Everyone says Lakers will suck after Shaq trade, not so fast..

[Yuma]

"In return for the sport's most dominant force over the past decade, the Heat was forced to part with promising forwards Lamar Odom and Caron Butler, but also was able to unload the burdensome contract of erstwhile center Brian Grant. In addition, the Lakers will receive a future first-round draft choice."

Assuming Kobe resigns with the Lakers:

PG Payton
SG Kobe
C Grant
PF Butler
SF Odom

Also they still have Devon George, Walton, Kareem Rush, and maybe Malone resigns.

Rick Fox will be coming off injury. And the Lakers have two draft picks, Sasha Vjacic (G), Marcus Douthit (F-C), and a young guy Brian Cook (F).

This still is NOT a pushover team. Why does everyone think this team is automatically horrible?

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

Bcause Grant and Odom are undersized at the 5 and 4. They will be good, but they can get pushed around a lot.

No to mention, I think Odom slips this year. Being back in LA and with old friends could ruin his career.

 

[Bada0Bing]

They look pretty weak in the middle, and I'm not too scared of that bench.

 

[devilalum]

"In return for the sport's most dominant force over the past decade, the Heat was forced to part with promising forwards Lamar Odom and Caron Butler, but also was able to unload the burdensome contract of erstwhile center Brian Grant. In addition, the Lakers will receive a future first-round draft choice."

Assuming Kobe resigns with the Lakers:

PG Payton
SG Kobe
C Grant
PF Butler
SF Odom

Also they still have Devon George, Walton, Kareem Rush, and maybe Malone resigns.

Rick Fox will be coming off injury. And the Lakers have two draft picks, Sasha Vjacic (G), Marcus Douthit (F-C), and a young guy Brian Cook (F).

This still is NOT a pushover team. Why does everyone think this team is automatically horrible?

Amare should go nuts against that front line.

 

[fordronken]

They won't suck, but they aren't an elite team, either. I really like Kobe and Odom at the 2 and 3, and some of their bench. The problem is that they don't have any long term solutions at the point(unless Vujachic plays well), power or center spots.

 

[AmareFan]

they're done...Odom is a has been, one great year...big deal. Brian Grant at center, come on? The glove who lost his glove, did anyone see the glove in the playoffs? he got worked by every point guard. Outside of Kobe and Butler you don't have much, and the bench is weak as hell. The Lakers will be falling to the bottom of the division this year, and the Suns will have a hayday against them. Amare will average 25+ pts against the Lakers this year. Take it to the bank.

You can't convince me that the LA trade is a good trade, they lost the best and most dominant player in the NBA. Are the Laker fans forgetting that? How can this help your team?

 

[fordronken]

As Marc Stein put it(I can't believe I'm quoting Marc Stein), one all-star would have been nice.

 

[perivolaki]

Doesn't solve a thing

To me they still have some problems. Payton didn't look to happy to be there by the end of last year. Makes one wonder if there will be a continuing attitude problem for the Lakers.

 

[Dave64]

The Lakers will do a sign and trade for Dampier to be their center.

 

[George O'Brien]

To me they still have some problems. Payton didn't look to happy to be there by the end of last year. Makes one wonder if there will be a continuing attitude problem for the Lakers.

Payton was hopeless in the triangle. He may be hopeless overall, but his offense would come back in the Heat Plus offense. This team will join the Mavs and Suns as teams that will score a mess of points and have a hard time stopping anyone.

 

[Joe Mama]

We are speculating about an unfinished team. I'm not sure what they can do, but I think the Lakers will definitely make more moves. As their team stands now they look like they will be battling with the Phoenix Suns, the Utah Jazz, the Portland Trail Blazers, the Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets, and Memphis grizzlies for the last four or five spots in the playoffs. Barring injuries I figure Minnesota, San Antonio, and Sacramento are locks.

Anybody else hoping that Kobe Bryant in the Lakers fail miserably without Shaquille O'Neal? I mean not just because that the Lakers, but because of the late Kobe Bryant has seemingly and GM of the team this summer.

Joe Mama

 

[F-Dog]

I don't think anybody says the Lakers will suck, but they also don't look like a championship contender (even if you include Kobe and an MLE-type player) and they also don't have the same talent and upside as, say, the Clippers would, if Kobe signs there.

 

[AmareFan]

Dampier is not the answer....Did we forget that Shaq is the most dominating center in years, in a decade? As Roy Jones Jr would say, "Y'all must of forgot". The Lakers will be vastly different from this year and have a greater chance of not making the playoffs in 2005....I hope the hell Kobe signs with the Clipps.