Laker Report: Rough Patch

emplay · Site Staff Joined: 15 Apr 2001 Posts: 25549

Hey all - here's my latest

Rough Patch

Hang in there . . .
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Salary Cap Strategist and Columnist at Bleacher Report and on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/EricPincus

ocho · Retired Number Joined: 24 May 2005 Posts: 53793

nice work eric.
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lakeshow03 · Star Player Joined: 19 Jul 2005 Posts: 3078

thanks emplay

i hope we can get a shooter and/or a defensive pg

Addicus · Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2006 10:41 pm Post subject:

Straight 2 the point and very well done!
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Runway8 · Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2006 10:44 pm Post subject:

Good read... However, Emplay, there seems to be a contradiction in this sentence:

"The Lakers weren't willing to make that move and though long term it may prove to be a mistake . . . the decision was at least reasonable with the big picture in mind."

Doesn't the "big picture" mean in the long run? So it's like saying, "not making the move could be a mistake in the long run, but the decision to not make the move was reasonable with the long run in mind."

LAL25 · Starting Rotation Joined: 03 Jun 2002 Posts: 885

The Lakers don't necessarily need star power right now. '

Reggie Evans
Danny Fortson
Flip Murray
Jarvis Hayes
Tony Delk

All those players could contribute to the Lakers in some degree in a much better way than 80% of our current roster. It's more about bench power than star power.

Zhengi · Star Player Joined: 06 Sep 2004 Posts: 6445

Nicely written emplay and well put. I hope some of those Odom haters and chicken little Laker fans read it and understand that keeping the 2007 cap plan is the most reasonable course at the moment.
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emplay · Site Staff Joined: 15 Apr 2001 Posts: 25549

my point with that sentence is that it was a reasonable decision with the long term in mind . . . but long term it may have been a mistake.
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Great One · Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2006 10:51 pm Post subject:

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"Nobody hates the good ones. They hate the great ones." - KB

emplay · Site Staff Joined: 15 Apr 2001 Posts: 25549

i dont view it much as the 2007 plan but the bynum plan. if he can be what they hope . . . they already have most of what the need to win . . . just not today.
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Salary Cap Strategist and Columnist at Bleacher Report and on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/EricPincus

A Mad Chinaman · Star Player Joined: 07 Apr 2005 Posts: 6142

Emplay - Great article that is directly "On Point" on various subjects.

Re: Bynum
He has shown enough of his talents to recognize that he is worth waiting for to see how good/great he will become. With other teams constantly requesting that Bynum be part of a trade provides additional evidence. He is not ready now, but the goal is to have him ready for important minutes during the playoffs.

Re: LO
It is a correct assessment that his asset is in his role of the initiator/facilator. IMO - people are not really expecting him to be Pippen duplicate, but wondering if he can be a little bit like Magic in setting up players to score via PENETRATING/Driving towards the Paint to attract double teams that would allow clean open shots and/or layups. In this role, he would have Kobe coming off screens to score. Hopefully if teams are double-teaming Kobe/LO, it will allow for cutters to get layups - since they are having a hard time making wide open shots.

Re: Artest / Boozer
Your analysis of the Artest situation is "on-point" and (IMO) Artest will be blowing up soon at SacTown with a losing team living in the land of cows. Maybe a deal for Boozer could be explored and/or maybe Turiaff would provide the needed energy/boards that Kwame is not providing at this time.

Re: Kwame
A great looking basketball (skills/body-wise) is producing nothing on the court. What do you feel is needed for Kwame to at least expend more energy on the court and to not be caught napping on the defensive end?!?!

Re: Gambler (Jerry Buss)
Are these players worth the wait/risk?
** Bynum - YES
** LO - Should be
** Luke - Possibly if he could pass to somebody that could score
** Sasha - Possibly if he could get comfortable and shoot better
** Cook - ?
** DGeorge - Trade Bait
** Slava - Trade Bait
** Green - Could be
** Profit - Good if he recovers completely
** Turiaff - Seemingly a Solid Yes
** Mihm - Better and Better as the days go on
** Brown - FADING, Fading, fading . . . .
** Von Wafer - Don't know
** McKie - who is the mysterious player?!?!?!

Runway8 · Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2006 11:24 pm Post subject:

tgf5 · Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2006 11:29 pm Post subject:

Nice job emplay. But I think this is more than a rough patch...

Endure 12 · Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2006 12:02 am Post subject:

Emplay;

Any word if the Lakers are shopping their expiring K's or will they just let them expire?

Thanks!

emplay · Site Staff Joined: 15 Apr 2001 Posts: 25549

Shopping isn't really the right word - just about everyone in the league knows what the Lakers have to offer. It'd more like someone calling LA at the deadline after the failed to get anything better from anyone else.
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orido86 · Starting Rotation Joined: 08 Jul 2003 Posts: 283

nice 1!

Endure 12 · Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2006 4:18 am Post subject:

angel · Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2006 5:11 am Post subject:

Ouch! Very rough!

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20,000 · Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2006 6:46 am Post subject:

Great explanation. I wonder if this will stop people from creating "Let's trade Odom" or "Let's trade Bynum" threads?

Wait, who am I kidding?
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LakerJam · Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2006 7:28 am Post subject:

Excellent article. While the losing hurts in the moment, I'm fine with the Laker vision for the time being. It's a smart, concise and reasonable plane, and it isn't predicated upon maxxing our cap by adding a player here or there that might help us win more games, but doesn't lend to really building a contender but only stifling us with bad contracts. Most teams just add talent here and there to address a weakness they may have on their team, but don't really understand the formula for building a champion. I like this current vision and I can roll with it to see what happens.

To listen to fans cry about "wasting Kobe's prime", I just can't believe how delusional some fans really are. If anyone expected the Lakers to already be contending after 1 year, they were straight up dreaming anyway. It was always going to take at least 3 yrs. to get back to that space, so we're not really "wasting" anything because we weren't going to be fighting for the title this season regardless. Even Phil said he didn't expect to contend until year 3 - not coincidentally after the plan yields an impact player.

As for Bynum, I certainly don't expect him to be the 2nd option on offense by next year, but I do expect him to be a regular contributor playing each game and having an impact. From how quickly he's developing and impressing, that's a reasonable expectation without putting too much pressure on him. In the meantime, we'll add worthy players and give Odom time to continue to acclimate to his role. I do wish the Lakers would add at least 1 player this year who can score consistently (Tim Thomas? - though I can't stand him) because Kobe really needs some help. My biggest concern for the immediate is that we're going to risk injury to Kobe, if we don't add some form of help and pressure release for him. Right now, he's just having to do too much.

wolfpaclaker · Retired Number Joined: 29 May 2002 Posts: 58336

NY_LakerFan · Star Player Joined: 24 Aug 2005 Posts: 1297

Thanks Eric. After watching my blood pressure boil while reading all the inane "I Hate Odom" topics, it is always nice to return to logical and well written features such as yours.

wolfpaclaker · Retired Number Joined: 29 May 2002 Posts: 58336

Oh and Eric, Excellent article.

Now you can remove the jinx too

lakerfanNC · Starting Rotation Joined: 10 Jul 2001 Posts: 467

That I thinks its going to take a awhile for Bynum to develop. And Phil isnt going to play him enough to make to expedite his devleopment. I dont see the RAW ability that I saw with KG and Kobe and even Lebron at his age.
I think he'll be a nice player but hes no prodigy. I meant if we could have had Artest for him. I dont see how you dont make that trade. But thats me..I mean Phil should start him in Mihms place. Play him next to Brown...

bounty · Star Player Joined: 15 Aug 2005 Posts: 3946

Nice read. Dont get the part where IF Bynum becomes dominate, while keeping LO where we will have $$$. Bynum will demand top dollar if he shows signs of being just avg.
Kobe
Bynum
LO.
Where will the $$$ come from for these so called F/A.
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