2011-12 Los Angeles Lakers Thread

Originally posted by jrg:
I really can't tell if I hate the Lakers more...or like them more....I still can't believe this has happened.

I'm a waaaaaaaaay bigger baseball fan than basketball and even losing Pujols didn't sting like losing Howard. Gonna take a few seasons to adjust to this.

Originally posted by sincalfaithful:

Originally posted by jrg:

I really can't tell if I hate the Lakers more...or like them more....I still can't believe this has happened.

I'm a waaaaaaaaay bigger baseball fan than basketball and even losing Pujols didn't sting like losing Howard. Gonna take a few seasons to adjust to this.

join us, Marsh already did

Originally posted by LA9erFan:
nevermind...

Originally posted by StOnEy333:

Originally posted by sincalfaithful:

Originally posted by jrg:

I really can't tell if I hate the Lakers more...or like them more....I still can't believe this has happened.

I'm a waaaaaaaaay bigger baseball fan than basketball and even losing Pujols didn't sting like losing Howard. Gonna take a few seasons to adjust to this.

join us, Marsh already did

We can all be Laker family.

Originally posted by phatbutskinny:
Bought Lakers @ Kings Tickets for November 21st. Still don't know if I can go, but I hope I'm free!!

Originally posted by LA9erFan:
This Knick fan gets it....

Although I hate the Lakers as a team and want them to lose, I have nothing but great respect and admiration for the Lakers front office. That team only missed the playoffs twice in the past 30 years. They probably have the best and most competent owner in the league in Jerry Buss. Pretty good management. First it was Jerry West then Mitch Kupchak. Two former Laker players. West was the best GM in the league in the 80s and 90s and he groomed Kupchak to be his successor. When West had a power struggle with Phil Jackson and resigned in 2000, Buss promoted Kupchak. Competent management and winning culture allowed them to win multiple championships the past 30 years. I love the fact both West and Kupchak are former LAL players and West groomed Kupchak.

No need to hate and act like they ***** the other teams, the Lakers retool, they don't panic, they don't gamble and look for a savior. Sure they make bad trades sometimes (Butler for Kwame for example) but they draft well and manage their assets. That's how they acquired Nash and Howard this summer. The Lakers only missed the playoffs once (in 2005) in the past 10 years while the Knicks have been a lottery team from 2002 to 2010. Guess what ? Andrew Bynum is still better than every single player we drafted the past 10 years. And the Knicks could have drafted Bynum but the so called best drafter ever, Isiah Thomas, selected Channing Frye instead. The Lakers also drafted Marc Gasol in the second round in 2007 (before they traded his rights for his brother a year later) and Marc is probably also better than any player we drafted the past 10 years.

Simply put : even if we had Andrew Bynum and a first round pick to trade, the other teams wouldn't let us acquire Dwight Howard without giving up more assets. They would tell Dolan :"hmm, you traded two future first round picks for the likes of Marbury, Curry, Melo, etc., accepted to take multiple garbage contracts and offered massive cap relief. If you want Howard you need to give up more assets." And obviously they know the Knicks would bend over sooner or later. The Knicks have a history when it comes to trades for all star players and all the other teams in the NBA know it. The Knicks were on the right path in the 90s with Checketts and Grunfeld. We acquired very good players for cheap (LJ, Spree and Camby are perfect examples). We didn't draft very well but we managed our assets. Everything changed when Grunfeld was fired in 1999 and Jimmy Dolan replaced Checketts in 2001.

To answer the OP's question I don't get sick watching the Lakers make brilliant moves because they deserve it and never panic. I just get sick watching Jimmy Dolan constantly run the team into the ground…

"Whenever I've talked to [Buss] about a budget, it's always kind of, 'Well, Mitch, we have a budget, but tell me who you're thinking about and I'll tell you if I want him,'" Mitch Kupchak said. "So yes, the budget and tax threshold is something we're going to pay attention to, but he's always understood the value and allure of a superstar and a team that wins."

Originally posted by GameOver:

"Whenever I've talked to [Buss] about a budget, it's always kind of, 'Well, Mitch, we have a budget, but tell me who you're thinking about and I'll tell you if I want him,'" Mitch Kupchak said. "So yes, the budget and tax threshold is something we're going to pay attention to, but he's always understood the value and allure of a superstar and a team that wins."

lol Spenders gonna Spend

Originally posted by sincalfaithful:

Originally posted by sincalfaithful:

Originally posted by phatbutskinny:

Bought Lakers @ Kings Tickets for November 21st. Still don't know if I can go, but I hope I'm free!!

Lakers by 20+

Originally posted by marshniners24:

Originally posted by sincalfaithful:

Originally posted by phatbutskinny:
Bought Lakers @ Kings Tickets for November 21st. Still don't know if I can go, but I hope I'm free!!

Lakers by 20+

Lol. Who's gonna stop Cousins? He's got like 50 lbs of man on Howard