How about Wally S and Darko M and Jamaal T for Kobe? He might opt out anyway. Might as well get something for him.

Or Bynum-Gasol-Vlad for Zebo, Eddy "Spicy" Curry and Nate Robinson?

Mbenga made the team? Sweet, get ready to see more vicious dunks.....over him.

Love the guy, but his penchant for getting posterized is both a blessing and a curse. At least he's trying to block dunk attempts, but I do cringe when he challenges them and ultimately gets on Sportscenter the wrong way.

Oops - marion's contract isn't long term. In that case, it would be a good trade for the Lakers.

Very nice post Laker STH.

That's the way to bring up baby...as it were.

Wes

Are we really considering trading Lamar for that Joe the plummer guy? It's all over the internet. It looks like it's going to happen.

Wes

Mamba24,

"MAMBA24 cries steals a kiss from Faith and EastCoastJessie"

~~This is outright bigamy, one stolen kiss is permissible but two kisses from West Coast to the East Coast that is a stretch. You should go to jail unless you change identities to Sasha, then you can do it again and again & Faith will not mind it in her dreams.

Jon-

While I certainly understand the need for an owner, even a rich one with a ludicrously valuable franchise, to set a payroll limit and stick to it, I don't really think about moves in terms of how they'll change Dr. Buss' bottom line. There isn't a realistic luxury tax figure that makes him, as owner of one of the great and lucrative franchises in sports, a financial loser. I don't worry about him, only how I think moves will affect the roster and the long term health of the team.

At some point, he's allowed to turn off the faucet so to speak, but a few mil here or there added to the rolls? Not my money, not my problem.

BK

You should go to jail unless you change identities to Sasha, then you can do it again and
again & Faith will not mind it in her dreams. Posted by: Edwin Gueco | October 16, 2008 at 10:16 AM

D@mnit Edwin don't you know that I know I have sinned.But Otis is in the Jail
now and Aunt Bee poor Aunt Bee it would break her heart if I was to go to jail again.
I promised Andy I would stay on the straight and narrow. Besides if I go to
jail I can't go fishing with Gomer. Please don't turn me in. Tonight Barnies on duty

Mamba24,
[How will the Lakers keep L.O. , Drew, Pau and Kobe.
OK. The Lakers win the title this year. Kobe goes overseas and makes an obscenely huge
Salary for one year while the Lakers resign L.O. Kobe is then brought back by David Stern
due to sagging NBA attendance. His one year overseas Salary together with some under
the payment money from Nike - Like they did with Jordan when he was like the 55th highest paid player
in the NBA - compensates for the minimum from the Lakers. The Lakers win 3 more titles in a row.
Kobe is declared the GOAT over MJ. MAMBA24 cries steals a kiss from Faith and EastCoastJessie and
disappears to raise his Zombie/Vampire kids never to be heard from again.
THE END]

That's the craziest story I've heard. Kobe's got at least 5 more rings in him before retires.

Shout out to Lakers_sth & pslakersfan,

Great recaps and insider stuff from you guys. We really appreciate the time and effort you guys go to share your insights and observations with all of us. Kudos, guys. Keep up the great work.

Toml

That's the craziest story I've heard. Kobe's got at least 5 more rings in him before retires.
Posted by: Taliq | October 16, 2008 at 10:55 AM

TALIQ IN THE HOUSE! Did you pick up your gun and badge sheriff.
Or has all that Aristocrat living on Lake Shore drive made you soft?

let this be the first time EVER that i think LO should remain a laker

he remains for this season, the last one hopefully, with the caveat that he comes off the bench. ...let him be the grossly-overpaid reserve, at least that way we get the most out of him.

TREVOR MUST START...(where's the bandwagon for that one?)

btw, ya'll....where's the LAT lakers blog fantasy league?! who's running it...cuz i wanna play

Forgot to add, I'll gladly swap LO for Tayshaun Prince, who said Detroit shopping him?

BYNUM FOR ODEN!!!

Stay Thirsty,

>>>Since we really don't have any slots open, one of the
>>>best, cheapest alternatives is trying to get a high draft
>>>pick for him and maybe somebody's bad contract which
>>>would expire after this season.

I'd love that if it were possible, to be honest. If the Lakers could
get back an expiring contract and like a 8 or 9 pick for Lamar.
The problem is, it's highly unlikely.

First, let's assume that if Lamar is willing to sign for 6 or
7 million per, then the Lakers would seriously consider
keeping him. And if he wants 10 million, then he's almost
certainly trade bait.

First, who would want to trade for Lamar?

1. Teams that want cap relief

These teams don't want to give you expiring contracts
back. They want to give you crappy contracts that last
two or three years. ESPECIALLY ones that last 3 years,
as they want to free up cash for LeBron-a-palooza in 2010.

2. Teams that are a playoff team, but looking for one more
good frontcourt player to put them over the edge.

Usually, these teams won't go fishing until near the trade
deadline, but if they're a playoff team, then they're not
in the lottery anyway, so they're probably going to have
a late first round pick (which isn't terrible, but won't fetch
you a player anywhere near Lamar's level).

3. Teams that need a starting PF and would be willing to
extend Lamar for 10 million per and where Lamar
would be willing to extend with.

I think that's about it. So to get what you were asking for
(expiring contract[s] & a high draft pick), you'd have to
find teams in category 3. So let's consider those teams.

What teams have a worse starting PF than Lamar Odom?

Charlotte (assuming Okafor is a C)
Chicago
Cleveland
Denver
Houston
Indiana
Memphis
New Jersey
Sacramento

There are two cases who are fairly close - Nick Collison in
Oklahoma City and Al Harrington in Golden State. And
in a few cases - Miami, Minnesota, Portland, etc. - I'm assuming they'd prefer their young PF with a ton of
potential and a low salary over Lamar.

Which of those teams are likely to have a high draft pick
next year?

Charlotte
Chicago
Denver
Indiana
Memphis
New Jersey
Sacramento

Chicago, Denver, and Indy could all conceivably make
the playoffs (or maybe even Charlotte), so if you trade with
them you don't want to do it until the trade deadline, when
you're pretty sure they're in the tank for the year.

So to shorten the post (too late), let's narrow it to teams you
could trade with now who might want a better starting PF
and who are likely to miss the playoffs this season:

Charlotte
Memphis
New Jersey
Sacramento

Okay, so if you got one of those teams to trade you their
unconditional 1st round pick plus something for Lamar,
chances are good you'd get a lottery pick. So what else
do those teams have to offer to match salary with Lamar?

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Charlotte:
There's no way you could match Lamar with expiring deals.
Their big contracts are also their top players, and they're
not going to give up BOTH Jason Richardson and their
draft pick (or Gerald Wallace and their draft pick). The
only way the deal might work would be something like
Adam Morrison, Matt Carroll, and Sean May, but those
are 3 of their better backups.

I could conceive Charlotte trading for Lamar (with Gerald
Wallace being the likely centerpieces), but not with their
draft pick coming back.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Memphis:
They did try to trade for Zach Randolph, so they do seem
willing to try to acquire a solid veteran PF to team up with
all their young guards and Rudy Gay and Marc G.

I think it's safe to say that they wouldn't give up Mike Conley,
Marc Gasol, Rudy Gay, Kyle Lowry, or O.J. Mayo, but that
any other player on the team is fair game for trade.

And they do have a couple of big contracts that they wouldn't
mind dumping off, though none of them are expiring...

Memphis has one huge advantage over any other trading
partner... they're way under the salary cap. So in theory,
they could do a straight up Lamar for their 1st round pick
trade. It would save the Lakers 22 million this season
and get them a likely lottery pick next summer.

But as I've said before, if the Lakers dump off Lamar, they
need to pick up another front court player for depth. So
try one of these trades on for size...

Lamar for Darko Milicic and Memphis' 2009 1st round pick.

Lamar for
Javaris Crittenton, Hakim Warrick, and the 1st rounder

Lamar and one or more of [Joe Crawford, Coby Karl] for
2 or 3 of [Javaris Crittenton, Darko Milicic, Hakim Warrick,
Darrell Arthur] and the first rounder.

If you wait until December 15, you could add Quinton Ross
and Hamed Haddadi to that list of potential role players to
get back.

Actuall, I hadn't really looked at it before, but Memphis
certainly has some potential as a trade partner. In fact,
they'd love to do a trade BACK with the Lakers where
THEY get the best player and they give up a few role
players and a draft pick.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

New Jersey:

I pitched this one yesterday. The big story is that they think
they can lure LeBron in 2010. They've dumped their two
biggest contracts, but their odds of luring LeBron are better
if they have some quality players in place at the other four
starting spots. Devin Harris and Vince Carter is a good
start in the backcourt. Brook Lopez has a lot of potential as
a center. And then they have a lot of young low-salaried
players with varying degrees of potential.

Lamar would give them a genuine NBA starting quality
PF, so they might be willing to give up 2 or 3 young with
potential types to get him. Since all salaries will be doubled
by luxury tax, would you rather pay 20 million per for Lamar
for the next few years or 10 million per for Yi Jianlian and
Sean Williams or Josh Boone plus 1 year of Stromile Swift
plus a draft pick?

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Sacramento:

Good morning....uhhhhh.....afternoon all!

Mamba24 - pretty nice ending to the Laker saga. However, glad to see someone (Taliq) called you on the outrageous claim of only 3 more rings for Kobe. What were you thinking?? You should be the one to repent in sackcloth and ashes my brother. (Make sure when you disappear you take the thong with you, bro. Can't have that out there flappin' in the breeze without you.)

LO for Marion???? Puhhhleeezze. Can we quit with the crazy?? There is no way Mitch would pull that trigger. I'm not saying Marion couldn't learn the triangle, but his personality would be toxic to the chemistry of this team - he's not the type of player who would be happy being the 2nd or 3rd or 4th option....LO is the perfect fit for what we need. His versatility is one of the strongest aspects the Lakers have going for them. He will prove it this year - he will show why he should be a Laker for life.

Jon K - sorry about your boys in blue. At least now you can focus on what's REALLY important.

GO LAKERS!!!!

There are only two names out there that I would ever contemplate in a Lamar trade.

1. Rashard Lewis
2. Shane Battier.

Other than that, I'm not interested in anybody else.

>>>Odom's salary in November is still bearable for the
>>>Lakers so why fix it, if ain't broke?

That's what Paulson was saying about the credit & home loan
situation in America... six months ago.

You don't wait until the financial situation is already way
out of control to solve a problem. You plan ahead so that it's
not a problem (or less of a problem) in the future.

It's bearable for the Lakers THIS season. But when you
add in the huge salary they're going to be paying Bynum
next season (plus more money for Ariza or Mihm if they
want to keep them plus a bigger contract for Farmar the year
after that), then the team would literally lose money next
year if they re-sign Lamar for anywhere around 10 million
per (which is less than he's making now).

So the choice becomes this:

1. Keep Lamar as a 1-year rental. The whole current team
stays together and they give it one more shot. And next
summer you let Lamar walk for nothing, thus solving the
future finances of the company. Or maybe if you're lucky,
you can sign and trade him to a team with cap space for
a much lower salaried player. But the leverage is on their
side at that point.

2. Keep Lamar until the trade deadline, and then trade him
for a deal involving mostly expiring contracts and one decent
player (or potential lottery pick). That way instead of paying
Lamar 10 million next year, maybe you're paying someone
not quite as good but pretty good 5 million.

3. Trade Lamar now for expiring contracts and a good low priced player or draft picks.

4. the highly unlikely scenarios I described before (Lamar
agrees to extend for MLE money or Kobe opts out and takes
9 million less per year so Lamar can get paid or Kobe opts
out and signs with that Greek Team next summer).

One way or another, the Lakers will reign in their spending.
If the Lakers trade Lamar before the trade deadline, maybe
they can get back 2 or 3 quality role players who will make
less combined than Lamar would make by himself. That
gives the Lakers better odds of being consistently good over
the next 3 to 5 years, instead of just one last farewell season
with Lamar.

But the longer they wait to trade him, the less leverage
the Lakers have (barring an all-star season by Lamar).

Never,

If we sign Eddie jones, then we should also sign Chise' Ceballos, Nick the quick, Sedaaaaaale Threat, Rooks, Peeler, Pig Miller, Elden Campbell and on, and on....back to the past of Harris era.....then back to the future of competing Championship with older legs than Fisher.

If we trade Odom for Marion, we assume the new salary 16M much higher, less in height, more in speed but need more time to learn triangle with his unorthodox style and more money that would mean less dates for JB while Wall Street is in rock bottom economy. Value of Lakers has been devalued, eurowise, yuanwise compared to a year ago. Olympiakos can now boast of stealing our Superstar, later on buy the team and convert los angelinos into greeks.

Old Jerry Buss is attuned with the times and will say: "give me another idea where Lakers can get more and spend less and we all live happily ever after".

David Lee is a typical agent. He's blinded by the representation of only one party in the matter.

What motivation do the Lakers have to sign Drew to that kind of money at this point? 7 January games where he was in rhythm and had some good production? So if I have a good week at work, they should give me a raise the next year based on that one week? Ridiculous.

*Cues up LakerTom*

"The Lakers will sign Drew to a contract just before his birthday and he will go down as one of the greatest Lakers of all time . . . blah blah . . . "

Bustin yer chops Tom, so don't get 'em in a bunch.

Bob Young of the AZ Republic has some suggestions for Shaq, since the NBA won't change the rules to prevent the 'Hack a Shaq' fouling that Pop of the Spurs brought on.

• Stalk Commissioner David Stern until he changes the rule.

Send him an email that says, "I don't know who the (expletive) u think u dealin wit u will neva be heard from. One phone call is (all) I gotta make now try me. Sho me."

After that, call him several times and hang up. Seriously, if it will work on a female rapper from Atlanta, why not on the commissioner?

Oh, it didn't work on the rapper?

• Open up on Popovich in your next free-style rap.

"Pop, you know you couldn't do it without foulin' me.

"You can't do it without hackin' me.

"That's the difference between first and last place.

"Now, tell me how my relativistic mass tastes.

"Yeah, I went to physics class spaced.

"Thank you. Brick City in the house."

Pig,

I like your opinion on Bynum. True he has worked hard and is ready and can't wait for him to show his potential. That being said, like you and PJ said, Drew only played a few games last season where he was truly dominant (PHX, MIL, PHI) are some games that he did do well but he still needs to do it over the entire season AND the playoffs. He still has tons to prove and Pau while having an great mid range game will compete with him in the post for offense along with occasional Kobe post ups.

That's why I want him to secure the weakness of the Lakers in terms of defense and power. We have tons of offense in Kobe, Pau, and Radman (assuming he is the starter) plus Fish puts in around 11 or so. Make no mistake Drew is the future of the Lakers but it's better for now to let him be the power inside force and rebound and most importantly defend.

I can understand the agent wants Drew to have money, but Drew has still lots to prove in order to get super star money (Roughly $16 million per year).

-blitz

Mamba24,
Yeah I picked up the gun and badge. Not sure I'll need it any time soon though, the blogs been relatively peaceful lately, or maybe my immune system is getting used to the the trolls.

Laker Nation,
As some have said already chill out on all the trade talks. This team made it to the finals last year, lets give the season a few months before we start looking to trade a few pieces. Sure there are players (cough, luke, cough) on the squad I'd trade in my sleep if I could but this team has earned the right to be allowed the opportunity to go kick some a$$ in their current form, let's see how things shape out in the first few months before we try and retool.

Some people just like to talk about trades. They in their secret hearts want to be General Managers.

I suppose in my secret heart I want to be a coach, so all this talk of trading "my" players drives me nuts.

I suppose there's nothing wrong with it. I just personally find it irrational and annoying. I'd rather talk about other things, but, hey, that's my issue.

GO LAKERS!

Kiwi,

>>>this lamar sucks thing

I don't think Lamar sucks. I think Lamar is a good NBA starter
level PF. It's mostly about money. The Lakers will not be
able to afford to keep Kobe, Pau, and Bynum and have a
fourth player making over 10 million per. That's Greenspan-
Bush-Paulson economics. It doesn't work.

And as it happens, the Lakers also have one of the top
5 starting PF's in the league in Gasol. It doesn't make Lamar
a bad player, but it makes his skills less essential to the
success of the team. And if you combine that with a big
salary that will make their financial situation unpalatable,
then you get the whole picture.