Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
The Lakers as a whole shot like crap in game 7 and still won because the shots were evenly distributed with better spacing which allowed the big men to rebound better.
When Bynum and Gasole have 30+ shots and 30+ boards they tough to beat. Cause Bynum is not gonna shoot below 50% often much less below 30%.
If Kobe can stick with being a team player in the Thunder series they should atleast have a chance. If not... the series will be over quickly I think.
I know that it will be the blame Gasol for this one, but I don't feel it's his fault. He's a big guy who is better with back to the basket, but can play outside-in as well. But Bynum is purely an inside player, so Gasol is limited in terms of his down in the blocks time. Then Kobe no longer has his explosiveness, meaning that he can't be the classic wing player, who could fill the lane, or take it to the rack from 20 feet out. Now he has to back his guy down, get into the lane by having others clear out, or exist at the perimeter. Given what Kobe/Bynum can do or not do, that leaves little if any room for Gasol to work where he's most effective. The Lakers have a problem which has no easy resolution, you've got Kobe who will be getting tens of millions of $$$ in the next two years, making him almost impossible to move, and Bynum, who they've made into the heir apparent who hasn't really developed to the point where the team needs him. Too easy to blame Gasol imo, the problems are far deeper.....
You can't help but wonder how much Odom and Fisher would have helped their worthless bench in this series. They didn't HAVE to get rid of Fish and could have played him as 7th man but they were clearing salary room.
I still think Bynum is the best center in the west, he just needs to be in the right system and needs to be involved to get the best from him.
People are forgetting that westbrook was shredding the Lakers perimeter which leaves the bigs having to patrol against slashers AND keep OKC off the boards etc. which is a really tall order. It's easy to blame the bigs but when your perimeter players can't keep westbrook, harden and durant in front of them you are in a bad bad place.
What's funny though is that many posters are suggesting they rebuild around Kobe who will be 34 next season and replace Gasol, Bynum and just about everybody else because that will fix things.
I truly do not envy Lakers management, they appear to be in a no-win situation in the offseason.
What's funny though is that many posters are suggesting they rebuild around Kobe who will be 34 next season and replace Gasol, Bynum and just about everybody else because that will fix things.
I truly do not envy Lakers management, they appear to be in a no-win situation in the offseason.
Yep... typical Kobe apologist!
I'm all for getting rid of him... I'm a Lakers fan. Not a Kobe fan. Although I think our fate is pretty much sealed til he hangs it up. So we are looking at a 3-5 year divestment strategy... It is going to be some tough years ahead. But the divestment will start this offseason. I'm sure Gasol or Bynum will get the axe. Artest will be around because Kobe likes him. But just about everyone is outta there per Kobe.
I wouldn't be surprised if none of the current players are there in 5 years either... but somehow Kobe's ass will be.
I'm all for getting rid of him... I'm a Lakers fan. Not a Kobe fan. Although I think our fate is pretty much sealed til he hangs it up. So we are looking at a 3-5 year divestment strategy... It is going to be some tough years ahead. But the divestment will start this offseason. I'm sure Gasol or Bynum will get the axe. Artest will be around because Kobe likes him. But just about everyone is outta there per Kobe.
I wouldn't be surprised if none of the current players are there in 5 years either... but somehow Kobe's ass will be.
kobe loved fisher and odom too.
kobes ridiculous salary is killing them. bynums salary was a bit to much as well.
i wouldnt suggest building around kobe BUT the lakers have no choice because no team (not even the bobcats or knicks) is trading for his contract regardless of his skill set
The Lakers wouldn't trade Kobe and it would take a lot for another team to get Bynum. If Kobe is going to be a team player then everyone else needs to be consistent. If that happens and you get some good chemistry going with Gasol and Bynum then who's going to beat them.
kobes ridiculous salary is killing them. bynums salary was a bit to much as well.
i wouldnt suggest building around kobe BUT the lakers have no choice because no team (not even the bobcats or knicks) is trading for his contract regardless of his skill set
Yea... but Fisher had already been let go once before and he is ancient and became a major liability. And i dont think Kobe was privately advocating for Fisher to stay. He knew Fisher was a liability. And he wouldnt win any PR points by bashing the old man.
As for Odom. He was never Kobe's guy. Not sure why you say Kobe loved him. Never saw any of this... Odom's reality TV fodder is more of a distraction than anything. Plus he's just an emotional basket case. Again, publicly Kobe said the right thing. in the locker room... I think he wanted him gone. That's not to say that Odom wasn't a major contributor to the team. But what Kobe wanted was Chris Paul... in place of Fisher, Odom, and Gasol.
And Artest's contract doesnt make him easy to move... Which means if they did move him, they couldnt get anyone else to come help Kobe. He knows this. And Kobe likes Artest to do his dirty work so to speak. He much prefers him over Fisher and Odom. Once they got Artest, he became the dirty player not Kobe. I still remember when Kobe was slapping kids on jump shots.
I wish the bobcats would trade for Kobe... but I dont think Jordan is a Kobe fan.
Kobe has stated many many times that he wants fish and odom back. In the locker room we will never know but to multiple sources he wants them back.
Artest will likely get amnestied as nobody is trading for him. This of course if the lakers management does decide to blow things up. With them we never know. I expect gasol gone, and there is a good chance who ever the new gm in Orlando is, he will actually take that Howard for Bynum trade. Howard is not likely to return and a smart new gm will know it. Maybe Howard and hedo for gasol and Bynum with artest amnestied and some bit pieces here and there. That IMO is the lakers best option.
I doubt Odom has recovered from the "betrayal" of being traded. With his dismal performance at Mavericks, don't think Lakers would want him back. As for Fisher, Lakers let him go in the first place. He's OKC now, and plans to stay with them for a while.
Kobe has stated many many times that he wants fish and odom back. In the locker room we will never know but to multiple sources he wants them back.
Those are "sources" or "rumors" that have no actual quotes from Kobe stating this himself...
In addition, they came during the stretch when the team was struggling. Specifically Steve Blake and Gasol. Which of course Kobe would want them back in that scenario...
Kobe wasnt pushing for either guy when the Chris Paul trade was gonna happen.
Quote:
Originally Posted by rigas
Artest will likely get amnestied as nobody is trading for him. This of course if the lakers management does decide to blow things up. With them we never know. I expect gasol gone, and there is a good chance who ever the new gm in Orlando is, he will actually take that Howard for Bynum trade. Howard is not likely to return and a smart new gm will know it. Maybe Howard and hedo for gasol and Bynum with artest amnestied and some bit pieces here and there. That IMO is the lakers best option
This is a good idea... But I'm not sure they will blow it completely up this next year. Maybe in 2 or 3 more. I think it will only be a couple moves. Because you dont wanna sacrifice more long term contract issues when you still have to get a new franchise player. So they will need some decent moving parts.
Thats why I don't think they will amnesty Artest unless they have someone to replace him specifically... Even if they brought Odom back, I dont think he can replace Artest on the defensive side of the ball. And his effort and intesity is no match for Artest. Plus he looked done to me this past season.
The trade idea for Howard and Hedo would be a nice change of pace... but I think it would be replacing one set of problems with another and not addressing the source.
The source of the problem is Kobe...
Last edited by Mr. GE; 05-22-2012 at 09:53 AM..
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
