I apologize if this has already been posted. I did a quick scan and I didn't see any references to it in the thread titles. I'll tell you guys. I'm as anxious to see what this LA Lakers club looks like at the end of October as I am to see the Phoenix Suns. That situation really has the potential to turn into a disaster. I love it. Joe
http://www.nypost.com/sports/24396.htm
KOBE LAYING DOWN OWN LAW IN L.A.
July 4, 2004 --
OK, SO why did the Suns instantly in vest more than half their available cap space ($65 million for five) on Steve Nash, especially in light of his 30-year-old body wearing down in the late stages of the last two seasons? Ever since they began unloading salaries (Stephon Marbury, Penny Hardaway, Jahidi White, etc.) it was common knowledge the Colangelos were stockpiling money to recruit Kobe Bryant. What altered their course?
"Phoenix was told by Kobe's agent [Rob Pelinka] his client was not leaving California," says someone very much in the conversation.
In fact, my source adds, Kobe has decided he isn't moving out of his home in Newport. The Lakers are his first preference, with or without hand-picked coach Mike Krzyzewski, and the Clippers are second. There is no third choice. Not the Spurs, Bulls, Knicks or Rens.
This latest info confirms what I was told early last week: Before Laker owner Jerry Buss left for Italy on vacation Kobe halfway committed to him, stating he'd remove himself from the free-agent market the moment Shaquille O'Neal vanished, a la Phil Jackson.
Did that mean Kobe would not re- sign with the Lakers if a reasona ble trade for Shaq couldn't be arranged?
No. Shaq's return did not disqualify Kobe's return. Still, in that event, all guaran tees were off.
Is this any way to build a winner? Allowing Kobe to dictate the coach and personnel assures the Lakers of being doomed in the long run and short run also.
One destination or the other — Lakers or Clippers — Kobe has asked Karl Malone to ac company him. Now that his right knee has been surgically repaired and is expected to be 100 percent by next season — though his NBA future remains indefinite — Malone has become a principal player in the flurry of backdoor maneuvering.
"He's the only one with a chance to talk some sense into Shaq and Kobe, the only one who may be able to sway them to suit up as teammates again," stresses an observer with a Lake(r)-front view. "He's the only one who can put Humpty Dumpty together again."
Choosing between the two is something Malone wants nothing to do with, he told the L.A. Daily News a couple days ago. Meaning the Mavericks attempt to romance Shaq and Malone as a package (Mark Cuban covets Derek Fisher as well) figures to be unsuccessful. Several other teams without soap operas also are chasing The Mailman, namely the Spurs.
For the time being we leave Dysfunction Junction with three questions hanging over its head: Can Malone prolong Laker Life as we know it? Can he save Mitch Kupchak's GM job? And will Karl forgive Magic Johnson for taking potshots and running?
*
Mavs were trying to peddle No. 5 to the 76ers as a lure to move Danny Fortson and Tariq Abdul-Wahad up until the second they drafted Devin Harris. The moment Philly picked Arizona's Andre Iguodala at No. 9 (their target from the git-go) the Suns and Hawks tried to trade for him . . . Lamar Odom has been offered the 12th Olympic spot and is fully expected to accept . . . Mike Woodson, once a teammate of Hawks GM Billy Knight, appears to have beaten out Mike Brown (Pacers associate coach) for Atlanta's head job . . . The Nets got an unexpected gift when Rodney Rogers' agent, James Williams, flagrantly failed to execute his $3.355M extension in a timely manner. Rod Thorn had been offering to eat over half that salary to teams with room just to dump contract.
*
I love Menu Ginobili's game. Makes me proud I'm Argentinean. If I were the Nuggets or the Jazz, two teams wielding a ton of spending loot, I'd offer restricted free agent Menu Ginobili 10M per. If nothing else I'd make the Spurs squirm. Who knows, maybe — like Cuban did re Nash — they'd refuse to go that high; the Collective Bargaining Agreement must be working, after all. But even if the Spurs did match a $60M offer for six, it'll hurt them for next season when they've got to pay Tony Parker.
Denver also is wooing Clipper restricted free agent Quentin Richardson, who they might be able to secure by overpaying him, and Darius Miles, who they won't overpay because they already have Carmelo Anthony at that position.
http://www.nypost.com/sports/24396.htm
KOBE LAYING DOWN OWN LAW IN L.A.
July 4, 2004 --
OK, SO why did the Suns instantly in vest more than half their available cap space ($65 million for five) on Steve Nash, especially in light of his 30-year-old body wearing down in the late stages of the last two seasons? Ever since they began unloading salaries (Stephon Marbury, Penny Hardaway, Jahidi White, etc.) it was common knowledge the Colangelos were stockpiling money to recruit Kobe Bryant. What altered their course?
"Phoenix was told by Kobe's agent [Rob Pelinka] his client was not leaving California," says someone very much in the conversation.
In fact, my source adds, Kobe has decided he isn't moving out of his home in Newport. The Lakers are his first preference, with or without hand-picked coach Mike Krzyzewski, and the Clippers are second. There is no third choice. Not the Spurs, Bulls, Knicks or Rens.
This latest info confirms what I was told early last week: Before Laker owner Jerry Buss left for Italy on vacation Kobe halfway committed to him, stating he'd remove himself from the free-agent market the moment Shaquille O'Neal vanished, a la Phil Jackson.
Did that mean Kobe would not re- sign with the Lakers if a reasona ble trade for Shaq couldn't be arranged?
No. Shaq's return did not disqualify Kobe's return. Still, in that event, all guaran tees were off.
Is this any way to build a winner? Allowing Kobe to dictate the coach and personnel assures the Lakers of being doomed in the long run and short run also.
One destination or the other — Lakers or Clippers — Kobe has asked Karl Malone to ac company him. Now that his right knee has been surgically repaired and is expected to be 100 percent by next season — though his NBA future remains indefinite — Malone has become a principal player in the flurry of backdoor maneuvering.
"He's the only one with a chance to talk some sense into Shaq and Kobe, the only one who may be able to sway them to suit up as teammates again," stresses an observer with a Lake(r)-front view. "He's the only one who can put Humpty Dumpty together again."
Choosing between the two is something Malone wants nothing to do with, he told the L.A. Daily News a couple days ago. Meaning the Mavericks attempt to romance Shaq and Malone as a package (Mark Cuban covets Derek Fisher as well) figures to be unsuccessful. Several other teams without soap operas also are chasing The Mailman, namely the Spurs.
For the time being we leave Dysfunction Junction with three questions hanging over its head: Can Malone prolong Laker Life as we know it? Can he save Mitch Kupchak's GM job? And will Karl forgive Magic Johnson for taking potshots and running?
*
Mavs were trying to peddle No. 5 to the 76ers as a lure to move Danny Fortson and Tariq Abdul-Wahad up until the second they drafted Devin Harris. The moment Philly picked Arizona's Andre Iguodala at No. 9 (their target from the git-go) the Suns and Hawks tried to trade for him . . . Lamar Odom has been offered the 12th Olympic spot and is fully expected to accept . . . Mike Woodson, once a teammate of Hawks GM Billy Knight, appears to have beaten out Mike Brown (Pacers associate coach) for Atlanta's head job . . . The Nets got an unexpected gift when Rodney Rogers' agent, James Williams, flagrantly failed to execute his $3.355M extension in a timely manner. Rod Thorn had been offering to eat over half that salary to teams with room just to dump contract.
*
I love Menu Ginobili's game. Makes me proud I'm Argentinean. If I were the Nuggets or the Jazz, two teams wielding a ton of spending loot, I'd offer restricted free agent Menu Ginobili 10M per. If nothing else I'd make the Spurs squirm. Who knows, maybe — like Cuban did re Nash — they'd refuse to go that high; the Collective Bargaining Agreement must be working, after all. But even if the Spurs did match a $60M offer for six, it'll hurt them for next season when they've got to pay Tony Parker.
Denver also is wooing Clipper restricted free agent Quentin Richardson, who they might be able to secure by overpaying him, and Darius Miles, who they won't overpay because they already have Carmelo Anthony at that position.
