Its starting to appear that every game the Lakers play on National TV is going to be unusual. Tonight was certainly no exception. The 127-99 win was a bizare tale of two halves.
In the first half, the Lakers played about as badly as they have played so far this season. The Nuggets built a 17 point lead in the second quarter causing turnovers, hitting threes, running the fast break, and basically dominating play. It appeared that they might to one-up the Celtic's 45 point victory over the Knicks, from earlier in the evening.
Even the fans got on the Lakers, and the boos started raining down midway through the second. However, stellar play by Kobe, bolstered by contributions from Bynum and Walton, was able to keep the Lakers in the game, and ultimately make it a two point game at the half.
The Lakers came out looking like a completely different team in the second half. They built up a big cushion during the third quarter, which happily reduced Bryant and the rest of the starters to spectators for the entire fourth quarter. That extra rest will prove crucial as the Lakers head to Utah for the second leg of a back-to-back tomorrow night.
The reason the starters got the rest, was due to the performance of the second (and third) unit. The bench came up huge again, a consistent theme in all Laker victories this year, scoring a huge 63 points. Every active Laker that got into the game (all except Mihm who DNP) scored, even Trevor Ariza, who notched his first bucket for the Purple and Gold. Especially effective off the bench were Luke Walton, who earned a start in the second half with the first unit; Jordan Farmar who again provided hustle plays and three point shooting; and our Man of the Match: Sasha Vujacic.
Man of the Match-
Sasha Vujacic. No that is not a typo. Sasha went off for a career high 22 points, nearly eclipsing Kobe's 24 to become the team high scorer. Sasha also had three assists, which is almost more surprising for a player known to have a "Kobe complex", who has to be constantly reminded that he is not, in fact, a superstar. Sasha was also involved in some bizarre plays including being choked by Carmelo Anthony leading to 'Melo's ejection, and had a pricelss quote in his post game interview with Cheryl Miller. Clearly excited in what was possibly his first ever national TV interview, Sasha reminded the viewers at home how important it was that the Lakers held Denver under 100. "The biggest thing for us tonight is that the fans got tacos" he said, apparently completely serious. Personally Sasha, I think the biggest thing is the "W", but to each his own.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Phil Jackson Sticking Around
Huge news from Los Angeles today, the Lakers announced they have extended Phil Jackson's expiring contract for two years.
The price for those two years? A cool 24 million dollars; $12,000,000 per year. That may seem like alot, and it is, but Jackson is arguably the best coach of all time. Also, the money doesn't affect the salary cap, so if the Buss Family can afford it, why not give him a raise?
What the deal means:
Its hard for me to believe Phil would take this extension if he knew Kobe was leaving. So I think its more than likely that Kobe will not be dealt in the near future. Also, by not retiring at the end of the year or going to another team, Phil clearly beleives L.A. is the place he can surpass Red Auerbach's championship record (or he just wants to stay close to Jeanie).
Thats all the news for now, check back for a postgame report after tonights contest.
The price for those two years? A cool 24 million dollars; $12,000,000 per year. That may seem like alot, and it is, but Jackson is arguably the best coach of all time. Also, the money doesn't affect the salary cap, so if the Buss Family can afford it, why not give him a raise?
What the deal means:
Its hard for me to believe Phil would take this extension if he knew Kobe was leaving. So I think its more than likely that Kobe will not be dealt in the near future. Also, by not retiring at the end of the year or going to another team, Phil clearly beleives L.A. is the place he can surpass Red Auerbach's championship record (or he just wants to stay close to Jeanie).
Thats all the news for now, check back for a postgame report after tonights contest.
Lakers vs. Denver Nuggets: Pregame
After appearing to be one of the hottest teams in the league on the heels of a four game winning streak, the Lakers showed how inconsistent they can be, by promptly dropping 3 in a row.
Still, at 8-6, the Lakers have to be exceeding the low expectations set during the preseason by most of the sports media.
The Lakers continue the very difficult start to their season by playing the Denver Nuggets at home tonight (7:30pm PT, TNT), before heading to Utah for a back-to-back tomorrow night.
Still, at 8-6, the Lakers have to be exceeding the low expectations set during the preseason by most of the sports media.
The Lakers continue the very difficult start to their season by playing the Denver Nuggets at home tonight (7:30pm PT, TNT), before heading to Utah for a back-to-back tomorrow night.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Lakers vs. Detroit Pistons 11/16/07 Postgame
What a strange game. The Lakers somehow managed to lead most of the first three quarters, even though they shot only 38% for the game- and significantly less before the fourth. However, they became a different team in the final 6 minutes, turning a nail-bitter into a comfortable win: 103-91.
Again, as always- it seems, the game turned with Kobe. He was awful through the first three quarters. He shot 2-14 from the field, and looked tired and fatigued. ESPN showed a close up shot of him coming off the the court at halftime, and he looked literally sick. Nothing was made of it, but by the way he played in the first half, and the way he carried himself, I think he must have been fighting off a virus or something.
Or perhaps he was simply gassed from having to chase his old high school rival, Rip Hamilton, all around the court. Either way, he was extremely ineffective through the first 42 minutes of the game.
But as we know, a game lasts 48 minutes, and Kobe made the last 6 count. He hit two three pointers, converted a three point play, and made all four of his shots to score 11 points in the final 6 minutes.
It wasn't only his scoring, but also his defensive intensity and passion he showed in those final minutes that got the job done. On one memorable play, Kobe dove to the floor to wrestle a loose ball from Hamilton, and kept grabbing and tugging long after the ref had blown the whistle. Its the little things like these that let Kobe's teammates know that his heart is still in it, regardless of what the media says.
While Kobe closed the game, you have to credit the rest of the Lakers for keeping it a close during #24's virtual absence early. If you look at the box, you can see that every Laker who played had a role, and contributed something to keep the game close.
Player of the Game:
Lamar Odom-
25 and 15. 'Nuff said? How bout grabbing 9 offensive rebounds. Nine, that is not a typo. While Kobe became the playmaker, handing out 7 assists, Lamar became the scorer. He carried the scoring load while Kobe sleep walked through the first 90% of the game.
Non-Laker Related NBA News:
I will take this opportunity to admit that my prediction on the Celtics "You can't expect the big three to click overnight" may not have been entirely correct. They have seemingly "clicked overnight" in jumping out to an NBA best 8-0 record.
The first of many to come. If the kid is already hitting game winners in his rookie year, imagine where he will be in the future. Who can forget Kobe chucking up the airballs against Utah his rookie year? And look at the player he has become. Kevin Durant is going to be something special.
Again, as always- it seems, the game turned with Kobe. He was awful through the first three quarters. He shot 2-14 from the field, and looked tired and fatigued. ESPN showed a close up shot of him coming off the the court at halftime, and he looked literally sick. Nothing was made of it, but by the way he played in the first half, and the way he carried himself, I think he must have been fighting off a virus or something.
Or perhaps he was simply gassed from having to chase his old high school rival, Rip Hamilton, all around the court. Either way, he was extremely ineffective through the first 42 minutes of the game.
But as we know, a game lasts 48 minutes, and Kobe made the last 6 count. He hit two three pointers, converted a three point play, and made all four of his shots to score 11 points in the final 6 minutes.
It wasn't only his scoring, but also his defensive intensity and passion he showed in those final minutes that got the job done. On one memorable play, Kobe dove to the floor to wrestle a loose ball from Hamilton, and kept grabbing and tugging long after the ref had blown the whistle. Its the little things like these that let Kobe's teammates know that his heart is still in it, regardless of what the media says.
While Kobe closed the game, you have to credit the rest of the Lakers for keeping it a close during #24's virtual absence early. If you look at the box, you can see that every Laker who played had a role, and contributed something to keep the game close.
Player of the Game:
Lamar Odom-
25 and 15. 'Nuff said? How bout grabbing 9 offensive rebounds. Nine, that is not a typo. While Kobe became the playmaker, handing out 7 assists, Lamar became the scorer. He carried the scoring load while Kobe sleep walked through the first 90% of the game.
Non-Laker Related NBA News:
I will take this opportunity to admit that my prediction on the Celtics "You can't expect the big three to click overnight" may not have been entirely correct. They have seemingly "clicked overnight" in jumping out to an NBA best 8-0 record.
The first of many to come. If the kid is already hitting game winners in his rookie year, imagine where he will be in the future. Who can forget Kobe chucking up the airballs against Utah his rookie year? And look at the player he has become. Kevin Durant is going to be something special.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Lakers vs. Houston Rockets 11/14/07 Postgame
That was an escape. There's no other way to put it. After a very strong first half the Lakers should have coasted to any easy victory, but of course, it wasn't to be.
The Lakers played excellent basketball in the opening half. The unselfishness and ball movement was reminiscent of the early season victory over Phoenix. Kobe set the tempo early, almost forcing passes to teammates in situations where he would normally shoot. Guys were missing easy shots, but Kobe did not appear frustrated or try to do too much, he kept making the extra pass and setting his teammates up with easy opportunities.
Kobe came alive in the second quarter. After 'setting the table' in the first quarter, he became much more aggressive in the second. He shot 6-8 from the field, with his only misses coming on deep three point attempts. He made an unbelievable block on Yao Ming midway through the 2nd, coming out of nowhere to block the shot from behind. The block seemed to spread Kobe's killer instinct to the other players, and inspire them to play harder.
The defense in the first half was solid as well. Players were covering for others and rotating well. The team played like they really wanted this win, and you could not even tell that they were playing in the second leg of a back-to-back.
In the second half however, fatigue set in and the Lakers started letting the Rockets back into it. The Lakers became more lax on the defensive end, committing a plethora of bad fouls and bailing out the Rockets on possession after possession. Lamar Odom even found an innovative way to commit bad fouls on the offensive end, picking up three charging fouls, ultimately leading to him fouling out with two minutes left.
With less than thirty seconds to go, Andrew Bynum made a huge defensive rebound and converted two clutch free throws to put Los Angeles up by 5, with 23 seconds to play. Yet the Lakers still almost choked the game away. After a great intentionally missed free-throw by Yao, the Lakers barely managed to avoid overtime when Rafer Alston came up short on a wide-open three point attempt.
Final Thoughts:
Admittedly the second half was ugly, but this is not College Football; there are no 'style points'. The Lakers got the win -and that's all that matters. Wins in Texas are hard to come by for the Lakers, as are wins anywhere on the road, for that matter. So the fact that they were able to sneak out of Houston with a win, one night after a decent road performance in San Antonio, is respectable.
Player of the Game:
Kobe Bryant-
I don't normally like to make Bryant the player of the game. Its almost redundant, on this team he should be player of the game nine out of ten games. But tonight he earned it. He was very unselfish in the first quarter and got his teammates involved early. His 30 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists were classic Kobe numbers, but its the other things he did that counted. His defense, leadership, and passing, are what made him tonight's POTG.
Honorable Mentions:
Kwame Brown-
His numbers aren't going to look like much in the box score, but he played solid defense on Yao all game. He did the little things, and was the one Laker who came close to containing Yao tonight.
Jordan Farmar-
The kid provided a big spark off the bench. The competition between Farmar and Crittenton for the back-up point guard run seems to be elevating both of their games. He showed alot of guts tonight. He was not afraid to take big shots, and he hit his fair share of them.
The Lakers return home to face the Detroit Pistons at 7:30 (PT) on Friday night.
The Lakers played excellent basketball in the opening half. The unselfishness and ball movement was reminiscent of the early season victory over Phoenix. Kobe set the tempo early, almost forcing passes to teammates in situations where he would normally shoot. Guys were missing easy shots, but Kobe did not appear frustrated or try to do too much, he kept making the extra pass and setting his teammates up with easy opportunities.
Kobe came alive in the second quarter. After 'setting the table' in the first quarter, he became much more aggressive in the second. He shot 6-8 from the field, with his only misses coming on deep three point attempts. He made an unbelievable block on Yao Ming midway through the 2nd, coming out of nowhere to block the shot from behind. The block seemed to spread Kobe's killer instinct to the other players, and inspire them to play harder.
The defense in the first half was solid as well. Players were covering for others and rotating well. The team played like they really wanted this win, and you could not even tell that they were playing in the second leg of a back-to-back.
In the second half however, fatigue set in and the Lakers started letting the Rockets back into it. The Lakers became more lax on the defensive end, committing a plethora of bad fouls and bailing out the Rockets on possession after possession. Lamar Odom even found an innovative way to commit bad fouls on the offensive end, picking up three charging fouls, ultimately leading to him fouling out with two minutes left.
With less than thirty seconds to go, Andrew Bynum made a huge defensive rebound and converted two clutch free throws to put Los Angeles up by 5, with 23 seconds to play. Yet the Lakers still almost choked the game away. After a great intentionally missed free-throw by Yao, the Lakers barely managed to avoid overtime when Rafer Alston came up short on a wide-open three point attempt.
Final Thoughts:
Admittedly the second half was ugly, but this is not College Football; there are no 'style points'. The Lakers got the win -and that's all that matters. Wins in Texas are hard to come by for the Lakers, as are wins anywhere on the road, for that matter. So the fact that they were able to sneak out of Houston with a win, one night after a decent road performance in San Antonio, is respectable.
Player of the Game:
Kobe Bryant-
I don't normally like to make Bryant the player of the game. Its almost redundant, on this team he should be player of the game nine out of ten games. But tonight he earned it. He was very unselfish in the first quarter and got his teammates involved early. His 30 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists were classic Kobe numbers, but its the other things he did that counted. His defense, leadership, and passing, are what made him tonight's POTG.
Honorable Mentions:
Kwame Brown-
His numbers aren't going to look like much in the box score, but he played solid defense on Yao all game. He did the little things, and was the one Laker who came close to containing Yao tonight.
Jordan Farmar-
The kid provided a big spark off the bench. The competition between Farmar and Crittenton for the back-up point guard run seems to be elevating both of their games. He showed alot of guts tonight. He was not afraid to take big shots, and he hit his fair share of them.
The Lakers return home to face the Detroit Pistons at 7:30 (PT) on Friday night.
Gameday vs. Houston
The Lakers are currently in the midst of their biggest test so far: 2/3 of the "Texas Triangle". With last nights 107-92 loss to the defending champion San Antonio Spurs, the Lakers fell to 3-3. They will be looking to get back above 500%, as well as get some revenge for the loss in the season opener, when they face Houston tonight in the Lakers' first back to back of the young season.
Historically the Lakers have not fared well in the second leg of back to backs, but then again who has? It will be a challenge for the Lakers tonight, but at least they are healthy. For the first time this season all 15 players were available to play last night, and it should be the same tonight-with three healthy players forced to the inactive list.
Tonight's game will be nationally broadcast on ESPN at 6:00pm (PT). Look for a post game report here, immediately following the contest.
Historically the Lakers have not fared well in the second leg of back to backs, but then again who has? It will be a challenge for the Lakers tonight, but at least they are healthy. For the first time this season all 15 players were available to play last night, and it should be the same tonight-with three healthy players forced to the inactive list.
Tonight's game will be nationally broadcast on ESPN at 6:00pm (PT). Look for a post game report here, immediately following the contest.
Monday, November 5, 2007
Monday Night
Just because this Blog doesn't acknowledge it, doesn't mean it didn't happen. The Lakers did have a game last night, against the Utah Jazz. For the second game in a row, the Lakers were able to take advantage of a tired team in the second leg of a back to back.
The Lakers beat the Jazz 119 to 109 and improved their record to 2-1.
However, as I sadly currently reside in Golden State Warriors territory, instead of Laker land, I am unable to give you a detailed perspective on the game- as I couldn't watch it. It sounds like another good game all around, illustrated by 6 players in double figures for the Lakers.
Other News:
Happily the Kobe trade rumours have some steam, possibly because of the Lakers strong play of late. Does Kobe believe this team could be a contender? Is he content to stay in Los Angeles? Or is this just the calm before the storm? Who knows. I personally doubt two games could change Kobe's mind after all he complained about, but its a start, and if the Lakers keep playing this well #24 may want to stick around for a while.
Lamar Odom practiced with the team today, and is getting closer to a return. I almost forgot, when watching the Lakers in their last few games, that they were without their second best player. Lamar will definitely be a welcome addition to the team when he returns, hopefully as soon as Friday.
The Lakers next game is tomorrow, at home to the surprisingly hot starting 3-0 New Orleans Hornets. Should be a good one, if you're in the Los Angeles area tune in to FSN-W at 7:30pm.
The Lakers beat the Jazz 119 to 109 and improved their record to 2-1.
However, as I sadly currently reside in Golden State Warriors territory, instead of Laker land, I am unable to give you a detailed perspective on the game- as I couldn't watch it. It sounds like another good game all around, illustrated by 6 players in double figures for the Lakers.
Other News:
Happily the Kobe trade rumours have some steam, possibly because of the Lakers strong play of late. Does Kobe believe this team could be a contender? Is he content to stay in Los Angeles? Or is this just the calm before the storm? Who knows. I personally doubt two games could change Kobe's mind after all he complained about, but its a start, and if the Lakers keep playing this well #24 may want to stick around for a while.
Lamar Odom practiced with the team today, and is getting closer to a return. I almost forgot, when watching the Lakers in their last few games, that they were without their second best player. Lamar will definitely be a welcome addition to the team when he returns, hopefully as soon as Friday.
The Lakers next game is tomorrow, at home to the surprisingly hot starting 3-0 New Orleans Hornets. Should be a good one, if you're in the Los Angeles area tune in to FSN-W at 7:30pm.
Friday, November 2, 2007
Lakers vs. Phoenix Suns 11/02/07 Postgame
Unbelievable. No disrespect to the Lakers, but that was literally unbelievable. I was really excited for this game, understandably, and was running through possible scenarios in my head before the game. The way I saw it, there were three things that could happen tonight: The Lakers could play perfectly and eek out a close victory, they could lose a close game, or they could get blown out. For just a moment I considered a possible fourth scenario: what if the Lakers blew out the Suns? I considered for a moment- impossible, I decided. I have never been happier to be wrong.
Now I know this was only the second game of the season, and I don’t want to blow things out of proportion, but what the hell- that was the best I have seen the Lakers play in the “post-Shaq” era.
Complete team basketball. That’s what got the job done tonight. All twelve players contributed and played significant minutes. Take a look at the box score. Besides Brian Cook, every player had at least 6 points. The incredible amount of garbage time evened out some of the stats and the final score, but the Lakers dominated in nearly every facet of the game.
The Laker defense didn’t look great, but holding Phoenix below 100 points is always an accomplishment.
Player(s) of the game: Andrew Bynum and Vlade Radmonovich share tonight’s honors. The fact that both players came off the bench says a great deal about the Lakers’ newfound depth. Bynum had 14 points on 7 for 10 shooting, to go with 13 rebounds. Radmonovich shot the lights out, leading the Lakers with 19 points on 6 for 8 from the field- including 4 for 4 from downtown.
Final thoughts:
If the Lakers keep playing like this, Kobe would be crazy to want to leave. It was good to seem him looking to pass first in the second half once he saw that his teammates were heating up. It was also refreshing to see him laughing with Luke Walton and Brian Cook on the bench during the fourth quarter.
I still cannot believe the Lakers were able to go into Phoenix and absolutely dismantle the second best team in the NBA, on their home floor, in their home opener. Who are these guys in purple and gold and what have they done with my Lakers?
Did this rivalry just heat up even more or what? As I alluded to in a previous post, this is one of the few true rivalries in today’s NBA. These teams truly disliked each other before this season. Facing each other in two consecutive playoffs will do that to you. But the intensity just went up after tonight. Phoenix was embarrassed on national TV and in front of their home fans. According to the AP game report, the phoenix fans weren’t the only ones upset: “in a late-game exchange with the Lakers' coaching staff during a timeout, Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni shouted 'We're good. We've got three more games'". I cannot wait for the next game in this rivalry, which by the way, is on Christmas day. I honestly couldn’t ask for a better Christmas gift.
Now I know this was only the second game of the season, and I don’t want to blow things out of proportion, but what the hell- that was the best I have seen the Lakers play in the “post-Shaq” era.
Complete team basketball. That’s what got the job done tonight. All twelve players contributed and played significant minutes. Take a look at the box score. Besides Brian Cook, every player had at least 6 points. The incredible amount of garbage time evened out some of the stats and the final score, but the Lakers dominated in nearly every facet of the game.
The Laker defense didn’t look great, but holding Phoenix below 100 points is always an accomplishment.
Player(s) of the game: Andrew Bynum and Vlade Radmonovich share tonight’s honors. The fact that both players came off the bench says a great deal about the Lakers’ newfound depth. Bynum had 14 points on 7 for 10 shooting, to go with 13 rebounds. Radmonovich shot the lights out, leading the Lakers with 19 points on 6 for 8 from the field- including 4 for 4 from downtown.
Final thoughts:
If the Lakers keep playing like this, Kobe would be crazy to want to leave. It was good to seem him looking to pass first in the second half once he saw that his teammates were heating up. It was also refreshing to see him laughing with Luke Walton and Brian Cook on the bench during the fourth quarter.
I still cannot believe the Lakers were able to go into Phoenix and absolutely dismantle the second best team in the NBA, on their home floor, in their home opener. Who are these guys in purple and gold and what have they done with my Lakers?
Did this rivalry just heat up even more or what? As I alluded to in a previous post, this is one of the few true rivalries in today’s NBA. These teams truly disliked each other before this season. Facing each other in two consecutive playoffs will do that to you. But the intensity just went up after tonight. Phoenix was embarrassed on national TV and in front of their home fans. According to the AP game report, the phoenix fans weren’t the only ones upset: “in a late-game exchange with the Lakers' coaching staff during a timeout, Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni shouted 'We're good. We've got three more games'". I cannot wait for the next game in this rivalry, which by the way, is on Christmas day. I honestly couldn’t ask for a better Christmas gift.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Thursday Evening Updates
The Lakers had another off day today (besides practice of course) before heading to Phoenix for tomorrow nights game with the Suns.
The biggest news surrounding the Lakers still seems to be Magic Johnson's comments in the TNT post game studio show. He is catching some flak for what he said, but I agree with him. Magic said that "[Laker Management] are going to have to make a decision about Kobe in the next week or two. It’s got to come to a head, you’ve either got to trade him or come out and say you’re going to keep him".
Magic is correct. The whole Kobe issue is just too distracting for this team. Past Laker teams have been able to handle distraction alright, and Coach Jackson is a master at keeping the players focused, but this team is just too young. I think all the uncertainty is going to affect their focus and their play.
However, I don't think it would be in the best interests of the front office to definitively declare anything about Kobe- whether they want to keep him or trade him. It is best for them to be quiet about it, and explore their options. So I do not expect them to announce they are taking Kobe off the trade block-even if it would be best for the team.
I also do not believe that Kobe will be traded any time soon. The only possible destinations that have been mentioned for him to go to are: Chicago, Phoenix, Dallas, New York, and Washington. Chicago GM John Paxson announced todaythat they are not going to trade for Kobe, Washington dismissed the rumours before the season began, and Mark Cuban recently took Dallas out of the running.
So that realistically leaves only Phoenix and New York. Its really hard to fathom the Lakers and Suns helping each other out with a trade, when they are in the same conference, and division. So that leaves only New York. The Knicks are such a mess that the Lakers shouldn't even risk talking to James Dolan and Isiah Thomas for fear that some of their idiocy might rub off onto them. Realistically the Knicks don't have enough to put together a serious package to interest the Lakers.
So with all things considered, I would be surprised to see Kobe going anywhere in the near future. And as I do not see the Laker management making any kind of loyalty announcement, it looks as if the Lakers and Kobe are going to be stuck in this sort of "limbo" for the next few months. Buckle your seatbelts Lakers fans, its going to be a wild ride.
The biggest news surrounding the Lakers still seems to be Magic Johnson's comments in the TNT post game studio show. He is catching some flak for what he said, but I agree with him. Magic said that "[Laker Management] are going to have to make a decision about Kobe in the next week or two. It’s got to come to a head, you’ve either got to trade him or come out and say you’re going to keep him".
Magic is correct. The whole Kobe issue is just too distracting for this team. Past Laker teams have been able to handle distraction alright, and Coach Jackson is a master at keeping the players focused, but this team is just too young. I think all the uncertainty is going to affect their focus and their play.
However, I don't think it would be in the best interests of the front office to definitively declare anything about Kobe- whether they want to keep him or trade him. It is best for them to be quiet about it, and explore their options. So I do not expect them to announce they are taking Kobe off the trade block-even if it would be best for the team.
I also do not believe that Kobe will be traded any time soon. The only possible destinations that have been mentioned for him to go to are: Chicago, Phoenix, Dallas, New York, and Washington. Chicago GM John Paxson announced todaythat they are not going to trade for Kobe, Washington dismissed the rumours before the season began, and Mark Cuban recently took Dallas out of the running.
So that realistically leaves only Phoenix and New York. Its really hard to fathom the Lakers and Suns helping each other out with a trade, when they are in the same conference, and division. So that leaves only New York. The Knicks are such a mess that the Lakers shouldn't even risk talking to James Dolan and Isiah Thomas for fear that some of their idiocy might rub off onto them. Realistically the Knicks don't have enough to put together a serious package to interest the Lakers.
So with all things considered, I would be surprised to see Kobe going anywhere in the near future. And as I do not see the Laker management making any kind of loyalty announcement, it looks as if the Lakers and Kobe are going to be stuck in this sort of "limbo" for the next few months. Buckle your seatbelts Lakers fans, its going to be a wild ride.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
