The 2007-08 Los Angeles Lakers thread

[abomb]

Oh yeah, KB haters, be sure to add this to your file labelled "NBA Players hate Kobe and dont want to play with him" folder.

"Me and Kobe have talked a lot this summer about getting me here," O'Neal says. "We've been on each other since we were 15, playing AAU basketball, adidas All-American Camp, Nike All-American Camp. It's been a long relationship. We've been trying to make this happen all summer. He understands the desire that I have right now. Mentally, we're on the same page. "Kobe's in a position right now where he knows he needs some help. He's the world's best player, and he's got a good group of guys around him, but he needs somebody to come in there and give him some support. He knows I want to get back onto the court and prove the naysayers wrong.

 

[Cheesebeef]

boy, with all the work Kobe and Jermaine are doing to try and get a deal done, they must really be bad GMs not to have one by now... oh, that's right - they're basketball players, not general managers.

I love that Jermaine wants to go to the Lakers, but also wants to dictate the terms of the trade that gets him there, throwing his own GM under the bus. This ain't ever happening unless Odom is included with Bynum and once the Lakers do that, they'll be... well... just as mediocre as they are now, but with no future.

 

[D-Dogg]

boy, with all the work Kobe and Jermaine are doing to try and get a deal done, they must really be bad GMs not to have one by now... oh, that's right - they're basketball players, not general managers.

I love that Jermaine wants to go to the Lakers, but also wants to dictate the terms of the trade that gets him there, throwing his own GM under the bus. This ain't ever happening unless Odom is included with Bynum and once the Lakers do that, they'll be... well... just as mediocre as they are now, but with no future.

Agreed....no bynum and odom in a deal for JO. It is a step back, or a lateral move at best.

 

[Mulli]

Pacers’ O’Neal Denies Request To Be Traded
In THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR, Mark Montieth reports Indiana Pacers forward Jermaine O'Neal has discounted Internet reports that he wants to be traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. ‘My preference is to play here and win here,’ O'Neal said in a telephone interview after returning from Los Angeles on Monday afternoon, attempting to deflate a brewing controversy that had brought clarifying statements from Pacers president Larry Bird and O'Neal's agent, Arn Tellem.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Pacers’ O’Neal Denies Request To Be Traded
In THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR, Mark Montieth reports Indiana Pacers forward Jermaine O'Neal has discounted Internet reports that he wants to be traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. ‘My preference is to play here and win here,’ O'Neal said in a telephone interview after returning from Los Angeles on Monday afternoon, attempting to deflate a brewing controversy that had brought clarifying statements from Pacers president Larry Bird and O'Neal's agent, Arn Tellem.

As sad as Indiana is right now, they have a better chance of winning in the East, than Kobe/O'Neal Lakers winning out West.

 

[D-Dogg]

As sad as Indiana is right now, they have a better chance of winning in the East, than Kobe/O'Neal Lakers winning out West.

Not with the Celtics there. Or the Bulls. Or Detroit. Or Miami. They could have a chance against the Cavs, though. Doubt they could beat a healthy Wizards team.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Not with the Celtics there. Or the Bulls. Or Detroit. Or Miami. They could have a chance against the Cavs, though. Doubt they could beat a healthy Wizards team.

Jermaine and Kobe couldn't beat the Suns, Spurs, or Mavs. Would have a hard time competing with Houston, Utah, and Golden State.

 

[D-Dogg]

Jermaine and Kobe couldn't beat the Suns, Spurs, or Mavs. Would have a hard time competing with Houston, Utah, and Golden State.

They won't make a trade if LO AND Bynum are in the deal. So one of those two will stay.

Or no dice...that's the grounds I am looking at it from.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

They won't make a trade if LO AND Bynum are in the deal. So one of those two will stay.

Or no dice...that's the grounds I am looking at it from.

Well, LA doesn't make the playoffs next year if they do nothing......

 

[D-Dogg]

Well, LA doesn't make the playoffs next year if they do nothing......

Why not? They have the same team and made the playoffs last year despite heavy injuries up and down the roster. Kobe is almost 20 pounds lighter and looks to be in the best game shape of his career. Fish is back so that's another guy who can shoot when needed. Farmar improves, Crittendon is a great pickup. Even Mihm is back which gives another serviceable big. And Vlad's hand is healed so he might even pan out to be worth something at least.

Not saying they will win a title by doing nothing, but they shouldn't have any problem being a playoff team. Don't put too much stock in Kobe's histrionics and pouting...

 

[SO91]

Keep dreaming of O'Neal Laker fans, I'd be surprised to see Larry Bird trade his star to the Lakers of all teams, and not for the poo poo platter you'll surely offer

 

[abomb]

Keep dreaming of O'Neal Laker fans, I'd be surprised to see Larry Bird trade his star to the Lakers of all teams, and not for the poo poo platter you'll surely offer

You might want to sit the next couple of plays out, Champ.

 

[D-Dogg]

Keep dreaming of O'Neal Laker fans, I'd be surprised to see Larry Bird trade his star to the Lakers of all teams, and not for the poo poo platter you'll surely offer

I'm not really dreaming of JO. Unless they want the pupu platter, I'm fine rolling with what we have. I'd love to get KB, LO and JO on the same team though, but I'm not expecting it to happen.

 

[Covert Rain]

I'm not really dreaming of JO. Unless they want the pupu platter, I'm fine rolling with what we have. I'd love to get KB, LO and JO on the same team though, but I'm not expecting it to happen.

Why would you be fine with a team that has no shot at a title? If I was you I would be screaming to get more changes done somehow.

 

[Mulli]

Why would you be fine with a team that has no shot at a title? If I was you I would be screaming to get more changes done somehow.

Seriously, where is the hope for the Lakers this year? The rookie draft pick? Fisher?

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Why not? They have the same team and made the playoffs last year despite heavy injuries up and down the roster. Kobe is almost 20 pounds lighter and looks to be in the best game shape of his career. Fish is back so that's another guy who can shoot when needed. Farmar improves, Crittendon is a great pickup. Even Mihm is back which gives another serviceable big. And Vlad's hand is healed so he might even pan out to be worth something at least.

Not saying they will win a title by doing nothing, but they shouldn't have any problem being a playoff team. Don't put too much stock in Kobe's histrionics and pouting...

Wanna have a friendly wager?

 

[D-Dogg]

Wanna have a friendly wager?

That they will make the playoffs? Sure.

Bottle of patron?

 

[D-Dogg]

Why would you be fine with a team that has no shot at a title? If I was you I would be screaming to get more changes done somehow.

Fine does not equal happy. However, they can't make deals that are lateral or a step back (trading both Lamar and Bynum for JO is backward stepping).

If they could get a good deal for Kobe from Chicago, sure. However, those trades will not happen. Nobody is gutting their team for him. I'm being realistic here...there isn't much they can do.

 

[Assface]

We need to make a "things that suck" sub-forum that I can move the Lakers threads to.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

That they will make the playoffs? Sure.

Bottle of patron?

That's a pretty friendly wager Patron ain't cheap. Let me get back with you on that one. I'm not that sure the Lakers will miss the playoffs.

 

[D-Dogg]

That's a pretty friendly wager Patron ain't cheap. Let me get back with you on that one. I'm not that sure the Lakers will miss the playoffs.

We can do a friendly one, like an Avatar and Tagline bet or something. I pick yours when I win, or you pick mine if you win.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Walton, Bynum, Farmar, and Turiaf doing well in tonight's preseason game.

 

[abomb]

So the season is starting. Los Angeles Lakers. We know drama.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

We can do a friendly one, like an Avatar and Tagline bet or something. I pick yours when I win, or you pick mine if you win.

man, with Kobe likely out of a Lakers uni, it might be a good time to revisit this bet.

 

[D-Dogg]

man, with Kobe likely out of a Lakers uni, it might be a good time to revisit this bet.

Yeah, bet will be off if any major trade goes down (lakers bring in Oneal, Lakers move Kobe, etc.)