Lakers in the News 8/15/12: Lakers report card: Front office was perfect with every signing

 
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Cha*n
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 8:48 am    Post subject: Lakers in the News 8/15/12: Lakers report card: Front office was perfect with every signing

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Lakers report card: Front office was perfect with every signing

Lakers executive Jim Buss deserves a lot of credit for the team's off-season moves. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times / August 15, 2012)

By Mark Medina

August 15, 2012, 8:29 a.m.
The Lakers entered the off-season with plenty of variables suggesting they wouldn't significantly upgrade their roster.

They still remained the highest-spending team. They indicated they hoped to cut spending to prevent increased luxury taxes under the new labor deal. The Lakers had too many long-term contracts. Many teams wouldn't find their bench players find desirable. Even executive Jim Buss told The Times' T.J. Simers not to expect major changes. Though no one with the Lakers felt satisfied with two consecutive playoff exits in the Western Conference semifinals, they still maintained that the current group could still win an NBA title after having a more thorough training camp.

Yet, the Lakers still managed to do what they've historically done. They made big moves. They didn't let finances get in the way of building a championship-caliber roster. The Lakers made everyone else in the league wonder how the they pulled it off. Well, plenty of that credit goes to General Manager Mitch Kupchak and Jim Buss, who receive an A+ for their work. Below is a breakdown on what made each signing great and the challenges they faced securing them


http://www.latimes.com/sports/lakersnow/la-sp-ln-la-lakers-report-card-front-office-was-perfect-with-every-signing-20120814,0,5644360.story
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Cha*n
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 8:52 am    Post subject:

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Lakers’ Bench Stench is No More – Fan’s Analysis
By Signing Free Agents Jodie Meeks and Antawn Jamison and Re-signing Jordan Hill, the Los Angeles Lakers Have Significantly Strengthened Their Weak 2012 Bench

By Andrew Sweat | Yahoo! Contributor Network – 13 hours ago.. .

One of the Los Angeles Lakers' biggest weaknesses in 2012 was the complete lack of depth coming off the bench.

Call it the Lakers' bench stench.

But heading into 2013 the stench has been eliminated with key offseason signings, giving the Lakers a strong second unit as they gear up for a championship run.

Here is my analysis as a Lakers fan of how the 2012 bench compares to the newly improved 2013 second unit.

Point Guard - No Change (Steve Blake)

Steve Blake continues to man the backup point guard position and he is what he is - a steady veteran who rarely makes big mistakes but does little to make the Lakers noticeably better. Blake's averages over the past two years with the Lakers are about what to expect in 2013 - 4.5 PTS, 2.6 AST, 37% FG, 36% 3PT.

Shooting Guard - Upgrade (Jodie Meeks over Andrew Goudelock)

Andrew Goudelock played roughly 10 minutes per game with limited productivity as a rookie in 2012. Free-agent signee Jodie Meeks will represent a huge upgrade at the guard position. Over his last two seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers Meeks started 114 of 140 games and averaged 9.5 points on 42% shooting, including a solid 38% from the 3-point line. Additionally, Meeks' 235 3-point field goals over the last two seasons were 14th most in the NBA, giving the Lakers a weapon from downtown they sorely lacked in 2012.


http://sports.yahoo.com/news/lakers-bench-stench-no-more-fan-analysis-033500367--nba.html


Last edited by Cha*n on Wed Aug 15, 2012 9:10 am; edited 1 time in total
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 8:55 am    Post subject:

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How the Lakers match up: Oklahoma City Thunder
August, 15, 2012

By bkamen
ESPNLosAngeles.com

On the odd chance there was still any question after the 2010-11 season, the Oklahoma City Thunder proved unequivocally they'd passed the Lakers in the Western Conference pecking order. Whipped past, like Russell Westbrook on the break. Six more wins in the regular season (no small figure in a 66-game schedule, and bigger than the gap between L.A. as the W.C.'s third best team and Utah in the eight spot). Then came the playoffs, when OKC romped in five games.

Don't give me any of that "Yeah, but the Lakers could have won!" stuff, either. In the NBA, when a team beats another 4-1 over a seven game series, they're better, and usually by a lot. Period.

Of course, that Lakers team didn't have Dwight Howard. Or Steve Nash. Or bench scoring in the form of Antawn Jamison. Needless to say, the Summer of Jitch (Jim and Mitch -- feel free to go with Miim if you'd like) has changed the conversation significantly. With that in mind, how do the new look Lakers match up with other contenders around the NBA? In an effort to froth up some preseason debate, we're chatting up bloggers around the Association, starting in OKC with our man Royce Young, proprietor of the outstanding Daily Thunder:


http://espn.go.com/blog/los-angeles/lakers/post/_/id/32492/how-the-lakers-match-up-oklahoma-city-thunder
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Cha*n
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 8:58 am    Post subject:

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The Lakers May Face A Luxury Tax Payment Of $115 Million In 2014-2015

By Dylan Murphy

This according to ESPN’s Henry Abbott and luxury tax guru Larry Coon. The latest collective bargaining agreement was designed to keep teams under the salary cap – while going over is permitted under the “soft” cap rules, mostly to re-sign superstars and keep teams together for years, ultimately any team with the money can go well overboard. And that’s what the Lakers have done this season.

Here are some numbers to swallow for 2012-2013.

Dwight Howard: $19,261,200
Kobe Bryant: $27,849,149
Pau Gasol: $19,000,000
Steve Nash: 8,900,000
Metta World Peace: $7,258,960

And that’s just the starting five. Yikes.

For a further breakdown, here’s Larry Coon, via Henry Abbott of ESPN:


“The Lakers will have a tax bill of around $30 million next July, and in retrospect, will view this season as their salad days — it’s the last one where the tax rate is dollar-for-dollar. Starting in 2013-14 the new “incremental” tax takes over, where being $30 million above the tax line will mean paying a whopping $85 million tax bill.

And it gets worse. Starting in 2014-15 teams will pay an even higher rate for being repeat offenders — defined as paying tax in at least three of the four previous seasons. A team $30 million over the tax line will pay — brace yourself — an additional $115 million in luxury tax.

After adding up their payroll, luxury tax bill and revenue sharing contribution (projected to be $49.4 million in 2013-14), even the Lakers have to stop to consider whether this simply can be written off as the cost of doing business — and that’s the future if they’re paying players with salaries like Bryant, Howard, Gasol and Nash.”


http://dimemag.com/2012/08/the-lakers-may-face-a-luxury-tax-payment-of-115-million-in-2014-2015/
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 9:00 am    Post subject:

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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar knows what Lakers' Dwight Howard is going through
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was once a young dominant center who was traded to the Lakers, like Howard was last week. He says Howard will bring the energy every game, something he says Andrew Bynum did not do.

Lakers great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar says Dwight Howard is committed to winning with the Lakers.

By Mark Medina

August 14, 2012, 7:17 p.m.
Their stories are eerily similar, even if there is a gap of 37 years between them.

Each was the NBA's dominant center and each demanded to be traded. Both stars ended up with the Lakers and their deals sent shock waves across the league.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was 28 when he was traded by the Milwaukee Bucks to the Lakers in 1975 as part of a six-player deal, while Dwight Howard, 26, arrived Friday as part of a four-team, 12-player trade that also sent Andrew Bynum to the Philadelphia 76ers.

PHOTOS: Dwight Howard's Magic days

Abdul-Jabbar won five of his six NBA titles with the Lakers and then spent several years as a special assistant coach working with Bynum.

In a wide-ranging interview with The Times, Abdul-Jabbar shared his thoughts about the Howard trade, the pressure on the Lakers to win another title and how he ranks among the team's all-time centers.


http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/lakers/la-sp-lakers-kareem-howard-20120815,0,6552389.story
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 9:04 am    Post subject:

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NBA Lakers Rumors 2012: Los Angeles to Add Former Magic Coach With Dwight Howard
August 15, 2012 12:40 PM EDT
The latest NBA Lakers rumors for 2012, now that Dwight Howard is part of the team, indicate that another member of the Orlando Magic personnel may be joining the LA Lakers as well. Reportedly, Steve Clifford, an assistant in Orlando while D-Howard was there, is set to join Los Angeles as well.

The latest reports arrive via Bleacher Report and other sources regarding the new Lakers rumors. Prior to this talk, Clifford was seemingly going to Portland to work with the Blazers as an assistant. However, who could pass up going to a historic franchise like LA and working with your former superstar? It seems like an ideal situation for most coaches. Steve Nash and Dwight Howard may even help Mike Brown win an award or two with the Lakers, so coaches certainly benefit from the new all-star additions, as well as Kobe. Nobody was saying much about Erik Spoelstra of the Miami Heat until he won a championship. Now he's considered a halfway decent coach (surrounded by great players).

As the BR article notes:

"Clifford is a great X's and O's coach, but it is the relationship and familiarity between the coach and Howard that made this a smart choice for the Lakers organization."


http://sports.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474981547643
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thurloly
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 9:05 am    Post subject:

Chan, the story of Laker report card and Lakers’ Bench Stench share the same link.

Other than that, thanks for the great newspaper report.
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 9:07 am    Post subject:

Cha*n wrote:
Quote:

"Clifford is a great X's and O's coach, but it is the relationship and familiarity between the coach and Howard that made this a smart choice for the Lakers organization."


I find it hard to believe that Mitch would hire a new (assistant) coach while being on vacation.

Cha*n wrote:
Quote:
The Lakers May Face A Luxury Tax Payment Of $115 Million In 2014-2015


Ah come on dylan. If Kobe, Gasol and MWP even return, they'll return for much less money.
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 9:08 am    Post subject:

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Trading for a dominant center a proven way to win big

Posted Aug 15 2012 10:16AM

Dwight Howard goes from Orlando to the Los Angeles Lakers in a four-team trade with Denver and Philly and somebody for just a minute has to ask who got the best end of the deal.

Really?

When will the world learn that when it comes to great centers in the NBA, yes, you can trade them, but then you have to be prepared to live with the short end of the stick.

Let the fans in Denver envision Andre Iguodala in George Karl's open court game. Let the fans of the Sixers believe Andrew Bynum will usher a new era into Philly. Let the good folks of Orlando pray that Arron Afflalo blossoms into an All-Star and that trade exceptions and salary cap space delivers an answer from the heavens. They better pray hard.

But size matters, as the saying goes. You can't teach height.

Here are a half dozen examples why, in evaluating any deal of great centers, the smart money always thinks big:

Wilt Chamberlain

Traded: Jan. 15, 1965 to the Philadelphia 76ers.


http://www.nba.com/2012/news/features/fran_blinebury/08/15/centers-in-trades/
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 9:12 am    Post subject:

thurloly wrote:
Chan, the story of Laker report card and Lakers’ Bench Stench share the same link.

Other than that, thanks for the great newspaper report.



Corrected and many thanks.
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 9:30 am    Post subject:

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Front and center: Howard has big shoes to fill in L.A.

There have been, through the years, certain glamor positions in professional sports: Centerfield for the New York Yankees, quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys, center for the Montreal Canadiens, middle linebacker for the Chicago Bears.

And center for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Oh, there have been some exceptions over time, some seasons in which that spot has been manned by the very good (Andrew Bynum, Vlade Divac), the mostly OK (Elmore Smith, Elden Campbell) and the mostly meh (Darrell Imhoff, Leroy Ellis, Ray Felix, Chris Mihm, Kwame Brown). But no NBA franchise has been as defined as much by a succession of Hall of Fame-worthy big men in the middle -- or been able to acquire or attract them -- quite like the Lakers.

The tradition began in the franchise's Minneapolis days with "Wonder of the World" George Mikan, continued through Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and entered a new millennium with Shaquille O'Neal. Now comes Dwight Howard.

To fans in Los Angeles, landing the game's best center must seem like a birthright. To many others throughout the NBA, it's a XXXL source of consternation. The Lakers figure to be perhaps the No.1 storyline of the 2012-13 season -- Howard joins Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and newcomer Steve Nash in the league's No. 1 glamour market -- and they'll lug perhaps the greatest expectations into the postseason next April.

As a primer for how the legendary NBA centers, and the team, have done in their time together, here is a look at Mikan, Chamberlain, Abdul-Jabbar and O'Neal, and the size 22EEE's that Howard has to fill:


LINK
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 9:38 am    Post subject:

32 wrote:
LINK


Watch the Kareem video. You'll cry.
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 9:50 am    Post subject:

Chronicle wrote:


Ah come on dylan. If Kobe, Gasol and MWP even return, they'll return for much less money.


no no and HELL no
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 12:08 pm    Post subject:

Chronicle wrote:
32 wrote:
LINK


Watch the Kareem video. You'll cry.


Shaq's video, especially toward the end .. oh what could have been.
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 12:51 pm    Post subject:

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Trading for a dominant center a proven way to win big

Dwight Howard goes from Orlando to the Los Angeles Lakers in a four-team trade with Denver and Philly and somebody for just a minute has to ask who got the best end of the deal.

Really?

When will the world learn that when it comes to great centers in the NBA, yes, you can trade them, but then you have to be prepared to live with the short end of the stick.

Let the fans in Denver envision Andre Iguodala in George Karl's open court game. Let the fans of the Sixers believe Andrew Bynum will usher a new era into Philly. Let the good folks of Orlando pray that Arron Afflalo blossoms into an All-Star and that trade exceptions and salary cap space delivers an answer from the heavens. They better pray hard.

But size matters, as the saying goes. You can't teach height.

Here are a half dozen examples why, in evaluating any deal of great centers, the smart money always thinks big:


LINK
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 1:22 pm    Post subject:

Great news.. Keep it up
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 5:35 pm    Post subject:

Im proud once more of my franchise! Thats why we are who we are, we almost always find a way to get it done! Unilke many of the opponets fans comments, we dont just get whoever we want when we want. We usually get punked by players trying to drive their worth up by threatening to play with us, but end up going elsewhere. We just have great GMs who we bash much too often. Fact of the matter is...we`re spoiled rotten being Laker fans! Nothing wrong with wanting or demanding the best. Keeps the owner and front office knowing that they cant slack, not that I have ever doubted Doc Buses drive to be the best!
So raise your goblets...heres one to the best franchise in all of sports!
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 9:02 pm    Post subject:

Cha*n wrote:
thurloly wrote:
Chan, the story of Laker report card and Lakers’ Bench Stench share the same link.

Other than that, thanks for the great newspaper report.



Corrected and many thanks.


And many thanks to you Cha*n...it was enjoyable reading all of them.
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TooMuchMajicBuss
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 9:28 pm    Post subject:

Thanks again Cha*n, good reads today!

Hill, Meeks, Jamison, Nash, and Howard.... Mitch you crazy fool! I'd say the jello's jiggling but you nuked the fridge this summer!
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