19, 2008 at 08:31 PM
justanothermambafan,
Thanks for the props and comments.
Worrying about career ending injuries to franchise players like Kobe or Drew is kind of like worrying about your kids. If you don’t have kids, you don’t worry but if you are lucky enough to have a kid, you worry. And if you are really lucky and have two of them, then you worry doubly.
But franchise players are also like kids in that they are always a cause to worry. The flipside is that they’re also what truly brings joy to our lives. On an obviously far less important level, you can say the same about franchise players.
In the end, all you can do is pray and send them out to play and have fun. And win championships. LOL.
Tom
Posted by: LakerTom | July 19, 2008 at 08:33 PM
"It's like this: I didn't follow the Lakers this year because when they traded for Gasol I knew he couldn't play defense and that would lead to the Lakers being crushed by the Celtics in the finals."
I noticed three things about this post.
1. In your exit post Mike T., you made zero mention of Gasol or the Celtics. You only mentioned you were leaving and it seemed pretty clear it was because Kwame was gone. Maybe you didn't want to deal with the gloating or not be able to talk about Kwame. As a big fan of Kwame, I find that understandable.
2. It's easy to predict the future after it's happened.
3. I don't believe you think that the Lakers would have gotten past Utah or San Antonio prior to them having done so based on your opinion of our D and the importance of D to championship basketball.
Now, I obviously don't know what goes on in your head (I'd probably prefer to stay out of there, :P ), but what you say strikes me as inconsistent with what you've said in the past.
It also seems to me that you are more a fan of Kwame and your personal basketball philosophies than you are of the Lakers.
Posted by: Benjamin | July 19, 2008 at 08:35 PM
(Benjamin? sorry if it's not you. it just seems like one of your posts. you could have just been in a rush when you posted it)
"That's of course only if you wanted to create a fair assessment of a guy.
You obviously have no such desire."
My assessment of Artest is that he was once the best perimeter defensive player in the league. He's also a pretty good player at the offensive end of the court. He's still a very good defensive player.
Artest is a very good player, not a great player. I agree with Joe Maloof's assessment when asked about a possible trade:
“Odom is a great player, Artest is a good player. That’s, that’s as much as I can say right now.”
You can't tell me that the Kings owner is playing up Odom. Why would he do that if he's trying obtain him in a trade?
Artest is somewhat overrated in my opinion. Odom is somewhat underrated (by fans). That's my opinion.
I also believe that Fish and Odom are the key players on the Lakers in terms of maintaining strong team chemistry. Artest might seriously damage that chemistry and losing Odom certainly would.
If Phoenix, Denver, Dallas, or Denver have a shot at Artest they should take it, they're now second tier teams behind the Lakers, Hornets, Utah, and San Antonio (not sure what to make of Houston until I see how Yao is doing physically and find out whether McGrady really is on the move).
There's a certain player, a very tough guy, who's been Defensive Player of the Year four of the last seven years, first team all-defense five of the last seven years, an all-star four of the last six years. I bet he's available. Should we go after him? Let's be fair now.
Posted by: giantsquid | July 19, 2008 at 08:41 PM
Kwame! Kwame!
Oh for the chance to see those calves again!
Let's bring back Smush as well. I miss the pouting.
Posted by: p ang | July 19, 2008 at 08:44 PM
Gotta love Lakerville.
Pumping even in the offseason.
Go Lakerville! Go Lakers!
Posted by: Faith | July 19, 2008 at 08:47 PM
Are we seriously debating the pluses and minuses of Kwame Brown here? You gotta be kidding. How many days until training camp? Jeez. This is totally pathetic.
Posted by: Rick Friedman | July 19, 2008 at 08:48 PM
Fatty,
Thanks for that link. That article takes me back to the point when I felt the most human compassion for Kwame. The sentiment is a good one. Being committed to your team means being committed to your players. If that means not booing them when they struggle mightily, so be it.
The article also had one really funny comment I had to pass on:
"In my defense I wasn't booing Kwame. I was booing his teammates who were dumb enough to pass him the ball in the first place."
Heh.
Posted by: Benjamin | July 19, 2008 at 08:48 PM
MikeT
I'm sorry that you can't see how foolish you're coming off.
You're clearly hoping that Andrew is seriously injured. That's pathetic.
You pick on LakerTom because he thought that the Lakers would beat the Celtics. Hello, anybody in there? Every regular on the blog thought the Lakers would beat the Celtics (as did Vegas).
I believe that LakerTom thinks the Lakers will be fine because Drew and Trevor are returning. I completely agree. The Lakers will be a better team this year than last. The Celtics will be a weaker team (losing Posey).
I understand the angst you feel over Kwame's failure last year. I feel bad when a player I like doesn't perform well, but I don't wish ill on the player that takes his place and I certainly don't blame a fan who's just stating his opinions (in a reasoned way I must add. Drew's potential far exceeds Kwame's. Drew's already a very good player at both ends of the court and he's just twenty).
Kwame can seal the paint, no doubt, but what good does that do if the entire team is afraid to pass the ball to him. Kwame is a decent passer out of the post, but he has to be able to catch the ball cleanly before he can pass it. When he's healthy, Kwame is a very good post defender, but how long has it been since Kwame's been healthy.
Why post here if you just want to make trouble? I disagree with a lot of things that other bloggers post and vice versa but I don't think that any of them want anything but the best for the Lakers. You only seem to be able to support the team when they play Kwame. (btw, why do you dislike PJ so much, one of Kwame's few strong supporters?)
So please lay off Tom. Be civil. And stop hoping Drew will be crippled.
Posted by: giantsquid | July 19, 2008 at 09:03 PM
Giantsquid,
When did Winter make that statement? Something tells me it wasn't within the last year.
Posted by: exhelodrvr | July 19, 2008 at 09:55 PM