let's not get too carried away here, people. there's still a hard-fought game to play on Sunday, with no gaurantee that the Lakers will win. they have to fight hard, claw, scratch, attack, and defend, cuz the Magic are gonna be like an animal backed up against a wall. the Magic have shown a resiliency throughout the playoffs, and keep on making comebacks.

the Lakers have to come out aggressive, and place that foot on Orlando's neck. the Finals are not over yet! tomorrow: One Game Series, for all the marbles. this is the mentality the Lakers have to have. (i look forward to reading the articles later, esp. the Lazenby one. love that guy.)

as far as people suggesting trades, etc. (you know who you are) remember this: the Lakers are 1 game away from winning the championship. think about that. do you really want to mess with that kind of chemistry? do you really want to add someone as combustable as Ron Artest? do you want to add a PG, make him our starter, a guy that has never played a single game in the triangle offense?

D-Fish may not be as fast, may not be the best defender or the best shooter, but he's a leader. he led the Lakers to the Promised Land. he knows when to shoot, when to pass, when to make the play, when to draw a charge, when to steal the ball, when to defer to Kobe, and last but not least, he knows when to deny Kobe the ball. without Derek Fisher, no NBA Championship this year for Kobe or Phil. 'nuff said.

lakers will loose game 5 do to the refs i hope lakers dont take game 5 off and give orlando any hope. Im just getting ready for the worst case which would be a game 7. But i think lakers will game 6 or maybe 5

I'm a lil sad that tomorrow will be the end of our season, but overall happy obviously.

That article by Roland Lazenby is fantastic.

I really wish the Colorado incident wouldn't have happened because, otherwise, Kobe Bryant is a phenomenal role model for all Americans. He IS truly a reflection of the American spirit. The drive to be the best through hard work.

That is a unique quality about America, that even though there are outrageous and unfair imbalances in our society, if a person dedicates themselves to a singular goal and commit to work very, very hard at it, a person should be successful in America. America provides tremendous opportunities for a person doggedly committed to a goal of success.

Kobe Bryant is a reflection of that fact.

It really sucks that Shaq and Rick Fox hated Kobe for being so willing to work really, really hard. They should have admired him for his work ethic instead of detested and envied him. I guess that envy is just a reflection of Shaq and Rick Fox's character. It doesn't speak very highly of them.

WE ARE THE LOS ANGELES LAKERS AND WE RISE!!!!

What do we play for? RINGS!!!!

Lakers Today... Lakers Tomorrow... Lakers Forever.

GO LAKERS!!!!

CRZYFAN,

I'm optimistic about Sasha and Adam Morrison. Like Derek Fisher, both are committed to working hard, learning, and winning.

That level of character is far more important than pure athleticism.

WE ARE THE LOS ANGELES LAKERS AND WE RISE!!!!!

What do we play for? RINGS!!!!

Lakers Today... Lakers Tomorrow... Lakers Forever.

GO LAKERS!!!!

"Just a few thoughts. Can we in the Off Season get Artest and a Shooter. I would even take Vlade Back."

Not happening unless we lose Odom which we shouldn't because he actually is our best rebounder on the team, maybe even better than Bynum and like Andy Varejao can come out and hedge screen and rolls (which is a reason why opposing teams target our bigs of Bynum/Gasol more for screen and rolls). Plus you got to give Trevor a raise (though how much beyond the mid-level exception is a question and he might be just like Sasha and chasing a contract). No way we get Artest unless we give up either and frankly Trevor isn't as selfish offensively as Artest is (though Artest is still better defensively). And as for shooter, trading away Sasha and his poor shooting and poor defense would be great but would create a hole as who would be Kobe's back up though if we re-sign Shannon that won't be a problem since he can play SG as well.

And you want Vlad Rad back?? You are crazy indeed because as okay as he is as a pure shooter he sucks at rebounding/playmaking/ball handling/finishing/both team and personal defense/Basketball IQ/Heart/ and his work ethic is terrible. Besides we sent him to Charlotte for a reason and that is for a salary dump to help retain Odom/Ariza/Brown. Most people (because there are some fools who do miss that bum) wouldn't want him back.

"I don't think we can re-sign Shannon Brown unless we trade Farmar"

We can easily re-sign Shannon Brown since most likely he'll come back as a bargain. And as much as Jordan Farmar really stunk up in both the regular season and most of the post-season it might be too much to ask Derek to have another full season though a 35 year old Derek Fisher starting is still not out of the question (THIS IS NOT CRAZY) as we had a 36 and 37 year old Ron Harper as our starting PG in 2000/2001. In that case we could trade away Jordan for a team that could suite his game such as Golden State or New York. For those who are scared at Derek again starting, Derek could play around 22-25 minutes each game similar to what Harper played when he was in LA and SB or Jordan can eat up the rest.

In my opinion we should trade away Sasha as he really stunk up after receiving that contract. Morrison could actually be useful for a salary dump as well because his last year in 2010 is a team option which a team could decline and would help them in the 2010 Free Agent Class.

Let's win the Ring first before we talk about the composition of the team next year.

Jackson fined.

http://tinyurl.com/mued5u

I can't believe we've already descended into the crazy trade talk season before we've even finalized the Championship.

Come on, people! FOCUS!!!

WE ARE THE LOS ANGELES LAKERS AND WE RISE!!!!

What do we play for? RINGS!!!!

Lakers Today... Lakers Tomorrow... Lakers Forever.

GO LAKERS!!!!

Hi everybody!

Jon K. -

Any word on you heading back to Cali?

KB Blitz -

"And you want Vlad Rad back?? You are crazy indeed because as okay as he is as a pure shooter he sucks at rebounding/playmaking/ball handling/finishing/both team and personal defense/Basketball IQ/Heart/ and his work ethic is terrible."

That's the most real thing I've read today.

The Howerton article on the Lakers' problems in free agency is an article written without thought, research, or intelligence. I cannot believe you even placed it in this blog. Odom 10-12, Ariza 8-10 million a season. WHAT KIND OF BOGUS CRAP is this guy citing? First of all, no team is going to pay Ariza over the mid level salary around 6 million. A team willing to give Odom 10-12 mil is stupid period

We're lucky we're about to win this championship. This really is going to change our offseason. How can you break up a team that 1) just won a ring and 2) has an all-time Laker hall of famer in his prime? You cant, right?

These next four years are going to all be prime time years where every season we'll be playing deep in the playoffs and we're going to need specific pieces to complement our core and the cost doesn't matter.

We're also really, really lucky that the players we want to be on this team are our own free agents. The core we want for the next 5 years is already here so the only impediment to having a super competitive team, is cost.

This is cool. Look at the Nicks. The things stopping them from being elite are cost AND players. They can't add free agents and the guys they have suck.

I think Buss knows this and will not only pay for Lamar and Trevor (And I predict 6 mil a year for Trev, 8 for Lamar), but for the next few immediate years will seriously consider using the mid level.

We really, really need a spot up shooter like House. If I could sign him for a 2 year deal at the full mid level, I'd probably do it. Maybe. This doesn’t mean I don’t like the Vlad trade, I do. I love Brown and I love the youth and differing styles we now have at PG. I just think we need another shooter.

This is a historic time with Youth and athleticism at PG, SG, SF and C, a core of amiable vets in their primes--Lamar, Gasol and Fisher--all playing one of the best NBA players, maybe the best Laker, ever.

To Buss I say, keep Sun on the team and sell 100 million dollars worth of Laker jerseys in China, take the financial hit that comes with having a world champion team trying to repeat, and live these twilight years as the captain of the world's greatest showboat.

Buss is too much of a player not to play this hand right.

Any suggestions on who we should use the mid level on?

Wes

"I am sure many AB likers here are going to jump on me...

But why not trade him and bring a muscle player?? He looks too slow and sluggish - injury or not... and worst is once the ball goes to him, it never comes back!!"

Yes indeed prepare for a HUGE counter post by Laker Tom, maybe Jon K. and the "Bynum is the best center ever and Jackson is an idiot for letting Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol score more points".

To be realistic though Kobefan, the only person I would want to trade him for currently as a center is Dwight Howard that it is at the moment. Yao would be included but he has suffered way to many injuries. Ben Wallace is no longer the Fro from Detroit, Bogut isn't even as good as Bynum and seems to be more injury prone, Al Jefferson can score and rebound but isn't a playmaker and is a horrid defender, and Oden is still uncertain. Gotta stick with Bynum for this round unless we can get back D12 as mentally unprepared he was for the playoffs.

Still I agree in principle about how terrible Bynum has played. Mr. Big Mouth bragged about being a defensive force but couldn't hold Yao, Kenyon Martin, and especially Dwight Howard except for 1 okay performance against D12.

As for the fines (both Jackson and the Lakers got fined) heck even though it is no small change (almost everyone here would dream of having 25k in their banks right now) it was worth it. Those referees' calls were so biased and bogus if they had evened out the calls heck we wouldn't have needed Derek to be the hero in Game 4 and we would have won without going to overtime.

jimjoyce:

I think you are one of those pseudo-fans, who seem to talk so righteously... and tell all the right words as you read in mainstream media.

- Your words of "we being up 3-1 could well be down 3-1 as well" reflect this..

Stop the crap Kobe played selfish. If Kobe has not scored his points in Game-2 and we lost, then you'd be here croaking - "Kobe should know he is the center of the offense and take the team on his shoulders".... You agree with Bill Simmons on that is it?? AWESOME!!

You mean to say that Lakers won without having the mindset, is it?? If you have nothing to feel good, then get away from here!!

wow that article was truly a thing of beauty, the grocery boy one.

It just made me even more touched because I realized how far Kobe and fish has come. To the rookies on the team who really didn't feel like they were a part of the team to the vets of the team leading the team to a championship.

This championship is truly like the first one for Fish and Kobe because look where they ended up after being scrutinized by their teammates.

It is special to me and I love the fact that this article just came ou. I think this Laker team has a far better chemistry than the one of the 2000 days. This is why I hope the roster pretty much remians the same. If we think about it, most guys weren't even playing well and look how far we got. Just imagine a better sasha, farmar, bynum next year.

Can everyone stop with the KB and Colorado? It's an admitted (one night affair) mistake (on national TV with his forgiving wife and before his forgiving God). I'm thinking that there are probably a few more affairs of sorts that have happened in the sports world (perhaps to people in general given the divorce rate). I'm wondering if Michael lived the perfect life, humm. I realize in this day and age it's not the same, but I believe LeBron has two children and is not married (hopefully he and his girlfriend will some day), wonder if the kids ever ask why doesn't daddy marry my mommy, does he not love her enough? So if we all are looking for roles models, perhaps it should be to two (when possible, one loving parent if not) married (kind of an older fashion tradition), loving parents who love and raise their children to the best of their ability. Seems to me that that is what KB and his family are trying to do. So let us all be careful stone throwers. Now, Lakers win Sunday, I can only take so much more excitement!

Geez people,

Bynum isn't 100 percent, doesn't feel or act 100 percent and isn't in game rhythm. We have to wait to see what he can do. I know it's again. If he gets hurt again or doesn't get close to his last two Januarys then and only then can we really have a fair assessment of the guy.

Don't you all want Lakertom to be right? I know I do! Let's give the two dudes (tom and Bynum) a chance.

The issue with re-signing Odom and Ariza (and Brown) is the luxury tax. Kobe could opt out and re-sign for less, but why should he make the sacrifice, rather than Jerry Buss?

The key is that the luxury tax imposes a 100% penalty on salary. If Kobe gives up $10 million in salary, it saves Jerry Buss $20 million in salary + tax payments.

Ideally, the Lakers could reduce Kobe's salary to $10 million, then provide him with an additional "personal services" contract for $10 million to make up for the loss of salary.

Unfortunately, the league would almost certainly view this as a blatant attempt to circumvent the salary cap. Ask Kevin McHale and the T-Wolves about the wisdom of that kind of move.

However, suppose there were a third party that could step in to fill that $10 million gap, a third party that stood to more than recoup that money were the Lakers to win additional championships?

That third party is called Nike. There have long been rumors that Nike has a massive bonus clause to encourage Lebron to ditch the Cavs in favor of the Knicks. Why not a similar deal for Kobe?

The structure would be simple: Nike would pay Kobe a bonus for each championship he won. It might start at $12 million, and then escalate from there with each consecutive championship. Thus, Kobe could actually make more money by opting out and accepting a lower salary from the Lakers to improve his chances of winning additional championships.

This would probably be a good deal for Nike as well; Kobe is already one of their top pitchmen, and if he were to win several more championships, imagine the ad campaigns they could run as he chased Jordan's 6 championships. They might run a Kobe and MJ puppet campaign the entire year if Kobe managed to win two more, and was on the verge of #6.

The fly in the ointment here is that this would leave Lebron out in the cold, but Nike probably figures that they can squeeze more championships out of him after Kobe's run ends, and that it will take a few years for the Knicks to build up to championship caliber.