New additions to Lakers good for our young team!

[Yuma]

I remember my limited amatuer sports career, every time I played someone or some team that was unbeatable, I raised my game levels I didn't know were possible. I also saw by playing better players and teams, how much more practice and skills that I needed to develop! While our team is still young and in it's formative stages, I think it's a lot better to play the Lakers a lot and stretch yourself and maybe lose, than it will be for the rookies that win in the Eastern Conference, but aren't tested as much. Instead of moaning about the Lakers additions, I think we should be happy about them. Especially at their advanced age! I think Amare learning to play against Malone, and our whole team being stretched to cover the Lakers starting five on defense, will help us in the long run. If our guys see how much they have to learn and practice, and hopefully they are hungry and attack those needs, then they will develop into a powerhouse team. This next season may bring some losses, but it will still be very good for our young guys.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

While I see where you are coming from, I have to say it is quite a stretch.

Amare played Malone last year just as much as he will this year. GP was in the west as well for all but 3 months (which we played him one of those times). All this does is make them impossible to cover.

Learning by facing one dominant player at a time can work wonders, against 4 will do little to help. Think of it as a student who studies consistantly for 2 weeks before an exam versus a student who crams the night before.

The 8 games Amare would have had against Utah and LA this year to learn were just cut in half.

 

[Yuma]

While I see where YOU are coming from, it's quite a stretch if I say so...

I think you are wrong about Amare learning to play Malone in Utah will be the same as playing him in LA. For one thing, we have all had jobs, sports, etc., that we learned playing or working with or against someone better. However, it IS a LOT more educational when you don't have that safety net behind you. Amare won't have the luxury of the double team like he did this year. It's like learning to drive with your parents, it's a lot more scary when you are on your own, and then it's kicked up a notch when you have to drive the freeways for the first time without anyone's help! Like Emeril would say, Amare playing Karl was just kicked up a notch!! Tell the 1980 US Hockey team that playing one Russian all star at a time is a better learning experience than playing the whole team! You learn not only to play your man without a safety net, but also to strecth your play to help your teammates when they get burned! No, playing Karl in LA is going to be way better than playing him last year in Utah. It's going to be harder to go for a slam dunk once he gets past Karl in LA than it was in Utah! I'm going to have to totally disagree with you on this one.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

I disagree still. While he will not have the safety net of double teams, he most certaintly wont need it. In utah the ball hit Malone's hands every possesion, and usually he made a move to the hoop or at least took the shot. In LA as presumably the 4th option, he will have far far fewer touches. Plus, when he does get the ball, he will probably take the shot instead of an inside move. With Shaq in the lane, it would be to cogged up. Plus the lakers will presumably use him to stretch the defense so Shaq cannot be doubled. I think Amare would have learned far more had Karl stayed in Utah.

Dont forget that even if they signed malone to a 5 mil per year contract, that would give them 15 mil in cap space still. They could have netted a PG and someone like Brad Miller or PJ Brown to Utah so that the suns could not afford to double Utah

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

Ok, I think that for the 4 matches against hte lakers it could provide the suns TEAM as a whole some valuable defensive experience.

However, for each specific player (especially Amare), they would learn more had the players stayed with their former teams.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Malone and Payton will definitely help the players around them.

On their own team, the Lakers.

The new draft picks, the role players and even the starters will learn from them in team practices.

 

[Skkorpion]

Payton cheated the salary structure and luxury tax setup by accepting a below-market salary. A smart commisioner would negate the deal or assign a market salary.

But Stern is captain of a sinking ship.

Ironically, it was the Suns who taught the league how to cheat with the below-market Danny Manning deal.

A powerhouse team in LA will do nothing but kill tv ratings even more, imo. The leage needs some east coast powerhouses in traditional NBA strongholds. New Jersey doesn't count.

If the Lakers win 70 games or more, look out. Nobody but nobody will watch the playoffs.

 

[elindholm]

A smart commisioner would negate the deal or assign a market salary.

There are other kinds of compensation besides money, and it's not all that clear that Payton could have made a whole lot more anyway. There's nothing wrong with the deal.

A powerhouse team in LA will do nothing but kill tv ratings even more, imo.... If the Lakers win 70 games or more, look out. Nobody but nobody will watch the playoffs.

I wish you were right, but I think you aren't. Remember what good draws the Dream Teams were, back when they led every game by 20+ after the first quarter? People like to see dominance, not real competition.

 

[fordronken]

People like to see dominance, not real competition.

I disagree. I would say that people like real competiton(Lakers-Celtics in the 80s, etc.), they just get bored of games that are called competition just because they're close(Heat-Nuggets last year for example). I do agree, however, that they like dominance, yet two truly talented and dominant teams matching against each other would be better. What would you prefer, Ali-Frazier or Ali-(insert B grade boxer here)?

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Originally posted by fordronken
What would you prefer, Ali-Frazier or Ali-(insert B grade boxer here)?

Sometimes the B grade boxer wins (ala Leon Spinks).