"The energetic Lopez is not as good as the Brook one.

Weaknesses of Dragic:

• Poor perimeter shooter
• Ugly shooting mechanics
• Pull-up mid-range jumper
• Improvable ball-handling skills
• Lacks creativity offensively
• Struggles to improvise when offense breaks down
• Limited offensively
• Questionable decision maker
• Turnover prone
• Stuck between 1 and 2"

You would do well to look into things more deeply than what the typical website provides.

If so, you would understand that already, Robin is looking like the better Lopez - he has the defensive focus Brooke lacks, and combines that with very capable O. He is in fact the next Tim Duncan, only cheaper and different looking.

As for Dragic, you pulled that list from the opinion of one writer - perhaps you missed his workout video with the SUNS which shows his offensive capabilities. Defensively, he is fantastic - like Rick Rubio - and his shot needs work. But look at who he will be studying under now, the greatest PG of all time STEVE "THE REAL MAGIC" GNASH, who will provide all the offensive counseling young Goran needs to become a complete playa.

PORTER is a question mark, but only because he has never had a team with this much talent. He did participate if I'm not mistaken in the takedown of kobee and SHACK in the Finals, which means he is quite well acquainted with delivering heartbreak to the lakers, a requirement for his job in PHX.

Xodus,

Well, Rudy was with Blazers last season, never heard of him as a perrenial scorer. Now his coach who was assisting Coach K, may have an idea how to play him next season. With Aldridge, Roy and Oden I think Rudy can also find his identity w/ the league this year. He was like Ray Allan or Steve Nash in this concluded Olympics. I wish PJ learned something from the Spanish coach how to play Pau in the next season. Pau will have Drew, Lamar, Kobe and Fisher/Yue, I think the potential talents of these four teammates would be equivalent to Team Spain.

Mike T.,

Well, I think the first game was more of a ploy, trying to learn the holes of team USA and apply the spaniards strenght. Mike, they applied a sticky defense that's why they got into foul troubles, almost all guards and forwards. Perhaps, you're referring to those constant steals that leads to pick and roll. Well, frankly it was very tempting to steal b/c there were just too many telegraphic passes from Team spain. On the other picture, the spaniards found Dwight as a source of missed f/t's and the basketball court is indeed made in China, it was slippery when wet, so Dwayne kept on sliding and Kobe traveling. In the end, it was the team defense of USA that brought down the high spirited spaniards. It was a game of a group who have been playing together for so many years versus individually talented Americans with sometimes a spotty chemistry as a team.

JustaLakerFan,

sorry for the delay for a response. My apologies.

thekobebryantblitz

NP JLF
==========================================
"No Ira and DJ were brought in for defense. The depth was needed to to injuries but we could have signed offensive minded guys. We didn't as Ira is a defensive guy and DJ is a shot blocker. That is why they were signed instead of offensive guys for the depth.

Ira played about 6-10 minutes his whole stay with the Lakers while limping Luke sucked up the floor.

DJ helped out in the strech run with both defense and offense. But PJ still refused to use either one of them.

Please explain how PJ talked Kobe into staying. He was not involved. PJ had nothing do do with the Kobe situation. He was at his ranch sitting on his brain ie arse.

Also Lakers did not win because of PJ but won in spite of him. "
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No Ira and DJ were brought in as depth hehe. Hate to say you are wrong though.

But you are wrong hehe.

Ah but you are wrong LOL and I don't hate to say so. LOL

No matter how you cut it yes they were brought in for depth but depth at the defensive side of the ball.
==================================

DJ Mbenga was signed on January 21, 2008 Ira Newble was signed on March 22, 2008. Bynum got injured January 13, 2008. So with Bynum out for a while Kwa-may Brown was the center and we lacked depth other than Ronny Turiaf (Odom is no center). So we signed DJ Mbenga for added depth. Same story with Ira. Because of the injury to Ariza took longer than expected, Ira was signed and unfortunately for him was signed on March 22, 2008 near the end of the season and he had to learn the entire offense/defense which is very difficult especially that late on the season. Not everyone can be like Pau Gasol and learn the offense/defense almost instantly.

{I won't go into a long diatribe as we all know they were brought in. Point still is for defense not offense. Ira had plenty of time in the system to contribute with all the practices. TA when he came got playing time not knowing the offense and was doing well on offense even though he was obtained for defense.]

DJ has never played more than 43 games a season (2005-2006 season), never averaged more than 8 min per game (2007-2008 while at Golden State), and never averaged more than 2.5 ppg (with the Lakers). DJ goes for blocks but he is too aggressive many times and he gets into foul trouble. In fact, JustaLakerfan, DJ Mbenga fouled out against Memphis in less than 3 quarters a game! Pau was injured for that game so Ronny was our starting center and by fouling out in the 3rd quarter an out of shape Mihm had to play and quickly got a 3 second violation. DJ is good for depth but he is no scorer nor defense guy. I wonder how you say 2.5 ppg means he is good on offense and picking up 6 fouls against Memphis, a lottery team, in less than 3 quarters means good defense.

[Because he never played big minutes before and Ronny was played out of position is PJs fault. DJ never had a coach like KAJ to teach him one on one either. So you mention one game with Memphis now go back and see Denver game and games he played in the final strech when starters were worn out by PJ and say DJ did not help. Open your eyes to the bigger picture.]

Ira played that few minutes because he was a new guy in at the END of the regular season, and had a ton to catch up to even learn the offense/defense. Pau's case was a very rare one. It took quite a few games for Shaq to be somewhat effective in the Suns offense and Jason Kidd never really flourished under Avery Johnson's system. Ariza has more potential than Ira both offensively and defensively. We haven't resigned DJ yet and we aren't expected to resign Ira. Nothing against Ira, I really liked his Darfur activism and how Kobe instead of Lebron supported it sooner. Ira isn't that much of a role player and while his defense is ok, Ariza would beat him and has more potential than Ira had.

[I agree TA has more potential but Ira was brought in for defense mainly as insurance because of TA's injury.
Ira could have contributed but did not play because PJ is an idiot. The FO saw the need and signed him and PJ to FO is FU I don't care I will waste your money and be stubborn and do it my way. His way failed.]

And you said that Phil had no effect on Kobe staying?
http://tinyurl.com/6yope8

"LOS ANGELES — Believing he had been insulted and misled, Kobe Bryant asked the Los Angles Lakers for a trade Wednesday and insisted nothing could change his mind.

Then something did. He spoke with coach Phil Jackson and backed off his request.

“I don’t want to go anywhere, this is my team,” Bryant told KLAC radio. “I love it here. I called Phil, man, he and I talked, it was an emotional conversation, but he just said, ‘You know what, Kobe? Let us try to figure this thing out.’

“Phil is a guy I lean on a lot.”

I think Kobe himself explained it better than I could.

[ Now when Kobe changes his mind is it because that is what he feels or is a way to save face?
Here are some Kobe statements.
Kobe... I want to be a Laker for life.
Kobe.... I want to be traded.
Kobe ....I want to be a Laker for life
Kobe.... I'd take 40 million a year to play overseas.

So I could have said a lot more but you get the idea.

I won't mind you hating Phil Jackson. In my opinion and many other Laker fans, he got to within 2 wins of winning the championship. Just don't say it's because he didn't play DJ or Ira, those guys will barely play at all with other teams.

Posted by: thekobebryantblitz | August 23, 2008 at 06:45 PM

[Again he did not get us within 2 games of championship, the players did. They deserve the credit and Kobe as the real coach kinda like a player coach was on the floor coaching while PJ was publically throwing players under the bus.

I don't hate PJ but I have a strong dislike for his tactics and treatment of players. I think he is a likeable guy but not so much a great coach. He had the best players in world when he won and that is his only legacy.]

Thanks for the response. I really appreciate it.

Jon K.

I agree with you, it's very easy to point the figure when we lose. For some people like JustaLakerFan he blamed PJ, even though PJ won 9 rings and brought more results with the team. He got the Kobe and Shaq duo 3 rings when they couldn't before and he helped get the squad to the Finals when they weren't even projected in the playoffs. For some like Paulie they blame Kobe even with being the MVP and leading this team to the Finals and got 2 wins shy of the Larry O'Brien trophy. And to still others like Mike T. they may blame people like Pau Gasol and even Kobe (for not passing the ball to Kwa-may) even though we were going to have another average record with no Bynum and no Pau and not even make the playoffs. Are they perfect? Of course not, but they are damn good players/coaches.

Sucks living in the Mistake by the Lake though (Cleveland).

Posted by: thekobebryantblitz | August 24, 2008 at 12:41 PM

==============================
Must be nice to live in ones dreams. 9rings when? Ancient hustory. What has he done lately. Not made the playoffs and thrown out of two the last 3 years before. Great coach. Oh yeah he had Kwame Smush etc but still lost. So its his job to get the best out of his players so he failed as coach.

9rings with MJ, Pip, Kobe and Shaq. Did he win or the best players in the league win it? He has not done it without these players so great coach or phoney zen?

Phoney zen as he cannot duplicate championships with his outdated tactics.

Great coach or great players. Seems great players won not great coaching.

Hey BUTLER,
Steve GNASH just called and says quit SHACKIN on him, he'll let these recent transgressions go if you stop circling his house on your bike.