2011-12 Los Angeles Lakers Thread

Originally posted by LA9erFan:

Originally posted by NineFourNiner:
I just can't see Kobe going anywhere. He won't waive the no trade and, frankly, I think that he'd rather grind out another championship in LA than move to a "contender" or "one missing piece" team. He wants to show that he's the greatest ever, IMO. Winning a championship without Shaq was one step. Doing it again with a different supporting cast would further solidify that perception.

I'm still not sold on Brown at all. I don't see this team buying what he's selling. Anyone think he'll be fired this off-season?

I agree that he'd rather not go somewhere else. But if we tell him that we're going into rebuild mode (which is what we'll be telling him if we move Gasol and/or Drew for younger talent), why would he want to stay here? If he still doesn't want to go, at that point we seriously need to consider amnestying him, IMO. All Kobe does is keep us in purgatory for a couple of years.

I don't think my scenario is what's going to happen, it's just what I'd like to see happen.

I understood that as your dream scenario, not a likelihood.

To the first point, I'm saying that my .02 is that Kobe would rather stay in LA as part of a short-term rebuild than move to a so-called contender precisely BECAUSE of the challenge. If he could retire with one more ring with the Lakers after 2 (for example) years of struggle, I think he'd take that over (for example) joining the Celts/Heat/etc and racking up another one as part of a committee next year. I could be WAY off base, for sure. That's just how I read him.

Whaddya think about Brown possibly getting the axe?

Originally posted by LA9erFan:

Originally posted by marshniners24:

Is that our first(5th overal) they'd be giving up? If so then yes sarcasm. Lol
If not and it's Garcia for Deng then the no

Ya, you'd give up #5 and get out of Garcia's contract in exchange for Deng, Butler, & a future 1st from Chicago.

You guys need a vet and a SF in the worst way, and Deng fills both of those needs, although I'd understand if the Kings said no to that.

I'd rather give up Salmons' contract.
And getting Noah or Taj too would be more realistic. He'd fill the defensive need.

5th pick
Salmons
Thornton?

Deng
Noah/Taj
Future first

Originally posted by NineFourNiner:

Originally posted by LA9erFan:

Originally posted by NineFourNiner:
I just can't see Kobe going anywhere. He won't waive the no trade and, frankly, I think that he'd rather grind out another championship in LA than move to a "contender" or "one missing piece" team. He wants to show that he's the greatest ever, IMO. Winning a championship without Shaq was one step. Doing it again with a different supporting cast would further solidify that perception.

I'm still not sold on Brown at all. I don't see this team buying what he's selling. Anyone think he'll be fired this off-season?

I agree that he'd rather not go somewhere else. But if we tell him that we're going into rebuild mode (which is what we'll be telling him if we move Gasol and/or Drew for younger talent), why would he want to stay here? If he still doesn't want to go, at that point we seriously need to consider amnestying him, IMO. All Kobe does is keep us in purgatory for a couple of years.

I don't think my scenario is what's going to happen, it's just what I'd like to see happen.

I understood that as your dream scenario, not a likelihood.

To the first point, I'm saying that my .02 is that Kobe would rather stay in LA as part of a short-term rebuild than move to a so-called contender precisely BECAUSE of the challenge. If he could retire with one more ring with the Lakers after 2 (for example) years of struggle, I think he'd take that over (for example) joining the Celts/Heat/etc and racking up another one as part of a committee next year. I could be WAY off base, for sure. That's just how I read him.

Whaddya think about Brown possibly getting the axe?

Not out of this universe unlikely though. And it is only a short term rebuild if it does not include Kobe. Kobe seemed pretty serious about being traded before Gasol....I can totally see him looking to cement his legacy with one more ring elsewhere as opposed to staying a Laker through a rebuild that would not even begin to payoff until 2014.

As for Brown, I think the whole idea of him being the coach is as a place filler until the Lakers settle around a team direction, and if it is a rebuild, he gets to coach until the payoff season.

I don't see Brown going anywhere this offseason, he is the least of their problems

Originally posted by marshniners24:
I'd rather give up Salmons' contract.
And getting Noah or Taj too would be more realistic. He'd fill the defensive need.

5th pick
Salmons
Thornton?

Deng
Noah/Taj
Future first

As a bulls fan, as much as I love noah and dengs heart, id love to see them replaced by scorers. You guys can have them.

geez louis ....ill leave the #'s talk to you guys, seems you have it all under control lol ...

Originally posted by NineFourNiner:
I understood that as your dream scenario, not a likelihood.

To the first point, I'm saying that my .02 is that Kobe would rather stay in LA as part of a short-term rebuild than move to a so-called contender precisely BECAUSE of the challenge. If he could retire with one more ring with the Lakers after 2 (for example) years of struggle, I think he'd take that over (for example) joining the Celts/Heat/etc and racking up another one as part of a committee next year. I could be WAY off base, for sure. That's just how I read him.

Whaddya think about Brown possibly getting the axe?

Yeah, Kobe would definitely rather stay here than try to chase a ring. He's even said as much. The problem for the Lakers is, we can't have a rebuild if he's around, as danimal said. He's too good. If we go into rebuild mode, he's gotta go whether it's by trade or by amnesty.

I'd be shocked if Brown was fired. He was Jim Buss' choice, and he's the guy in charge. Had we lost to Denver I think it would have been a possibility, but I don't think our loss to OKC was egregious enough to warrant him getting fired after one year that lacked any training camp and had minimal practice time.

Originally posted by marshniners24:

Originally posted by LA9erFan:

Originally posted by marshniners24:
Is that our first(5th overal) they'd be giving up? If so then yes sarcasm. Lol
If not and it's Garcia for Deng then the no

Ya, you'd give up #5 and get out of Garcia's contract in exchange for Deng, Butler, & a future 1st from Chicago.

You guys need a vet and a SF in the worst way, and Deng fills both of those needs, although I'd understand if the Kings said no to that.

I'd rather give up Salmons' contract.
And getting Noah or Taj too would be more realistic. He'd fill the defensive need.

5th pick
Salmons
Thornton?

Deng
Noah/Taj
Future first

Sure, but Salmons contract doesn't work in the 3 team scenario.

Getting rid of Salmons contract, Thornton's contract, AND getting Deng + Noah/Taj is way, way too much for #5. The Lakers & Bulls would just move on to another team that could use Deng or Noah that's drafting high. (Portland at #6 or Golden State at #7, for example)

Thornton has a decent contract and would provide the bulls with another scorer. Sure it's a lot but I think it's more do able then your proposal.

Originally posted by marshniners24:
Thornton has a decent contract and would provide the bulls with another scorer. Sure it's a lot but I think it's more do able then your proposal.

I strongly disagree.

Kobe will join the spurs when his contract ends with a very aging Duncan and Manu. Parker will lead the way with some nice young talent and Kobe can be the assassin shooter like Ray Allen.

Hmm...what Kevin Durant has done to me (mostly emotionally, some physical) over the course of this series is impressive...I imagine the fear he strikes in me with the ball in his hands in the final moments of a game is the same way most other fans felt when playing against Kobe...it is an absolutely horrifying and terrible feeling.

Coach Brown should stay, management should sit down with him and a revamped coaching staff (if Keuster was the OC this past offseason, lockout or not, he needs to go and someone else offensively minded needs to come in) and figure out what they want to run offensively/defensively and get Mitch to find them the right pieces for their ship...Sessions, I want to stay. MWP, I'd like to stay too but I would like to know how long we have till the amnesty expires or we can no longer use it.

Changes need to happen, even if Brown and whoever else is on his staff comes up with a masterful way of utilizing our current pieces, we have glaring weaknesses that must be addressed. I'm not a fan of shipping Bynum nor Kobe. Although, I'll be honest, it would probably be most rational to do one of the two (if not both), I refuse to give up on Bynum (who I think just needs to mentally mature) and I have too much respect and love for Kobe and all he's done for our organization to ship him out (even if the perfect opportunity presented itself). Pau needs to go and I think people saying his value is too low or anything along those lines aren't looking at this clearly. I think it is very apparent that we as a team just failed to use Pau correctly, he was the 3rd option playing a facilitator role all season long and still put up good numbers and managed to do what he could. He is top flight talent with a pretty nasty salary and up there in age. I would easily ship him out for Lowry, Scola, and draft picks at this point (a deal that I think has a chance of getting done), but I'm not here to talk specific scenarios like that...

The point is, Pau needs to be shipped for a combination of a solid 4, a back-up 2 guard, and/or a 1/3 that would be upgrades over what we currently have. Matt Barnes, I'm sorry, but it's all about what have you done for me lately and you should get the boot my friend. Have Ebanks get the back-up 3 time, get us a legitimate 2 to bring off the bench for Kobe, and a solid 4 that we can rotate in with Jordan Hill next to Bynum. Presuming the pieces are all complimentary, we would not even need a huge blockbuster deal, just the right suitor for Pau who would be open to changing things up with what they currently have...I think its possible and I still think Pau (and that TPE we still have) holds enough value around the league to get us enough (raw?) talent to become a better team than we currently are...

I'm personally hoping that the suitor for Pau ends up being Philly seeing how they lack quality big man play and could think that a guy like Pau could put them at the top of the East...the question is, what would we get in return (if Philly were even interested in Pau)

:45 seconds

Originally posted by StOnEy333:





:45 seconds

lololol anyone got links to the guys full length exit interviews?

Originally posted by GameOver:

lololol anyone got links to the guys full length exit interviews?

No, but LA Times has a bunch of clips:


http://www.youtube.com/user/losangelestimes

Not sure since I dont pay much attention to basketball but could the Lakers restructure Kobe's deal? Sorta like the NFL where they can make the base salary lower and change some of the salary into a bonus?