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[mosk33toe]

Pau actually said he wants to leave. Gave us ultimatum on a Star Player and a Coach or him... Yet you passed over that. To talk about Body Language..

Look at yesterday

He went 6-9 from the field. 3-5 from the line. 15 points, 9 rebounds, 2 blocks, 2 steals.

If it wasn't for him, we wouldn't have stayed in the game in the first 4-5 minutes of the 4th.

Another thing from yesterday. In 11 minutes by himself 4-4 9 points. 30 minutes with Kobe 2-5 6 points.


He's down to 10.1 shots per game. MWP 11.4 Pau 11.4 shots.

You want 25. How is that going to happen with 10 shots. You tell me how that happens.. He'd need 10 FTs, make all of them, and shoot 75% a game.

He's 16.2 - 11.7 - 2.4

Only 9 players have 10 rebounds a game. Only 9 players have 2 blocks a game. Only 2 have both. Joakim Noah and Dwight Howard.

Out of all of those guys only one has a better FG %.. Tyson Chandler.

Out of the 18 guys with 10 rebounds or 2 blocks..
Dwight is 5th in points per game.

But Zach Randolph , Nikola Vucevic, David Lee, DeMarcus Cousins, Serge Ibaka, Tim Duncan, Roy Hibbert, Brook Lopez & Josh Smith all have more shots than him...

DeMarcus, Timmy, David Lee, Brook & Josh all shoot 3-4 times more than Dwight.. Have between .3-3.2 more points.

In February.. Pau 20 points on 16.3 shots.. You sure a guy averaging 16.2 on 10.1 isn't going to give you 20+ on 16 shots.. Look at the months prior for Pau.. November 11.7 points on 11.7 shots per game. December 12.8 on 10.8 shots January 12.8 on 9.8

Give me a damn break.

Talk about what you want on defense.. They were also playing some in Orlando... This team does the matador, let's hope Dwight can save us.

And then you want to talk about Blake... You honestly don't see the **** show our offense is when Blake comes in? Sure he hits a couple shots.. Great... But he plays zero defense, and as a PG is almost incapable of getting others the ball in a proper space. Sure he's better than Duhon and Morris.. But when you have a 38 year old PG. You need better than Steve Blake.. Call it hate all you want. But it is objective basketball. I said it in June, and it is still true February 11th.

I don't know if you know this... We are not winning a title this year or next year.. The amount of pieces that would be needed to get Pau's salary to match would be a couple bench players, and a boarderline starter. Our starting 5 is good. But if you think this bench will get it done, you're lying to yourself.

But sure.. Let's keep Pau Gasol for next year... Meaning we have to let Earl Clark go.. That is the actual choice that comes for this team... Because Pau is so awesome....

Pau said he'd like to start and if not he'd explore options, you want to call that a trade demand call it that, at least the guy is adamant about playing and being in the game, give me that over, i'll see if I can go and hold everyone hostage with my plans for the summer. WHY WONT DWIGHT TELL US HE'S STAYING? HOW JILTED ARE YOU GOING TO BE IF HE LEAVES AND WE GET ABSOLUTELY NOTHING FOR HIM? Let us know, so we can trade you if you aren't going to stay! Explain this to me.

Are you happy with a 6-9 15 point 9 Rebound Dwight Howard against the World Champion Heat? Pau had a 26 and 8 game last year and Andrew Bynum was putting up identical numbers to Dwight against the heat. Dwight is supposed to be elite, the best center in the league, the trade for him for Bynum was supposed to be number 2 center for number 1 center, at this point I could name several centers playing better than him.

And the 10 shot **** is ********, the guy can't get his own shot. We were feeding him the ball left and right, even Nash who is nicest player anyone has ever played with got frustrated at him not grabbing the ball, he got the ball enough times to put up at least 15 to 20 shots, he's just not offensively gifted enough to do so. So I don't want to hear he doesn't shoot enough, learn a post move other than bulling your opponent over and then you'd get more shots up. Yes Pau and Bynum shot more, because they were able to create more, Pau has a face up jumpshot, a hook, a fade away, and other shots, even Bynum had 3 or 4 really good moves. Learn to do something Dwight and you'll get more shots up.

But Zach Randolph , Nikola Vucevic, David Lee, DeMarcus Cousins, Serge Ibaka, Tim Duncan, Roy Hibbert, Brook Lopez & Josh Smith all have more shots than him...

All those guys are superior to Dwight in offensive, maybe not Vecevic I don't know much about his offensive game, but the others all can get their shots. Just imagine if Dwight had a game similar to Randolph or Cousins, or Duncan, he'd shoot more and have a higher scoring average, it's that simple. Saying he doesn't put up as much shots as them is because he can't, he can't create a shot at all.

In February.. Pau 20 points on 16.3 shots.. You sure a guy averaging 16.2 on 10.1 isn't going to give you 20+ on 16 shots.. Look at the months prior for Pau.. November 11.7 points on 11.7 shots per game. December 12.8 on 10.8 shots January 12.8 on 9.8

GET THOSE SHOTS DWIGHT! I'm not going to be mad at a player like Pau whose whole game is the low post putting up shots he feels comfortable in. This isn't a Ron Artest situation where he's chucking up 40 three's a night. Pau is a low post player, that's his game, let him play it. What is Dwight's game? Dunks? Can we feed him the ball and hope he makes something. I'm so sick and tired of this he doesn't put shots up ****. When he does it's clanks and he can't hit free throws. Shaq didn't have a huge arsenal of moves yet he did good, why can't Dwight?

And then you want to talk about Blake... You honestly don't see the **** show our offense is when Blake comes in? Sure he hits a couple shots.. Great... But he plays zero defense, and as a PG is almost incapable of getting others the ball in a proper space. Sure he's better than Duhon and Morris.. But when you have a 38 year old PG. You need better than Steve Blake.. Call it hate all you want. But it is objective basketball. I said it in June, and it is still true February 11th.

No I don't see the **** show on offense when Blake comes in. You know what I do see however, is a lineup of Blake Meeks Metta Jamison and Dwight, and with that lineup 99% of the players in the league are going to make the offense look like a **** show. I'm looking at this in a realistic sense, if they can get a better point guard than Blake, go do it. They aren't do so that leaves us with Duhon Morris and Blake. Blake is superior to them in every basketball aspect, he's a better shooter, better distributor, and better defender. I mean we thought Morris was supposed to be a good defender, he just looks like he's running all over the floor with not a single thought in his mind.

Do I believe we are winning a championship this year? Admittedly i'm a skeptic at this point, however I have not given up faith. We have in my opinion the best 2 guard in the game, whose battle tested and willing to give everything he has to win. We have an aging but still efficient point guard in Nash, and we have Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol both really good big men. Our bench is fine, is it the best bench in the league? No of course not, but it's not the worst or near the worst. Meeks is okay, Jamison has played well recently, Blake is okay, Gasol is pretty good. Plus when the playoffs come (If we get in) the bench plays a lesser role.

I like Earl Clark he's been a bright spot to the season, but he should know better than anyone that his great success has to be somewhat attributed to being a Laker. When he starts he's the 4th or 5th option on this team, he moves to another team and has all this pressure on him to perform he might not do as well. If he thinks he is big time and wants to cash in, let him do so, he's earned it, if he's smart he'll stay here and enjoy the benefits of playing with 4 Hall of Famers.

That's my rant, this up and down season has taken a toll on me, I'm just hoping for them to turn it around soon.

Go Lakers!

 

[CHAOSE57]

I wish we can snag Andrew Wiggins in any way humanly possible.

 

[trynafeelmink]

Ya'll dudes are being completely foolish about Dwight. I refuse to believe a player that has been Dominant his first 8 years in the league is completely done because he's having an injury filled season playing for a coach who has no IDEA how to run an offense w/o shooters everywhere.

Dwight Howard Healthy paired with another superstar makes you a contender. No way around that

 

[CP1708]

Bottom line, no matter what names are or aren't available, the Lakers front office cleared the entire payroll for 2014.

Every deal they set up for that year. Nash is the ONLY contract on the hook, and even that is just his final year. (one in which he may not even play, or at worst would be/could be trade bait as an expiring)

Dwight would obviously be the first keepable contract for that season and beyond, at that point, they go for whatever comes available.

If everyone opts in and stays, then the Lakers have the option to re-sign guys like Kobe/Pau/Ron for another year (depends on how they all feel, if they want to stay, etc) for 1 year deals, but they stay flexible, REGARDLESS.

Everything is done to remain open to the possiblity of signing Bron, Melo, Dirk, whoever along with Dwight, and hope to include Kobe if he wants another year for a lot less than 30 mil.

You do NOT, I repeat, do NOT just throw all that away to sign Earl Clark to a contract longer than one season.

If you are confused, Mitch has PROVEN, he can get another Earl Clark, Shannon Brown, Trevor Ariza anytime he wants.

He can not however add a Lebron anytime he wants. He has to be there when the window is open. After you secure a Lebron, then you can find an Earl Clark clone anywhere, anytime.


With no draft picks coming up for a while to build with, they have to stay flexible to the market as it is. That means they can't give 3 month wonders like Earl Clark 3-4 year deals and risk losing potential franchise changing free agents that may, or may not become available.

It don't even have to be about Bron or Melo. What if Paul Pierce wanted to come home for a year? Or if Dirk wanted a year with Kobe/Dwight/Nash? Or what if simply the Lakers build entirely around Dwight? Or even if Dwight leaves, they have the ENTIRE payroll open minus 9.7 million for Nash. That's 53+ million give or take to entice ANYBODY their way. And this is LA, not Utah we're talking about. You don't give away another 6-7-8 million of that cap space for a guy that's had a solid 3 months of playing well. Mitch didn't do it with Ariza, he won't do it with Earl.

And oh by the way, Mitch was 100% dead on about Ariza. Mitch knows what he is doing, he's not going to alter his plan for Earl Clark, I don't care how much he hustles.

 

[pmatic]

Clark bides his time, finds his place in NBA with Lakers

Earl Clark is sitting next to the man who can make him happy.

Clark was known through college as "E5," because he wore No. 5 at Louisville. But he couldn't wear the number in Phoenix, which drafted him in 2009; it was retired in honor of Suns great **** Van Arsdale. In Orlando, where Clark was traded in 2010, that number was worn by veteran guard Quentin Richardson.

Now, famously, Clark is with the Lakers, wearing No. 6. The man who currently wears No. 5, Steve Blake, changes clothes next to him in the locker room.

"I've been trying to get that number for a while," Clark said last week. "It's funny you should mention that."

The way this normally works? A player has to apply to the NBA six months in advance to change jerseys -- unless he's on a new team, in which case he can take a new number right away. In other sports, a small contribution is made to the bank account of the person who wears the number you want, in exchange for the jersey number. Sometimes, jewelry is exchanged. A meal can be bought.

Those things can be expensive. This is where Clark is fortunate, as he is probably going to have a pretty nice payday this summer.

Who had Andre Iguodala, Clark and Nic Vucevic as the best players coming out of the Dwight Howard-Andrew Bynum deal?

At least Iguodala was an All-Star last season, now playing on a team in Denver that suits his skills perfectly. Vucevic is third in the league in total rebounds while playing for a rebuilding Magic team. But Clark's ascendancy in Los Angeles is the unlikeliest development one could imagine.

He was a throw-in in the four-team deal that sent Howard to the Laker and Bynum to the 76ers. But Clark has suddenly become an important piece in the Lakers' increasingly desperate season. Now that Pau Gasol is out at least six weeks after partially tearing his plantar fascia, and that Howard continues to gimp along with a bad shoulder and still-recovering back, the Lakers need Clark. So far, he has delivered.

"He keeps it real simple," Coach Mike D'Antoni said. "He's got a simple game."

Simple is good for the Lakers these days, what with Kobe Bryant and Howard continuing their staredown, and Howard's father jumping in the mix, and Gasol grousing before his injury about being benched, and D'Antoni being roasted locally and nationally, and the losses piling up like kindling in a Vermont fireplace. The Lakers need simple.

An afterthought the first two months of the season, Clark started getting regular minutes in January, with D'Antoni desperate to find someone who could defend. Even though Gasol is a four-time All-Star who helped the Lakers win two championships, D'Antoni was convinced he and Howard didn't work together on the floor, and sent Gasol to the bench for Clark.

Clark has eight double-doubles since his minutes have increased, including a 22-point, 13-rebound performance in a Jan. 9 loss to the Spurs. Two days later, he had 10 and 10 against the Thunder, and he just missed two more (12 and 8; 11 and 9) against Chicago and Memphis, respectively. On Feb. 5, Clark was sensational in the fourth quarter, en route to a 14-point, 12-board showing -- all while doing nothing fancy.

When the Lakers finished their road trip Sunday in Miami, that was Clark guarding LeBron James in the fourth quarter, in a game where Clark finished with 18 points and nine boards. It wasn't for nothing that Bryant said the Lakers would be "in deep crap" without Clark.

"He's been consistent since we put him in the lineup against San Antonio," Bryant said. "He's just been consistently playing well. When that happens, you just have to say the player is good. He's good. He does it on a nightly basis with rebounds and knocking down jumpers and handling the ball and defending."

Earning Bryant's trust is normally a years-long process. Trust is easier to earn in the regular season, but for Bryant to truly bless you as a Made Man, you normally have to go through the playoff gauntlet like Gasol and Metta World Peace have. Clark seems to be short-circuiting the process.

Clark knew that, after failing to make an impact in Phoenix or Orlando over three seasons, he was in danger of becoming stereotyped -- the skilled-but-positionless big, a 'tweener who didn't do enough offensively to stay on the floor.

But in today's NBA, where the Heat eschew traditional positions and simply put their best five players on the court, a player like Clark has value.

"The biggest thing was finding a position," Steve Nash said. "At the four, he has certain assets; at the three, he has certain assets. The thing you have to do with Earl is you have to take advantage of his versatility."

It also helps that small ball has become an NBA constant.

"There's teams playing all over the league that are downsizing," my Turner colleague and analyst Steve Kerr said. "You have to be able to downsize defensively without giving up your interior defense. That's the key. That's what Earl really brings."

In D'Antoni's system, Clark is a reasonable facsimile of a stretch four. He doesn't shoot it as well from deep as Antawn Jamison, but since Jamison is shooting just 32 percent from 3-point range, there are minutes for a young guy who can defend multiple positions.

"That's why we drafted him, really," said Kerr, who took Clark with the 14th pick in 2009 out of Louisville when Kerr ran the Suns.

There were questions about Clark's consistency before the Draft, as well as his conditioning -- the phrase Clark remembers in his years at Louisville from Rick Pitino more than any other is "get on the treadmill!" -- but he still was a lottery pick.

"It's rare to find a guy with that kind of size and foot speed," Kerr said. "He's 6-10, a legit 6-10, but he's got incredibly quick feet. Knowing these days you have to be able to guard pick-and-roll. That's the toughest thing for bigs, and you have to be able to guard 50 of them if you're playing. That's the modern day defender.

"That's Taj Gibson, that's Kevin Garnett. They played a lot of zone at Louisville, but we weren't sure about his defensive acumen. We knew he had the talent level, but would he be able to adapt to the sophisticated NBA defenses? Calling out pick and rolls, playing on a string defensively?"

With L.A., Clark's defensive versatility has been put on display. His length and quick feet put one in mind of Shawn Marion during D'Antoni's run in Phoenix, or Horace Grant during the Bulls' championship days, though Grant was more capable than Clark of banging with opposing power forwards.

Against the Nets, Clark spent the first part of the fourth quarter guarding Joe Johnson. Down the stretch, he guarded All-Star center Brook Lopez. And he was smart enough to change things up; he crowded Johnson, figuring his quick feet could keep Johnson from driving and that he could contest shots late with his length. But he backed off of Lopez, knowing he gave away about 30 or so pounds, and made him shoot jumpers.

And Clark made all the right decisions in the last four minutes. He knocked down two free throws, then goaded Lopez into shooting an air ball. He then stepped right into a jumper from Nash -- who had no problems giving a kid with 13 career starts to that date a shot that big -- and put the game away.

"He plays hard, he keeps his mouth shut, he accepts his role," Nash said. "When he wasn't playing he didn't sulk. He gets in early, he gets his work done."
That is a recurring trait Clark has displayed at every stop in his career so far.

"After games in Phoenix he would actually go back down to that little practice floor and get another hour in with one of our assistant coaches," Kerr said. "He always puts the work in ... I didn't think he'd be much of a 3-point shooter for the Lakers, but he's making a few now."

Howard says Clark did the same in Orlando after being traded there as part of the deal that sent Vince Carter, Marcin Gortat and Mickael Pietrus to Phoenix for Hedo Turkoglu, Jason Richardson and Clark in December, 2010.

"He worked hard on his game, didn't complain," Howard said. "I've always been a big, big fan of Earl, especially on the defensive end. Early in the season, I used to tell Coach (Stan Van Gundy), 'hey, you might want to put Earl on this guy, because he can guard him.' And then when he got the opportunity, he really blossomed."

Clark got some time here and there when Howard was hurt in Orlando, including the Magic's first-round playoff loss to Indiana, after Howard's season-ending back surgery. With the Magic trading Ryan Anderson in the summer, Clark might have gotten a chance at more playing time this season if he'd stayed in Orlando. Of course, it wasn't his call.

The Lakers would love to keep Clark, who'll be an unrestricted free agent this summer. But L.A.'s luxury tax issues may make that impossible. Re-signing Howard to a five-year max deal would push the Lakers' team salary above the $100 million mark, with a luxury tax that could hit another $90 million or so on top of that. Keeping Clark may be a luxury the Lakers can't afford.

Clark wants to stay in L.A., but he also thinks he's earned the right to regular minutes. There will certainly be bad teams with cap room that will offer him a lot of loot, but after all the false starts he's had in his career, Clark wants to play for a winning organization. Does that even describe the Lakers any more? It's one of many things up in the air about Clark's future.

"One of the things you really love about Earl is that he works really hard," Kerr said. "He really loves the game. He comes from a good family. His mom and dad were at home, and his sister. They were a pretty close family. Good hard working family, a lot of skill, you hope he can figure everything else out."

Link

 

[sea manup]

not sure if it has been posted but does anyone have a vid/gif of kobe posting lebron up on the right block and crossing him twice? he blew by him and missed a shot over 4 defenders (if it was the lakers defense it would have been an open dunk) but still a sick move

 

[Deleted member 38182]

Just wanted to drop in and say that if/when the Kings move the Lakers and the Heat are on my shortlist of teams I'm planning on hopping on their bandwagons..... especially with the Lakers having an off year, this seems like a great opportunity 

join the darkside

 

[Maximus Meridius]

^

 

[licensed to ball]

I really wanted them to win yesterday. It would of been such a feel good win against such a hot team.

*sigh* hopefully we beat the suns by 25 to make up for it

 

[uncalled4boy]

 

[pmatic]

Metta World Peace’s Recent Struggles Highlight a Bigger Problem

As drama does its best to engulf the Lakers’ season and swallow it whole, it’s the big stories that seem to grab our attention day in and day out. Be it Kobe’s shifting roles, Dwight’s shoulder, Nash’s adjustments and attempts to bring the team together, Pau’s foot, or the general sniping through the press, this season hasn’t lacked narratives to explain what’s going wrong.

Lately however, even in the face of these storylines, things have been looking up. The Lakers are 7-3 in their last 10 and their only “bad” loss was to a Suns team that came back after Dwight Howard injured his shoulder. (Yes, the Celtics’ loss was frustrating for a variety of reasons, but they’ve been playing great ball and a loss to them is explainable). This team, while still having the buzzards circling, is actually playing solid basketball as roles become more defined and a reliable style of play has become the norm.

One player, however, who is not playing well is Metta World Peace. The guy I still call Ron is going through his worst stretch of the season and while the Lakers are still finding ways to win through his struggles, his poor play is highlighting the lack of reliable wing depth this team has.

Before we go any further, it’s important to quantify exactly what Ron is going through on both sides of the ball.

Over the last 5 games, Ron is averaging less than 8 points a game while shooting 26.3% from the field, 19% from the three point line, and 55.6% from the foul line. Extend the threshold to 10 games and his numbers aren’t much better with an average of a shade over 10 points per game on 30.6% shooting from the field including 29.7% from behind the arc. Furthermore, Ron has become more of a ball stopper on offense in the last five games, looking to score in isolations more and settling for the type of shots that should only be taken with the shot clock running down.

More of an issue than his offensive struggles is the decline in his defensive effectiveness. First, it should be made clear, Ron still has some of the best defensive hands in the league. The ball is never safe when Ron is guarding his man closely and one second of over exposure can lead to the ball being poked or swiped away. However, his foot speed has declined to the point that he’s having trouble executing multiple defensive slides on the perimeter without giving up a driving lane. This leads to defensive breakdowns that puts even more pressure on the Lakers’ interior defenders.

While PER isn’t a perfect statistical tool and can’t be the sole way we evaluate players, it does a do a very good job of compiling box score stats with usage rates and giving an indicator of how efficiently a player is performing on offense. PER against, then, is a handy way of measuring how well your opponent is playing when being defended by you. Last season, Ron posted a PER against of 11.8 when defending small forwards and a PER against of 8.3 when defending power forwards. These numbers, though not telling the entire story of how a defender is playing, show a very effective defender who could swing between both forward spots. This season, however, Ron’s opponents are posting a PER against of 14.8 when playing SF and 18.1 when playing PF. Again, these numbers don’t tell the entire story, but they do tell a story. And it’s one of a player in decline on that side of the ball.

It’s gotten to the point that Earl Clark is taking the task of defending most of the better wing offensive players (though, to be fair, Ron did “guard” LeBron on Sunday). So, instead of Ron chasing around Kevin Durant, it’s Clark. And instead of Ron taking the next best offensive wing, Kobe is often being asked to defend that player instead. Ron, then, is usually asked to defend the opposing PF or even the C where he has the strength and hand quickness to battle and be disruptive, but not the height or length to be the lockdown force he once was.

While I’ve spent a lot of time knocking Ron down a level (or two) for his recent play and some of his season long shortcomings, this is really more about the Lakers’ lack of a viable alternative on their roster and the best way to use Ron as he ages. What hasn’t yet been said is that while Ron is giving up a hefty PER to opposing PF’s, he’s also playing better on offense as a “stretch four” than he is as a traditional SF. Ron’s PER as a PF is a robust 21.7. In that role he’s usually not at a quickness deficit against his man and has the ability to play the role of a shooter and driver against players who aren’t used to defending on the wing. He gets better shots as a PF and has more advantages in that role.

But, the Lakers don’t have the depth to play him there full time. The only other natural SF on the roster besides Ron is Devin Ebanks and he’s never been more buried. This leaves the option of moving Kobe up to SF (which he can do), but also opens exposes some of the Lakers’ issues at SG behind their future hall of famer. Jodie Meeks is a fine player who can play 15-20 minutes (or more depending on how his shot is falling), but he lacks solid size and can be exposed in more physical match ups. And if Meeks isn’t getting those minutes, the Lakers are stuck playing a PG (Blake, Duhon) at SG and those same issues (size, quickness, defensive ability) are only exacerbated.

This brings us back to an issue we’ve been discussing for most of the season: the Lakers need another viable wing to help them get through the end of the season. The roster, as it currently stands, has the depth it needs at PG (Nash, Blake), SG (Kobe, Meeks), PF (Clark, Jamison, Ron), and even C (Dwight Sacre). Even with Pau Gasol injured, the team can make enough adjustments with their current group of players to manage their size issues and find a solid rotation at PF/C to get through (as long as Dwight is capable of suiting up). What they don’t have, however, is enough depth at SF to manage — unless they plan at playing guys out of position and going stretches of games with undersized players being asked to do more than they’re capable.

Don’t get me wrong. Ron can still play SF for some stretches. And Earl Clark’s defensive versatility means that Ron doesn’t have to chase players who are much quicker than him around the perimeter for all his minutes. However, as it stands today, Ron is playing 34 minutes a night and his production doesn’t warrant that — especially not lately. But the Lakers simply don’t have a player on their roster to take any of those minutes away. Not with Kobe still playing roughly 38 minutes a night and Clark playing well over 30 a night since he became a part of the regular rotation.

Plus, the fact is, that even if this is just a bad stretch for Ron (which is possible) and he returns to the production levels he showed earlier in the season (also possible, but not likely), the Lakers are still shallow on the wing. On nights where Meeks or Ron play poorly, there aren’t enough players who are capable to fill in the gaps. Unless you count Jamison as a wing player (and I don’t) or expect Clark to play over 40 minutes a night (which is not reasonable). Something, then, needs to be done.

How the Lakers deal with this the rest of the season will matter. It may not be their biggest problem and it’s certainly not the one that will generate the most headlines. But it’s still something that needs addressing.

Link

 

[westcoastsfinest]

Just wanted to drop in and say that if/when the Kings move the Lakers and the Heat are on my shortlist of teams I'm planning on hopping on their bandwagons..... especially with the Lakers having an off year, this seems like a great opportunity 

I told my friend the same thing to jump on to our wagon since it's emptying but since he's a Kings fan, he hates anything Laker related. He might root for Kevin Durant since it's his current favorite player. But rck, you're welcome to jump in! This is the perfect time since we're a mess right now. I'm glad you can put our early 2000s rivalry aside!

 

[darthska]

Wait, LeBron's not a FA in 2014? He just has an opt-out possibility in 2014?

He ain't coming over in 2014, CP. No way. Unless the Heat just fade into Bolivian... and that fade hasn't even begun to start yet so far... he's staying. I'd even go so far as to say the bulk of his career will be w/ the Heat.

I thought maybe he was a FA and that's why you guys kept talking about it. But just a possibility for an opt-out? Nah. Have fun in South Beach, breh.

I also believe Dwight just plays the season out and explores FA (which is what he said he would do).

So in my opinion... and that's all anyone has on here regarding future transactions... Essential is wrong about Dwight staying, and CP is wrong about BronBron coming.

And I'm definitely assuming Pau is gone. Whether it's by the trade deadline or the end of the season, he's out.

Sooo... Kobe, Nash, and Antoni. Whatever pieces are put around those 3, that's Kobe's hope for a 6th.

 

[darthska]

Just be a free agent, rck.

That's what I did when the Rams left. I just didn't have a football team. Then when I started making plans to move to TN, I picked them up.

And what happens? They go to the SB.

Against who?

That should have been the LOS ANGELES!!!! Rams, man. There was no good reason we... I mean, they (I mean, we)... should have left.

 

[Coupé It]

We're not building around him... We are simply keeping him... Are we suddenly losing Nash Kobe and Dwight?

We won't be giving him a max. And I highly doubt any team goes more than 3 years with him

I honestly can't wait for 2014 to happen.. And we sign a bunch of **** Free Agents and are committed to them because 1. it is a weak free agency 2. we are forced to have a floor salary.

I'll agree with you there Essential, 2014 FA is way overblown. That's only one year away, LeBron won't option out yet. In my opinion he has to finish out his contract in Miami, he'll be 31 when it's over. Then I personally believe he'll go back to Cleveland to play with a 24 year old Kyrie. (That's a dif story tho).

I def see the Lakers getting Kevin Love, and I think that should happen as soon as possible. That's why I've been lobbying for the Lakers to trade Dwight in a three team deal and get K-Love in return. Kevin Love will get you just as many rebounds, spread the floor, and drain 3's. He'd be a better fit for the Lakers right now and going forward.

 

[CP1708]

Wait, LeBron's not a FA in 2014? He just has an opt-out possibility in 2014?

He ain't coming over in 2014, CP. No way. Unless the Heat just fade into Bolivian... and that fade hasn't even begun to start yet so far... he's staying. I'd even go so far as to say the bulk of his career will be w/ the Heat.

I thought maybe he was a FA and that's why you guys kept talking about it. But just a possibility for an opt-out? Nah. Have fun in South Beach, breh.

I also believe Dwight just plays the season out and explores FA (which is what he said he would do).

So in my opinion... and that's all anyone has on here regarding future transactions... Essential is wrong about Dwight staying, and CP is wrong about BronBron coming.

And I'm definitely assuming Pau is gone. Whether it's by the trade deadline or the end of the season, he's out.

Sooo... Kobe, Nash, and Antoni. Whatever pieces are put around those 3, that's Kobe's hope for a 6th.

It's not JUST Lebron. There are plenty of options to add, IF Dwight is still in the mix, adding that player to Dwight makes us better long term. (provided health, etc)

After this year, and then yet another year, Wade will be 32 and declining hard. Don't think of Wade you saw yesterday, picture Wade with another 200+ games on his odometer. Bron opts in to that?

Again, look at the landscape now. Heat look like they could go to the Finals this year, this would be their 3rd straight run to the Finals. That's 300+ games in 3 seasons, remember what happened to us our attempt for a 4th straight finals in 2003? Remember that same run in 2011? Legs die, quick. That would be NEXT season for the Heat.

And like I said, Wade would be 32 by that time, and wanting to give it yet another run? :\

There are plenty of things that could happen, but we don't know what til we figure out this Dwight thing. What about AI2 comin over? Maybe he and Dwight together could play some defense for us, get us another guard, maybe a PG that can defend, then find someone to sprinkle in some offense for us, turn into the Bulls.

Or as I said, what if Dirk wanted to come over for a year, play with Nash/Kobe/Dwight? Does Dirk play the space 4 better than Pau does?


#Options

That's why you don't pay Earl Clark. Paying Earl Clark maintains the average. We don't want that. We either get elite, or we tear it all down to rubble and rebuild from there, which is 2-3 years for us.
You either win 55+ and run for a title, or you win 15+ and run for draft picks, since we don't have picks for a while, we have to go for the FA path.

 

[ag 47]

"LeBron won't option out yet. In my opinion he has to finish out his contract in Miami, he'll be 31 when it's over. Then I personally believe he'll go back to Cleveland to play with a 24 year old Kyrie. (That's a dif story tho)."


LeBron's NOT finishing out that contract he currently has. He will either opt out next year or the year after, simply because he's extremely underpaid right now. I'm not saying he's a lock to leave Miami, but he will get that max money and that's where you can raise questions because there's no guarantee that Miami's owner will continue to pay big money for his stars, considering that he's NOT making money owning that Heat team. Depending on how this year plays out, Miami's postseason success, health, etc.., I think there's a very real chance that LeBron opts out.

 

[grandtheftbike]

do you guys think kobe will retire after next season? :\

i honestly can see him signing a 1 year contract after his current contract is over

 

[scotthallwithapick]

A Miami Heat team that lets Lebron walk, not on his own but because they don't want to pay him, is a Miami team that will be bankrupt in a few years.

 

[CP1708]

A Miami Heat team that lets Lebron walk, not on his own but because they don't want to pay him, is a Miami team that will be bankrupt in a few years.

Huh?

If he opts out, he simply wishes to play elsewhere. It won't because they won't pay him, they will. But if he's wanting to grab rings, and he no longer needs to worry about anything like what Kobe/Peirce types do which is all with one team, he can move.

Put it this way, if Kobe wasn't here for all 17 years, he'd be gone this month.

GONE.

He'd be looking for #6, and I don't mean Lebron.

Pierce would be gone, maybe Dirk too. The reason they don't leave is this is their team, forever.

Lebron already let that go. He can pick and choose where he wants to play as much as he wants. He could pick Dwight, he could pick Kyrie, he could pick Chris Paul, he could pick Anthony Davis. Where he thinks he can get titles, he can go without worrying about a team or city he has repped for 15+ years.

He has it different than any other stars of his ilk ever did.

 

[hybridsoldier23]

Day 1 Purchase:

http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-t...usive-cover-reveal-for-phil-jacksons-new-book

Can't wait to hear what he has to say

 

[westcoastsfinest]

Day 1 Purchase:

http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-t...usive-cover-reveal-for-phil-jacksons-new-book

Can't wait to hear what he has to say

Damn, I can't wait. I wished we sent him off with his 12th.

 

[Coupé It]

"LeBron won't option out yet. In my opinion he has to finish out his contract in Miami, he'll be 31 when it's over. Then I personally believe he'll go back to Cleveland to play with a 24 year old Kyrie. (That's a dif story tho)."


LeBron's NOT finishing out that contract he currently has. He will either opt out next year or the year after, simply because he's extremely underpaid right now. I'm not saying he's a lock to leave Miami, but he will get that max money and that's where you can raise questions because there's no guarantee that Miami's owner will continue to pay big money for his stars, considering that he's NOT making money owning that Heat team. Depending on how this year plays out, Miami's postseason success, health, etc.., I think there's a very real chance that LeBron opts out.

Dude, LeBron makes 40-50 million a year on endorsements and that will only get higher. You think LeBron cares about the money? This is the guy who took a pay cut to play with other all stars and win championships. This is a guy who expects to win not 4, not 5, not 6..... He said it himself, he needed to sacrifice his pay to play with other top players.

He can get that full max contract when he finishes his contract with the Heat. Still has plenty of time. He's not opting out next year. A 32 year old Wade and 29 year old Bosh are still better than 99 percent of the league.

 

[kobe8is]

here are players I would be down to go after in free agency:
K-Love
Westbrook
Kyrie
LeBron

that's about it.



I'd love to see us start building through the draft, should've done this earlier.

 

[westcoastsfinest]

Throw every single million at Kyrie and make Dan Gilbert pay for his Washington Generals email to Stern.