Lakers = Yankees

[KloD]

Payton was once one of my favorites...not anymore.
Malone...always hated you!
I don't know if this is the greatest starting line up, but it is the biggest pool of ego to be assembled. Just add SF. Does anyone else get that Yankee feeling with this new L.A. team? Being a Red Sox fan I am always glad to see them lose, now more than ever will I love seeing the Lakers fail. I have heard people say that Kobe and Shaq will still be the first and second options, but Karl and Gary have always been a first option and I can't see their games fitting in. It would take like 150 shots a night to make the four of them happy. Portland tried to have a bunch of starters on the same team and it exploded with half the ego of the new Lakers.

 

[WizardOfAz]

Hey, unlike the Yankees, the Lakers managed to upset you while staying within the confines of a salary-cap.

 

[Chaplin]

Aren't the Lakers already over the cap, which is why they wouldn't sign Payton and Malone to bigger deals?

 

[WizardOfAz]

Possibly true.

 

[Krangodnzr]

Originally posted by Chaplin
Aren't the Lakers already over the cap, which is why they wouldn't sign Payton and Malone to bigger deals?

Yep. Shaq alone eats up almost 30 million or so.

 

[Chaplin]

Originally posted by WizardOfAz
Possibly true.

Sorry to screw up your joke, Wiz.

Good one though!

 

[elindholm]

Shaq alone eats up almost 30 million or so.

Calories?

 

[Billythekid]

The, 'If you can't beat em, Join em attitude' kinda sux in teams sports.

I just see it as two good ball players almost on empty latching onto a near certainty to win it to win the NBA title. A team that has if healthy, already the two best players in the NBA. Some championships are earnt. Some are bought. If the lakers win. They'll have a bought a really nice one.

The LA Lakers... The best team money can buy.

 

[fordronken]

Originally posted by Billythekid
The, 'If you can't beat em, Join em attitude' kinda sux in teams sports.

I just see it as two good ball players almost on empty latching onto a near certainty to win it to win the NBA title. A team that has if healthy, already the two best players in the NBA. Some championships are earnt. Some are bought. If the lakers win. They'll have a bought a really nice one.

The LA Lakers... The best team money can buy.

I wouldn't call it bought. They aren't paying very much for their two new future hall of famers. If they win this championship, I would call it casually assuaged.

 

[elindholm]

If they win this championship, I would call it casually assuaged.

LOL. Imagine this scene next June:

The Lakers have just won the title, defeating the Spurs in the conference finals. Someone asks Popovic how he feels about the Lakers' accomplishment. He says, "Their title this season should really have an asterisk next to it, because it was casually assuaged." The room falls silent, the media guys look at him blankly ... Popovic says nothing further, and leaves the room.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Nothing but a bunch of haters.

Go Lakers!!!

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

Originally posted by Billythekid
The, 'If you can't beat em, Join em attitude' kinda sux in teams sports.

I just see it as two good ball players almost on empty latching onto a near certainty to win it to win the NBA title. A team that has if healthy, already the two best players in the NBA. Some championships are earnt. Some are bought. If the lakers win. They'll have a bought a really nice one.

The LA Lakers... The best team money can buy.

I have a problem with stuff like this. A lot of people seem to be thinking that they are latching onto LA to win a title. That may have been true is they won last year, but their signings brings LA back to the top. If they win a ring, they will both be major reasons why. I honestly dont think the Lakers had a chance thi s year without them.


The other thing is that what would you say had they gone for the money? What if Gary forced a sign and trade with portland so he could get twice as much as he is now. What if Malone pushed for more than the mid level from SA, changing some of their other plans this summer?

I think the fact that both of them took paycuts to have a shot at the title, knowing they will not be first or even the second option simply shows the dedication they have compared to many other players. Say what you will about their personallities (I hate Malone myself), but there is no denying their desire to win. These are 2 true competitors that are making financial sacrifices just so they can join the hundred of other players who have a ring. I mean hell, Malone is about to sign away the scoring title so he can win a championship.

It might be the first thing he has done that I respect him for.

 

[elindholm]

Spending a lot of money is no guarantee of winning a title. Just look at the Knicks or Dodgers. The goal in running a franchise is to win, and I don't fault the Lakers for spending money on players that will help them. They will have the best team without having the fattest payroll, and that's a worthy accomplishment.

I don't fault Payton or Malone either, but I confess I don't really understand it, at least not in Malone's case. Payton will help the Lakers a lot. Malone, on the Lakers, will be a mediocre role player, even though he could still put up All-Star caliber numbers on a different team. (Wouldn't he look awfully good on the Pistons, playing alongside Wallace, Anthony, and Hamilton?)

I've been a bench warmer on a very good team before, and it just wasn't that satisfying to me. Sure, once in a while I made a valuable contribution in a key game, but big deal -- someone else could have done it just as well; I had no illusion of being essential. If I were Malone, counting myself among the greatest players of all time, I wouldn't want my accomplishments to be inflated by what superstar teammates were able to do for me. Maybe that's just me.

Heck, let's get Barkley out of retirement while we're at it. He can play for the minimum and back up Malone for 15 minutes per game. Then he'll have a ring too, and presto, he'll be a greater player because of it.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

I don't fault Malone or Payton for trying to win a title before they retire. Payton is going to be getting a mutli-year deal out of LA, which is better than he would get elsewhere.

 

[KloD]

I still hate the Lakers, but I don't have fault with trying to build the best team. Of course that should be every teams goal. It's the players I find fault with. Say what you will but the Lakers did not win last year because of a missing Shaq in the beginning of the season and lack of a little fire under their asses. I just don't have respect for latching onto a "competitor". Especially one that has won 3 of the last 4 titles. With all the talk going on about the Lakers winning 70 plus games some might think we should just hand them the trophy and be done with it now. I hope for failure just to watch everyone backtrack.

The mention of "making a finacial sacrifice" just doesn't impress me when these guys are worth millions already.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Originally posted by KloD
I just don't have respect for latching onto a "competitor". Especially one that has won 3 of the last 4 titles.

Yeah, why don't more free agents, especially perennial All-Star/ future Hall-of-Fame veterans, sign with the bottom teams? :roll:

Gimme a break.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Originally posted by WizardOfAz
Hey, unlike the Yankees, the Lakers managed to upset you while staying within the confines of a salary-cap.

Ah - but you forget- the Yanks in their heyday weren't buying players - they were developing their own with a few great trades - once they started trying to buy championships(- Mondesi, Clemens, Giambi, Mussina) the last four years is when they started to go down hill (only one title since 2000) - let's pray the same is goes for the Lakes - help us Obamare-Sha-one Marbur-i - you're our only hope!

 

[green machine]

Originally posted by cheesebeef
Ah - but you forget- the Yanks in their heyday weren't buying players - they were developing their own with a few great trades - once they started trying to buy championships(- Mondesi, Clemens, Giambi, Mussina) the last four years is when they started to go down hill (only one title since 2000) - let's pray the same is goes for the Lakes - help us Obamare-Sha-one Marbur-i - you're our only hope!

I love that! The Yankees develped their players. True, they did. But a team like the Expos developed awesome players. But unlike the Yankees, the Expos couldn't afford to pay them all. The Yankees developed, and then bought players. If the Expos could keep all their home grown talent they would have been the best team in baseball for a long, long time.

adam

 

[KloD]

Yeah, why don't more free agents, especially perennial All-Star/ future Hall-of-Fame veterans, sign with the bottom teams?

Sorry, but both those guys could have taken the same pay with their original teams. Gary demanded millions and was shipped only to turn around and take much less. Karl did the same tho he wasn't shipped. I have respect for All-Star/ future Hall-of-Fame veterans who stick it out and retire from their team, Stockton comes to mind.

 

[Joe Mama]

Originally posted by elindholm
Spending a lot of money is no guarantee of winning a title. Just look at the Knicks or Dodgers. The goal in running a franchise is to win, and I don't fault the Lakers for spending money on players that will help them. They will have the best team without having the fattest payroll, and that's a worthy accomplishment.

I don't fault Payton or Malone either, but I confess I don't really understand it, at least not in Malone's case. Payton will help the Lakers a lot. Malone, on the Lakers, will be a mediocre role player, even though he could still put up All-Star caliber numbers on a different team. (Wouldn't he look awfully good on the Pistons, playing alongside Wallace, Anthony, and Hamilton?)

I've been a bench warmer on a very good team before, and it just wasn't that satisfying to me. Sure, once in a while I made a valuable contribution in a key game, but big deal -- someone else could have done it just as well; I had no illusion of being essential. If I were Malone, counting myself among the greatest players of all time, I wouldn't want my accomplishments to be inflated by what superstar teammates were able to do for me. Maybe that's just me.

Heck, let's get Barkley out of retirement while we're at it. He can play for the minimum and back up Malone for 15 minutes per game. Then he'll have a ring too, and presto, he'll be a greater player because of it.

I really think you are underestimating Malone's value to the Lakers. I think he is a more important piece than Gary Payton. For years the Lakers, their fans, coaches, players, media, etc. have been saying that what the team needs most is a big power forward to take some of the pressure off Shaquille O'Neal in the frontcourt. That's been their number one need for the last five years. They've been wanting a strong rebounder who is a good passer with a decent outside shot. Unfortunately that is Karl Malone.

If the Lakers had added Gary Payton alone I would still have Sacramento (with a healthy Chris Webber), San Antonio (depending on what they do in free agency), and possibly Dallas and Minnesota ranked ahead of them.

As far as the scoring title is concerned I heard them saying yesterday on ESPN that Malone needs to score something like 11.5 points per game for the next two seasons to get the scoring title. I have a hard time believing he won't do that even with the Lakers.

Joe Mama

 

[Chaplin]

Originally posted by Joe Mama
I really think you are underestimating Malone's value to the Lakers. I think he is a more important piece than Gary Payton. For years the Lakers, their fans, coaches, players, media, etc. have been saying that what the team needs most is a big power forward to take some of the pressure off Shaquille O'Neal in the frontcourt. That's been their number one need for the last five years. They've been wanting a strong rebounder who is a good passer with a decent outside shot. Unfortunately that is Karl Malone.


Joe Mama

See, I can agree with the Lakers having a need, however I can't agree that Malone will succeed on the Lakers. Why? Simple. The Triangle.

Everyone keeps forgetting that the Laker offense is developed for 3 players with the other 2 just standing around and watching/waiting for the ball to come to them. I can't for the life of me see Karl Malone taking too much of that.

Sure, now he looks like an angel for "sacrificing" and taking the 1.5 million, but come on. After a few weeks, there's going to be some grumbling about how he deserves the ball more because of the sacrifice he's made.

That team is tailor-made to win a title, but it's also just as tailor-made to self-destruct.

 

[Chaplin]

And speaking of the Lakers, I'm going to go absolutely crazy here in Los Angeles over the next 3 months. 2 calls on sports radio this morning:

1) The guy says he's going to construct a pole in his front yard next week and raise his own flag, that he makes, talking about the 2003-04 NBA Champ LA Lakers. He's already given the Lakers the trophy.

2) The next guy says that the rest of the NBA is "like college". That includes the rest of the Western Conference. Oh yeah, he also said before the call that he was high on pot. Only in Los Angeles...

Idiots.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

Originally posted by KloD

The mention of "making a finacial sacrifice" just doesn't impress me when these guys are worth millions already.

It doesnt have to impress you, but it still deserves respect. Alonzo Mourning made just as much as Malone last year, and he didnt play. His career was in jeapordy, and no one knows how long he will hold up. He chased a 4 year guaranteed contract. Only 2 teams offered that, and frankly he doesnt deserve it. He went for the money, and a chance to go to the finals. Payton and Malone went for the ring, to me, that shows a lot.

 

[Renz]

Originally posted by Chaplin
And speaking of the Lakers, I'm going to go absolutely crazy here in Los Angeles over the next 3 months. 2 calls on sports radio this morning:

1) The guy says he's going to construct a pole in his front yard next week and raise his own flag, that he makes, talking about the 2003-04 NBA Champ LA Lakers. He's already given the Lakers the trophy.

2) The next guy says that the rest of the NBA is "like college". That includes the rest of the Western Conference. Oh yeah, he also said before the call that he was high on pot. Only in Los Angeles...

Idiots.

Did you expect Laker fans to grumble and whine about how all the new egos would self-destruct? Listen to Phoenix Suns radio if you are interested in that bull.

The Lakers got two potential Hall of Famers for around $6.5 mil. next year. What team wouldn't do that? It is just unfortunate for the rest of the league that good players want to come to L.A. and will do it for less money.

Another championship banner in '04!

 

[Chaplin]

Originally posted by Renz
Did you expect Laker fans to grumble and whine about how all the new egos would self-destruct? Listen to Phoenix Suns radio if you are interested in that bull.

The Lakers got two potential Hall of Famers for around $6.5 mil. next year. What team wouldn't do that? It is just unfortunate for the rest of the league that good players want to come to L.A. and will do it for less money.

Another championship banner in '04!