Phil Jackson left the Lakers Friday night after a meeting with owner Jerry Buss, Shaq wants to be traded...but that leaves Kobe "off-target" Bryant and a few other kinks that needs to be ironed out....
Kobe opted out of his contract, and will be an unrestricted free agent July 1st. Now the word on the street is, the Lakers will offer him a 7 year $140 million contract. A contract that cannot be matched or beat by any other team in the league. But how will they pay Kobe that much $$$ with Shaq on the same team?
They wont. Shaq is now demanding a trade. He's always said that if he can't play for Phil, he wont play with the Lakers at all, and now he wants out. O'Neal is also unhappy with the direction in which ownership is headed.
But what about Payton? Rumor has it that G.P. is willing to stay with the Lakers, now that Phil Jackson and that God-awful excuse for a triangle offense is gone, Gary Payton may remain a Laker. G.P. has gone on record saying that he did not like the triangle offense (greed maybe?). Now that its gone, he may stay. Only time will tell.
I think that one of the most underated losses for the lakers will be D-Fish. Let's not forget that he is also a F.A. This is really starting to resemble the bulls dynasty the year phil left.
I think that one of the most underated losses for the lakers will be D-Fish. Let's not forget that he is also a F.A. This is really starting to resemble the bulls dynasty the year phil left.
Yeah it really is...and we see how they're turning out.
I'd be willing to bet that if G.P. stays, Fish will leave or vice versa.
With the Lakers coming apart its time to look to the past.
Hire James Worthy as ****-Fire Kuptcek(sp?)
Make Magic or Kurt Rambis coach but somehow make magic more involved.
Keep the rebuilding of this team in house.Draft and sign smartly sign for function and option on the court.
Deal Shaq to Dallas for Walker,Jamison, a number one pick
Deal Payton if he stays to the Bulls for Chandler
Resign Kobe give him half the team if need be.
Luke Walton as the swing man.
sign Rafer Alston as the new starting pg and rod strickland as the back up pg
Draft Harrison at center with pick from dallas.
Sign Gary Trent or adonal foyal since the lakers need a back up who can bruise ppl
Sign ryan bowen he can add scoring from the bench and play the 2 or 3
Sign Wesley person to add more scoring to the bench.
Sign toni Kukoc and let him add some leadership to this team or Samaki Walker to provide more of an inside force.
Play with a 12 man rotation.
Then let the new coach teach and coach.
New Lakers.
Starting 5:
PG-Rafer Alston
SG-Kobe
SF-Jamison
PF-Walker
C-Chandler
Bench:
Rod Strickland-pg
Wesley Person-SG
Ryan Bowen-SF
Gary Trent or Adonal Foyal-PF
Harrison-Center
Luke Walton-Swing man
Kukoc or S.Walker as 12 man.
This line up is young enough and wise enough to keep the game going for them and gives them some cap room and good potential.
Thats just my idea.
oh I'm aware but there is no way to get equal value or cap space for Shaq and no one will sign shaq to a big deal the only people are Orlando but they wont take him after if they deal mcgrady, NY but only if they lose kobe will the lakers take houston. And Dallas doesnt have the players so it looks like Shaq will either be stuck in LA then opt out next season or they will have to release him b/c no one will take Shaq now b/c the Lakers r between a rock and a hard place.They gonna force the Lakers to keep him or release him b/c no one is gonna trade a pick or anyone for him b/c he is on the decline.Altho NJ is an option I heard.
I donno what is gonna happen right now....
I have been a fan since 87 so it's hard watchin major changes happen, even tho nothin will top when Magic retired.
Right now, I only want to see Shaq traded because he requested a trade, but even if he stayed I'm not sure how good things would go. The key was obviously just to keep Kobe, and Kobe is goin to be even better than now, but for now Shaq is still very essential to our team. There haven't been many trades that I would have been feelin, and the ones that I would be coo with, there is no way they would happen. It's NO way I could see him goin to Dallas without us gettin Dirk + some, and hopefully Devin Harris as well...I'd like that.
Magic is a great mouthpiece and analyst of the team, but I am not sure if he would be a good coach. I don't think we can judge him for those 20-30 games that he coached at the end of the 1994 season. He came in when things were very unstable, so if he came at a time right now, he might be decent as a coach.
But all in all...I was mad as hell that this season was a great dissapointment, especially after Fisher's shot "assured" us all that we were going to win it all. But we have won 14 championships already, and I've seen 5, so we are still #1.
I am suprised that there are not more Laker haters on this site...that's all there is at FAMU.
I'm actually wanting to see Shaq go back to his ol stomping grounds in Orlando. Maybe if they cut their losses with Grant Hill, they can try to keep T-Mac
Ohhhh....Shaq & T-Mac....now THAT'S a deadly duo there.
