Laker win the championship in 2008 for sure.

wolfpaclaker · Retired Number Joined: 29 May 2002 Posts: 58352

Great to see the Heat fans are back.

Anytime a team has Kobe Bryant on the roster and Phil Jackson coaching, ANYTHING can happen. Look at the Suns series, noone in the NBA would have guess that the Lakers would be up 3-1 and do it convincingly.

At the same time, realistically a 45 win team doesn't go to a championship the next season. Ussually it takes a couple of 50+ win season's and playoff experience for the team to finally get over the hump. I'd say 2008 is possible, but in order for that to be the year the Lakers would need to have a 50+ win season this year as well as atleast 2 rounds of playoff advancement. Along with that developpment of Bynum, Farmar, Radmanovic and Kwame.

golakersgo121 · Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2006 5:02 pm Post subject:

TEEGUNN · Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2006 6:42 pm Post subject:

TEEGUNN · Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2006 6:45 pm Post subject:

wolfpaclaker · Retired Number Joined: 29 May 2002 Posts: 58352

To EXPECT is getting ahead of ourselves. To rule everything out like a god who knows the future, that is Sky's job.

When you have Bryant and Jackson along with a talented forward like Odom - you aren't that far off to begin with.

I'm not expecting a ring, but I wouldn't be shocked if the Lakers are competing for one next season. It will depend alot on certain talent developping.

This thread is probably just as far fetched as those who say it's not happening. Neither is any more right than the other.

TEEGUNN · Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2006 7:25 pm Post subject:

Any more right?? Or any more likely? Big difference. Nothing wrong with a difference of opinions though. MY opinion is that is it very unlikely we will be competing for a ring these next two seasons. But keep in mind I have the same dream for this team as everyone else - bling baby.
_________________
"Why do you think bad things happen, anyway???" "So we have something good to look forward to."

Jake Speed, 1986

wolfpaclaker · Retired Number Joined: 29 May 2002 Posts: 58352

davidse · Franchise Player Joined: 03 Jul 2005 Posts: 14302

for some reason you failed to mention the team that pops in my mind when i think about 2007/8 - the bulls.
we have nothing on them in terms of pottential, and probably in terms of present as well.
a team people tend to disregard, but that will change by next summer - trust me.

also - who knows just how good lebron becomes by that time ? at the rate he's going at - its a frightening thought. a good offseason for the cavs next summer - and anything can happen.

and the other dark horse people don't pay attention to are the rockets.
if theyr'e healthy and make the right offseason moves - forget it.
in two years bynum may be a solid back up. yao will be the best center in the league by far at that time.

lets not get ahead of ourselves. it is possible for the lakers to put together a title team in 2007/8, but this hope is depended on mitch making some very good moves for us - probably trades.
i'm not sure a free agent signing would be enough to make us champions 1 year from now.

our most talented young players will still be too young(farmar and bynum), and the great depth we have doesn't win titles. we'll need at least one good quantity for quality trade, and then with current development and one solid f.a. acquisition next summer - we can have a chance.
needless to say - either the free agent or more probably the trade target (or both) will have to be veterans. that will complete the championship puzzle.

so bottom line - i think that two major contributers to the lakers' pottential 2007/8 title team are currently not part of the laker roster.

i don't think anything else will be good enough.
we may have enough talent with this current team, but 2007/8 is too soon for that talent to reach title impact.

wolfpaclaker · Retired Number Joined: 29 May 2002 Posts: 58352

On of your more fair posts, David.

Here's what I disagree with.

LA_Lakers_Rule · Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2006 7:54 pm Post subject:

24isjoking23 wrote:

Wino · Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2006 8:07 pm Post subject:

davidse · Franchise Player Joined: 03 Jul 2005 Posts: 14302

well wolf, i'll ignore the "fair" reference you made, although i am ten times more fair than your average lg homer, and not afraid or ashamed to be one.

anyway, can farmar play in the nba in 1 year's time ?
defenetly looks like it.

but we are not talking about "playing", or even playing well.
we are talking about winning it all.
i will be shocked if farmar would be good enough to do that in a year. just getting the playing time this year won't be as easy as some may think. just read emplay reminding us of t. brown a couple of years ago...

i think there is a huge difference between contributing -even bynum might be able to contribute - defenetly as a back up, another 6 fouls and some shot blocking in 2007/8 - and championship caliber play.

when the lakers build their roster next summer, planning to try and win a title that coming year - it is exremely doubtfull they'll view farmar as the clear starter for that attempt at a title. he'll have to have an increadible 2006/7 season for that to happen.
he could eventualy earn that spot in 2007/8, but i don't think he will because the lakers will make sure there is a starting caliber point guard on the roster with him - my guess an mle acquisition.

i still say two major contributers are currently not lakers - if we are to win in 2007/8.

looking ahead, my hope is that our guard rotation next summer will consist of an mle starter, farmar back up, and sasha as a 5th guard behind our pg's, kobe, and mo evans.

that right there leaves you with shammond and smush (s+t) as assets for front court upgrades (along with cook, mihm, 1st rd pick, etc) - to get that second veteran.

obviously i would love for farmar to be ready, but there is a little too much hype going around about his chances of being ready in such a short time. at least two pg's in this year's draft - rondo and williams, have looked even more impressive than farmar so far this offseason, but you don't hear people talking them up as being ready to start for a championship team in 1 year's time..
too much "home" excitment if you ask me.
at least untill we see what he can do against real competition, and whether or not phil even gives him the chance...

i think its much more realistic to hope he can become a great back up for a 2007/8 title team (which would already make him a very good pg at that stage), and it would still mean he's on pace to become a great starter for us - hopefully one year later.
i know people think big men take a lot of time to develop, but i think the hardest position to learn as a young player is pg.

venturalakersfan · Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2006 9:18 pm Post subject:

J.C. Smith · Franchise Player Joined: 23 Jun 2005 Posts: 12680

JerryMagicKobe · Moderator Joined: 28 Jul 2005 Posts: 15100

Wow, great posts - good thread. I think that our CURRENT starters are good enough, and will show improvement enough to limit the amount or time Farmar and Bynum plays early this season. But at the end of this year, and all of next year, they'll both get some time. Phil has shown that he will play GOOD young players (Pippen and HoGrant to name 2). But even if neither starts, Phil will FINISH with whoever is playing the best. Farmar and Bynum both bring skills that were lacking from last years lineup. Those skills may be especially valuable in the playoffs. Both seem to have impressed their coaches (Phil said he wanted more minutes for Bynum down the stretch LAST year). They are clearly starters in the future, it's just a matter of time.

LawyerShawn · Star Player Joined: 22 Jun 2005 Posts: 1834

*Purple&Gold* · Posted: Sun Oct 15, 2006 1:22 pm Post subject:

No offense to any Eddie Jones fans out there, but any team with Eddie on it is not going to win a title, unless he is riding the pine. His dissapearing act during several playoff runs did not go unnoticed by the Lakers brass, and I beleive this is what lead to his demise in Miami. (by Shaq anyway)

dcarter4kobe · Franchise Player Joined: 30 Jul 2005 Posts: 17689

I pray that it be this in 08 when we win it

Drew 10-7(maybe to much)
Kwame 14-8(find his mid-range shot again)
Lamar 17-9-6
Kobe 26-5-5
Farmer 12-4-7
6th man Vlad 10-4
7th man Smush 8-3-3
8th man Ronny 5-4
_________________
"He's a Zen master, so he can speak to you, and he doesn't need a microphone; you can hear him in your head, 'Ron, don't shoot, don't shoot.' Whatever, pow, three. I love the Zen, though."

cirehawk · Star Player Joined: 08 Jun 2005 Posts: 5543

lakers4lyfe · Starting Rotation Joined: 21 Aug 2005 Posts: 375

what about this year???

D Nice · Star Player Joined: 15 Aug 2006 Posts: 1933

It's plausible for us to win it in 08-09, but we shouldn't expect it, and that's the earliest i see us winning it.

Farmar needs 2 years to build up his body, get his stroke, and learn to play defense at a high level.

Bynum needs to get his skills to catch up with his body, and become more aware on both ends. No way does this happen in another year. It will take at least 2.

If they can do that within 2 years, I think Kobe/Odom/Vlad starting and Sasha/Evans/Pinnock/Walton/Turiaf/Kwame off the bench will be good enough to win it all. But this is exactly why we need to trade Mihm and give Bynum more minutes, and drop Smush's minutes for Jordan's. THEY NEED PT IF THEY ARE GOING TO IMPROVE!