Getting Better at PG and SF is realistic

[ericp6387]

We all know where the Lakers need to improve. The amnesty exception is one way for the team to rid itself of a bad contract, and I'm going to go out on a limb and say Luke will retire. That being said, here are some realistic ways for the Lakers to get back to a title level:

1. Use the amnesty on MWP--This is the hardest decision of the offseason if Luke does retire. Yes, he is still a good but not great defender, but his offensive liabilities, age, and contract are deadly. Also, if he starts to dip, I don't how he'd handle losing minutes to Barnes and/or Ebanks. I'd make this move, with regret.

2. Sign Shane Battier--I know what most of you are thinking: Give up one old guy who just plays D for another, right? Well, here me out. Battier is a much better outside shooter than Artest. He also seems to have a body that may have more miles left on it than Ron. Battier also wouldn't be the type of guy to have problems if he lost some minutes to Barnes and/or Ebanks. Give him a 2 year deal at about $6 to 8 million.

3. Sign Baron Davis--The biggest need on this roster is a guy who can break down a defense and create for himself and others. Baron obviously comes with baggage, but his numbers last year were still quite strong across the board. He is also returning to his hometown and a contender, so I'm expecting him to be motivated and in better shape. He has much to prove and Kobe could be great for a guy like him. Give him a 2 year deal at $4 million. We have to take a gamble, and this is a calculated gamble that can pay huge dividends.

4. Sign Jeff Foster--Very easy. Give him the vet min and tell him to come in and bang on Bynum in practice, rebound and play D for the 8-10 min a night he'll be playing, and hit an open jumper if he's open. He knows Brown also, so that helps.

Our roster with these moves is as follows:

PG--Baron, Fisher, Morris
SG--Kobe, Blake (Goodeluck doesn't make team)
SF--Battier, Barnes, Ebanks
PF--Gasol, Odom, Caracter
C--Bynum, Foster

Sure, it's a veteran team but that's just what we are at this point. We ride that until Kobe is gone. Yet, we still have Morris and Ebanks to groom and give a few minutes to. Also, we have the ingredients to make a deal down the road for Howard or Paul by offering Bynum in a multiplayer and pick package.

These are my suggestions once this crap is over to get us back to where we need to be and I'm hopeful the provisions in the new CBA once it is implemented will allow us to do these things. Hopefully, we'll soon see.

[krisobe]

Solid.

[unleasHell]

I would take Baron Davis to keep him out of Miami...
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“Always remember... Rumors are carried by haters, spread by fools, and accepted by idiots.”

[yinoma2001]

I think the OP's suggestions are the type of "splash" this team will make if/when the season starts. I've always liked Foster as the #4 big, someone who can absorb 10 mpg and not screw up.

I can see the team using the amnesty on MWP as well. Shane really didn't look that great with the Grizzlies, except for a few and spotty surprise showings in the playoffs. But if we can lock Battier for 2 years, at a low cost, it works. But why not Tayshaun if you're looking at Battier? I know he and Kuester are not buddies, but wouldn't Prince make sense for the Lakers if the price is the same as Battier?

Baron as an amnesty sign up makes a lot of sense as well.
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From 2-10 to the Western Conference Finals

[salvosation]

[ericp6387]

I have no problem with Tay, but I don't think it's as realistic because he can get more money from teams like LAC and NJN, and the Kuester thing as well. I just think Shane is more realistic.

[checkitmyles]

Plus, Tayshaun isn't as good of a spot up shooter as Battier is. Sure, Prince can create his own shot, but we already have 4 guys in the offense that can do that with Baron/Kobe/Pau/Bynum, plus LO off the bench. Every championship team needs a shooter to stretch the D (Ariza/Fish in the last couple of years come to mind) and with Battier we get another guy just like that. I really like the ideas in this thread, of course a lot would depend on Baron. If he gets smarter and chucks less, we'll be a contending team. If he plays like he thinks he's the #1 option in the offense, then we might have a problem.

[scoobs]

Good ideas. I wouldn't be surprised if those two moves happen. At this point, I think Artest is a back up NBA SF and Barnes is a 3rd string SF/PF. Battier would be solid. Other candidates could be Rashard Lewis (him and Kobe came into the league together, his ability to play PF would come in handy if LO is traded) and Mike Miller (He lives in L.A. and the Lakers almost signed him last off season). I really hope the Lakers could trade Bynum and LO for Dwight Howard.

[scoobs]

Also at the PG, Fisher and Blake are NBA back ups at the position. The Lakers defiantly need to fill that hole. Davis is still a decent NBA starting PG with all his flaws, you just have to surround him with as many shooters as possible. I'm going to assume that we only have a MLE of 2.5 million. I guess I would split that between Davis and Rashard Lewis. I'm not sure how many amnesty players each team could sign, but I would also try to sign Mike Miller and Jeff Foster for the vet min. I don't think Battier would take that big of a pay cut. Potential roster could look like this:

PF-Gasol/Lewis/Caracter
SF-Miller/Artest/Barnes
C-Howard/Foster
PG-Davis/Fisher/Blake
SG-Kobe/Morris/Goudelock

Minutes:
Gasol 36
Miller 36
Howard 36
Davis 36
Bryant 36
Lewis 24
Artest 12
Foster 12
Fisher 12

I think this squad has good balance:
Post scorers: Howard, Gasol and Kobe
Shooters: Miller, Lewis and Fisher
Play maker: Davis and Kobe
Defensive role players: Artest and Foster

[checkitmyles]

Ignoring the last poster because he's smoking on a pipe, I really like the OP's idea but I just saw that Blake is our backup SG. I'd rather sign someone who can actually play SG to the minimum, anyone really, just to have a body there as a backup rather than putting Blake there.

[iimarshon]

I dont think we could afford all 3. I dont think Foster is likely.

Baron and Battier would be great adds.

GLock deff makes the team
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[iggypop123]

i could see foster staying out of loyalty, going to the spurs since its his hometown i think. battier might command the mini mid level not the vets minimum. we dont have to worry about davis preferring miami. he prefers us.
lol luke will not retire. i have a better chance of having a threesome with rihanna and katy perry. id love to use it on blake but i think management likes him.
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Kobe "I mean Phil's been here, and -- to be honest with you -- we might have, in all the years I've been with Phil, (had) maybe three defensive drills the entire time"

[fansincemagic]

[cital]

The more I think about the new rules, etc. I think the Lakers should amnesty Artest. At first I didn't think so, but now I do. In three years his contract will kill us.

[SouljahPhil...]

I think I will only want Shard then Foster if he wants to come here for vet min... for pg i think 1 of goudelock or morris makes the team...