Bresnhan.made a comment that made me get a knot in my guts....What if Odom signs a 1 year deal then tests the market next year when teams have more cash...Bosh,Wade,Crab and the rest will command the most attention but that could shake the tree a little....

Im starting to get a little uneasy about Odom....Like really starting to stress,at a time when we should be resting and enjoying our title...Im not sure i can wait until the 8th...

If I were Portland, I'd take my chances with the 2010 offseason and get a PG. They aren't going to get Odom anyway. The Lakers can offer him the no-trade clause. Portland can't.

new poster here. lakers fan and loud about it as most of us are. best guess: with ronron, pj, kobe (yes him) and most of the team back, lamar has more incentives than ever to stay. he shouldn't let the lee debacle get the best of his reason and go hurt us with a portland stint. imagine that portland team. though i think the blazer lineup seems redundant in a lot of ways. it's not like artest adding flavor and a new dimension to la.

the sheed signing also worries me as this. some say he's a washed up player. he could do a malone to la 04 but should the celtics and spurs teams, notable discipline teams grab him, it could lessen chances of a repeat. i say, send all veteran's minimum invites to all FAs who want to go grab a ring. ai seems to be heading to somewhere he is not or may just be needed. then there's the toronto FA list including gems like marion and carter. these guys could be our plan B. bad thing is, we don't have the MLE.

so lamar better be back or we're a tat less than last year unless mitch could pull off another steal. GO LAKERS!

I was thinking the same thing. I think Lamar was sitting and waiting to see if there was any cap room around the league.

Also in the cap room discussion we've been talking about how much LO and TA used to cost. Could you run down the contracts that actually automatically went up this year. I think Kobe's went up by $3 mill even though he didn't opt out so that's $3 mil more than last years budget, though LO was on the books for $14 mill and should be had for less but what about all the other contracts? I think us fans get caught up in wanting to sign someone we forget they've got 10 other guys they already have to pay.

I felt ill when I found out about Hedo going to TOR because that meant that LO could potentially sign with them.

At one point I get the whole money thing, but how much money do you have to make in order to feel secure? Is it status? Is it that you can buy anything you want? I have to confess, I just can't relate.

Let's hope LO stays in LA. I know he wants to because he's reiterated it on several occasions.

Happy 4th of July everyone! Be safe.

GO LAKERS!

BK,

Doesn't the fact that Toronto will probably have to release Shawn Marion also complicate the free agent landscape? Any chance Portland pursues Marion instead of Lamar?

-Jeff

I am very sure that Lakers management would sign LO. I'm ready for next season. When does it start? :):)

Well, tactically the availability of Blazers to sign LO may cause a little pain for the Lakers to match the incremental offer but if they stretch this up the deadline, it hurts also the Blazers to get a replacement player. If you are the Blazers GM, would u sacrifice that opportunity, LO engineered the signing of fellow Queen's, RonRon, so his heart and mind are with the Lakers. LO is just playing the payday through Blazers or Raftors. Now that Hedo going to Toronto there must be some opportunities on players being renounced in Toronto.

Scoop!!!! Lakers are again competing for Nate Robinson of Knicks. I think they're revisiting the Farmar-Robinson scenario or just another safety move in case of SB signing snafu. Advice to SB & his agent - "don't follow the route of Trevor, you have gained a foothold of this City. Be patient with your grab of fortune. There is more fortune in waiting than going w/ Pacers for small raise. Once you go to Pacers, you're like Ronnie Turiaf joining a dead-end team".

pizza eater or candy monster?!

they wanted a 3 that was more clutch than lamar. they have aldridge (whatever his name is) also they chased amare.

no beach in portland
no sun
too much rain

and no social life. or if it is, there is no megan fox or who ever u want to substitute

http://twitpic.com/96b7j

Love LO, especially at a reduced number but we're still the best team in the league without him.

He's been around long enough to understand what it means to be part of this circus. He doesn't have to live in the spotlight here, doesn't have to exhaust himself in meaningless mid season games. It's a vets paradise.
LO's a Laker.

Not good, I think Portland will pursue Lamar alot harder than they did Hedo. It would add length to a already good Portland team and at the same time take away from the Lakers. It would make much more sense to try to match up in the paint. The Lakers only advantage is that Lamar has already had his big payday(unlike Trevor), and staying in L.A. and playing for a second ring is his decision. don't let it slip away L.O.

ante up anyone?

Ahhhhh.

The Artest news starts to settle down and the blog can get back to trading away role players and fighting over Andrew Bynum. Feels like home again.

Bynum is the real wild card in all this. A healthy Bynum could make the Lakers a lot better, he could actually be the best off season pick up this year.

In my mind (a scary place indeed) health is the only question on Bynum. Drew Bynum, contrary to his image, is a hard worker. He came into this league out of high school, having never played a lot of ball, he was long, skinny and athletic with very little in the way of basketball skills. He could dunk.

He has worked hard to bulk up to the body he has now, and to develop the skills we see, especially that great footwork he has in the post. That is hours and hours in the gym. Bulk. Footwork. A variety of post moves, jump hook, turnaround, spin move, up and under. Shooting, around the rim (he has a soft touch) and the 15 foot jumper. Improved passing. Plus coming back twice from injury. Drew has worked hard.

Of course it didn't show in the playoffs. Drew probably came back too soon. He wanted to play and he wasn't ready. He didn't move his feet at all on defense (maybe his knee) and committed silly reach fouls. And he said some truly stupid things.

But Drew can learn, we have seen him learn, and he will improve his defensive technique after these playoffs. If he is healthy next year he gives the Lakers a skilled, huge presence on both ends of the floor. With Kobe and Psycho defending on the perimeter and Pau and Drew defending the paint, this could be a scary defensive team.

It comes down to health. If he is just a guy who got injured and not a guy who is injury prone, he could be huge upgrade next year.

LarryofLA - I agree with the one-year scenario, it's a good compromise.

Jeff, I'm thinking the same thing about Marion.

Edwin - where was the latest Nate rumor? Very interesting.

Portland is not a rival. Enough said. They may think we're rivals but we're not rivals.

GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE LAKERS!!

Hear me out before you tell me I'm crazy..

We all know Houston would prefer a sign-and-trade of Ariza and Ron-Ron, but that's not been in our interest. But maybe it could be IF they give us something else we want.

Read this from the Houston Chronicle:
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/6510520.html

If Wafer is on his way out, maybe we could have them sign him for about 2.5 mil and do a BIG sign-and-trade;
Artest and Wafer for Ariza and Sasha. That would
1) save Buss a couple million (to use for Lamar!)
2) get rid of Sasha's albatross of a contract, and
3) bring back Von Wafer as a backup for Kobe.

C'mon, you know how important Von Wafer Sightings have been to this Blog! And I think he fits better than Lose-his-swish with the Lakers overall plans.

CAN WE DO THIS??? MiTCH??

Edwin

if the Gates of Heaven (Port-land) will open for Odom for 30 piece of silver, will see if he will sell Jesus (Kobe-see George Karl).

also it will be confusing to hear who will be the Ohhhh-Dumb at the Odom/Oden sound

on other sites, people r calling Turkeyglue greedy for going to Toronto in place of Portland or Orlando. Until someone brought up that Toronto is the 5th largest market in NA after Ny, La, Mexico City and Chicago and has a very large turkish community

i will say that Portland will be too provincial for a socialite like Lamar and i also heard that he hates?! Brandon Roy. so maybe Ariza will help us because of that little brawl with fernandez. at the same time we know that sports players should have a short memory.

Korey-

I agree that the P and R with Lamar isn't a focal point of LA's offense (it doesn't have to be) but not that he's not effective in it, because he both handles the ball and passes so well. But that he's less consistent with the jumper is another reason he doesn't fit as well as Turkoglu- one I should have made far more clear (Reading again what I actually wrote vs. what I was thinking, there's definitely a gap. Good reason not to write late, I guess). You're exactly right. My big point, though, is that the Blazers are looking for a guy who can help facilitate and handle the ball to help take all the focus away from Roy. Odom would qualify in that, I think.

They could make a push for a guy like Ramon Sessions, too. Or make a trade. It doesn't have to be a big, but it can be.

BK

Nick-

I think if Portland makes the push, they're dedicated to putting Odom at the three, and moving one of their SFs, and believe he and Aldridge (who does like to step away from the bucket and shoot) could play together. I agree, they wouldn't throw that money at him to be a backup.

Like I said, I don't think it's a huge threat, but it's one of the only ones out there.

BK

Just my two cents on the most likely remaining moves.

Odom for a one year deal.
Brown gets resigned.
Farmar gets moved for a future draft pick.
Morrison stays - either regains his form or contract expires
Sasha stays - don't think we can get much in trade value right now.
Sun has his contract picked up.

This gives us 12 players which is the number Mitch wants to carry. It could possibly change if Chinemelu plays great in the summer league and camp.

Marion is free from Toronto so LO has competition.

Dave M,

"Nate Robinson bidding by Lakers and Magic...."

You can find it in the heading of Hoopshype.com. Here is the headline below:

"Hidayet Turkoglu is now headed to the Toronto Raptors after spurning the Blazers' offer ... Lakers and Magic in the mix for Nate Robinson? ... Stephon Marbury to Washington? ... Pacers interested in Luther Head and Shannon Brown ... Joe Dumars to meet with Avery Johnson this weekend"

The level of threat Portland presents is dependent upon Odom's needs and motivation. Does he really not care about coming off the bench? Odom is basically a bench player here, but for all intents and purposes, he's a starter. He and Pau are our biggest and best threat other than Kobe. He, Pau, and Kobe create lots of synergy.

In my line of business, we would describe the effect as multiplicative as opposed to additive. In more laymen's terms, Kobe/Pau/Lamar set the table for those the rest of the team. Ariza, Fisher, Shannon, and when he was hitting shots, Sasha, have all benefited from that effect.

I hope that is not lost upon Lamar. I also hope he knows that while he can be good in Portland, he can be great here. Playing off of Pau and Kobe will beat playing off of Roy and Aldridge anyday (the latter doesn't seem as tough in the playoffs).

The good news is that in one of the reports (Eric Pincus' I believe), Lamar was involved with wooing Ron Artest. And Artest took less money. So in that regard, he may already be committed to this organization, the agent and Mitch may just be working on the money details.

#4 was correct. So far it is only in this blog we're worried of Blazers b/c of the cap space. What the Oregonian blog is asking is McDyess b/c it inconceivable that Odom will leave the Lakers. It's the Candy....LO wants to promote candies. Where is the huge market for candies? Where are the advertisers located? where can you find the best dentists? Will he enjoy crunching candies along Oregon Coast's monsoon rains? Ask Phred hahaha!

As coup de grace statement, Ariza preferred the Rockets b/c they compete. I guess b/c it was the toughness of RonRon, without him on the Rockets they have no chance of extending to a 7 game. Therefore, that serves a good lesson for LO and SB, do you want to go to a dead-end team? If yes, then move on now b/c many F/A players want to join the Lakers possible, if LO drops out Rasheed Wallace or Marion enters the Laker's athmosphere. If Shannon balks with the Laker offer, Nate Robinson will surely go with the Lakers. Baby, nobody is indispensable in this world. There is a price for doing something and there is also a price for doing nothing. Make your lifetime decision that will determine your future in NBA.

I think it ridiculous with all 3 of our FAs. Were they not actually at the parade? And then with 90K fans waiting for them for some 30 minute show to cheer them on??!!! They waited for HOURS to be in that hell hole, with no parking - to cheer on their players! That's some great fans!!!

They all said they want to be back...why didn't they sign on day 1 at the first hour? I know it's negotiating time but I feel that the Lakers are probably putting out "fair" offers - PLUS the chance to be on a dynasty!!! You'll live in a great city - get paid millions, play for the best organization in the NBA, be idolized by tons of fans chance to win muliple rings, play for the greatest coach ever- what is the damn problem? I can't believe we can't even sign SB?!!! Come on dude - are you kidding me? You have the chance to eventually become their starting pg!!! LO - I know many people LOVE you hrer - people like JonK and others - but I still think you can take a hike if you think you are the only guy who can do your job. Mitch will show you the door if you F around too much with this deal.

This team they are building is once in a freaking lifetime - all these players are, I Love LA - I love being a Laker - and then they go out looking for more money. Hmmmm....makes me wonder what their real priorites are. They're still going to get paid well by the Lakers - it's not like they're going to get minimum wages - crud! I'm getting pissed that they aren't banging on the door to sign away.

I hope Mitch is going to play hardball if they screw around anymore. He will somehow make this all work out for the Lakers. He has really grown as a GM and has been making killer decisions. I have total faith in him that even if LO walks he will build the dynasty....even if it takes a bit longer.

So what - they want to make more money and end up on the Clippers? Get some dang perspective!!!! Some of the best NBA players never got a ring in their career - I think these guys take it for granted how hard it is to win it all.

Sorry if I'm going off - it's just irritating already that we lost TA and possible LO and SB. BUT we got Artest and who knows what else Mitch has up his sleeve. Artest is beginning to look like the most sane player out of all of the FAs. I say get players who freaking WANT to be part of the Lakers!!!

"Here’s my prediction: Andrew Bynum will remain injury free and make the All-Star team.
Here’s your prediction: Shannon Brown will become the Lakers starting point guard."

Deal but here's my prediction about those things:

Andrew Bynum will be a reserve for the All-Star team due to injuries to other All-Star players. (That is assuming he beats out Artest/Gasol/Odom (assuming he is re-signed) and even takes shots away from Bryant)

Shannon Brown will not be the starter but receive much minutes. He will be the starting PG when Derek Fisher retires.