Lakers Need to Improve More if They Want Bryant to Stay
Jul 26th, 2007 by fathoops93
Kobe Bryant is probably trying to soak every bit of enjoyment he can from playing with Team USA. That’s because he’s looking at returning to basically the same Lakers team he’s been stuck with the last couple of years. You know, that team that Kobe said needed “serious changes” after he and the Lakers were ousted once again by the Suns in the first round?
Bryant’s frustration boiled over a few weeks after that, and subsequently he asked to be traded. Since then, Bryant has gone back and forth so many times on his stance that it’s doubtful even he knows what he wants at this point. What the Lakers can be sure of, however, is that Bryant isn’t happy with his team’s current make-up.
So in light of those offseason comments and Bryant’s trade demand, what has Lakers brass done to appease the superstar they refuse to trade? 1) Chosen Javaris Crittenton with the 19th pick in the first round, Sun Yue with the 40th pick, and Marc Gasol with the 48th pick; 2) re-signed Luke Walton for 6 years and $30 million; 3) signed Derek Fisher for three years and $14 million and 4) signed Chris Mihm for two years and $5 million.
First of all, it’s important to remember that Bryant wants to start winning now. It’s already a well-known fact that Kobe is tired of waiting on young talent like Andrew Bynum, Kwame Brown, and Jordan Farmar. In light of this, the Lakers’ draft strategy was certainly questionable. Crittenton is the epitome of “young, raw talent.” Sun Yu and Marc Gasol are basketball’s equivalent of grade B foreign movies. They’ll never develop into anything big enough to make an impact. This is all beside the fact that Phil Jackson is less than generous to rookies in terms of playing time.
Re-signing Walton for the contract they did wasn’t such a bad move in respect to his talent. It’s a bad move because it seriously restricts the Lakers’ financially for future player changes. If the Lakers are still unwilling to trade Andrew Bynum and no one wants Kwame Brown, then Lamar Odom and Walton are the only players with any set trade value on the team. Will teams be willing to take on Walton’s new contract in a potential deal? That’s doubtful at best.
Signing Derek Fisher was a half-hearted attempt to make Kobe rescind his desire to be traded. Lakers management is thinking: 1) he’s a really decent point guard, and that will make Kobe happier and 2) they were teammates during the championship years, so Kobe will get warm, fuzzy feelings of nostalgia. It’s highly doubtful that this signing will have the desired effect on His Kobeness. Also, Fisher’s almost-$5 million a year will eat up more of the Lakers’ cap space.
Re-signing Mihm is perhaps the only sound move the Lakers made this summer, as almost any team will ask for a 7-footer with an ounce of talent to be part of a trade. If the Lakers do make a move, Mihm may well be on his way out. If L.A. stands pat, Mihm will just be another icon of status quo mediocrity for Bryant to vent about.
Don’t forget what the Lakers omitted to do this summer. Indiana’s been ready and willing to hand the Lakers Jermaine O’Neal and spare parts for Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum. L.A. balked when Bynum became a requirement, and so far no adjustments have been made to make a deal work.
Lakers staff should’ve known this would irk Bryant to no end. Kobe was irate with management when they wouldn’t pony up the same aforementioned Bynum in a deal to land Jason Kidd. After witnessing Kidd average a triple-double in the playoffs and finding out the Lakers refused to land a legit low-post monster in O’Neal, is it any wonder that Bryant lost his cool and berated Bynum on a now famous YouTube flick?
Mitch Kupchak has expressed how the Lakers as an organization plan on improving the team around Kobe. If this is Kupchak’s vision of progress, however, Bryant may not have a decent team around him until he’s too old to care.
All I got to say. If you can find a “pacifier” for KOBE to suck on during NBA season 2008, make a serious run for Shawn Marion or KG. Period. Everything else sucks. Fisher, an every other game player. Walton, “my daddy got me here” attitude still exist. Mihm, Who? Kwame, Michael jordan’s taller photo negative. Who else? Phil Jack, if we all haven’t figured out the “triangle” by now, then what makes you a good coach without your walking price tags (Shaq, Kobe, Pippen, Jordan, Grant, Cartwright, and so on)?Period.
deal bynum, odom and walton for JO and granger. convince KG to opt out and join the Lakers next season. kobe, Jermaine, garnett and granger is an automatic championship.
Do not talk bad about the greatest player of our time NOT to win a MVP award. Kobe needs HELP! At one point last year he was averaging almost 60ppg. He carried the team to the playoffs. Then listening to all of you Dumb-ass so called experts, he became a pass first player. Kobe, if you can read this PLEASE GO BACK TO BEING THE BLACK MAMBA!!!!!!!! Shoot the leagues eyes out. You have no equal in the NBA. Start acting like it.
After Kobe plays this Summer with all those talent in the USA basketball team (and win a gold medal without a doubt), he wouldn’t change his mind about wanting to be traded. Kupchack made the same mistake twice by not dealing for Kidd and J.O. The Wolves and Suns won’t deal KG or Marion for sure to the same Conference and the West just got even stronger (Houston, Portland, Utah, G.S.). It’s time for Kobe to go. Get some young talent and develop them (which is what they are really doing by not trading Bynum) and expiring contracts and Trade him to the East!
Kobe is right… the Lakers need to keep Odom, Farmar has shown potential Thank God they finally axed Smush “bricks” Parker, Andrew Bynum and Kwame brown are just tall for nothing, talentless excess baggage… Mitch Kupchak needs to be investigated by the FBI as well for trying to keep the Lakers down… maybe he is betting against thre Lakers and therfore doesn’t surround Kobe with decent talent besides Farmar, Odom, and D-Fish
The Lakers improve overnight if Kobe decides to play defense this year and not keep making a scoring star out of his man. Mihm, if healthy, is a big upgrade in the middle because it reduces the time Bynum is on the court. Fisher’s shooting has fallen by the wayside so I do not see him as helping on offense and he is still too slow to cover the quick guards in the West. The Laker draft was fine - one possible starter and one rotation player off the bench. Hard to beat that even if they do have to wait a couple of years. Kobe made his bed when he ran Shack out of town. No big surprise that is is lumpy and uncomfortable.
The Lakers were playing pretty fair before all the injuries last season. All you guys were eating it up, then injuries pulled the blanket out from under you and you turned on them like a yellow dog. Even Kobe!
Believe me folks the team ain’t that bad and Jermaine O’Neal hasn’t done jack for Indiana and you know Garnett hasn’t been a world beater for Minnesota either. So sit back, shut up and let Laker Coaching and Management fix what they can. At Kobe’s age MJ was just starting to win championships. He ain’t getting too old but he’s getting a 45 caliber mouth and attitude. Learn to be patient and support your teammates and bring them up on the court instead of torching them in the press. If I owned the Lakers I’d trade him to Memphis and get all their good players then he’d find out what losing is really all about.
I think they will be just fine they got the best player ever in KOBE BRYANT with all do respect to MJ but he even knows that kobe is the best .
if they can stay healthy ODOM, then they will definitly be a threat with a couple nice additions with fisher and resigning walton and mihm they should really have some good chemistry and that equal another deserved ring the lakers don’t need a bum in J O’Neal and KG can keep loseing in Minnesota for all i care the lakers will be number 4 or 5 in the west at worst next year you’ll see they will get what they need this offseason to keep KOBE happy i mean i don’t blame him for being cause he gets screwed every year if they don’t do what he wants i hope he does get traded for his sake
I wish they could make a move to better the team but trading both LO and Bynum for Oneal is not what I would do assuming Kobe wants to play for maybe five to seven more years. Oneal will break down and if so you would be left with a mad Kobe and nothing at all to do trading with and nobody of value left on the bench, unless they add Granger, then maybe. Trading both LO & Bynum for Garnett is more understandable, however, but still after about two years its over and assuming Garnett would only come to the Lakers with an extension gauranteed then we would have two aged, slowed stars and no good role players other than Walton. I hope they can achieve something but I hope they don’t completely destroy the next seven years just to go for MAYBE one title (not guaranteed) in the next two years. If Kobe wants to better Shaq (4 titles) and maybe Jordan (6 titles) then he will have to play maybe six more years and not force the front office to widdle the talent down too much for a long haul. Don’t give up on Kwame for check Oneal’s stats until year 4 and take into account the team makeup he was on. I think they got a great group and will have to have a true superstar slip into their hands from another team such as the Shaq situation which required genius. The Kobe trade was genius as from the Lakers standpoint but with signing Shaq they didn’t need Divac at that time and the Hornets (Shinn-owned at the time) only wanted to get a center. Dumb move at the time but so was management for the Hornets at that time. Kobe won’t get traded unless management sees him definitely leaving in two years. He makes too much overall to leave LA and Buss must have a superstar. Therefore, don’t discount Buss (as long as he gets his 23 year olds to drive for him at night) for he is a genius as longer as he is paying attention.
It is too bad but I agree with Kobe, Mitch sucks and the Lakers have made some of the worst moves in NBA history. Devin George’s 5 million dollar deal killed the Lakers. Poor draft picks doomed the lakers to a middle of the road team. without Kobe the lakers would be the lottery regulars and would not be the draw that they are. Kwame brown, vlade D. (did not work) , sasha, smush, cook, mckie,williams. If I was Kobe and had to play with guys that could not play and others that can’t shoot I would want to leave too, He works hard and plays hard if some of the others worked at there game as much as he does we might be winners and none of this would have happened.
there’s one thing if boston makes the deal for KG for three bums i’m shore we can give them a deal and still keep ODOM like here’s a deal BROWN,VLAD,and MCKIE or any other old bench player with an expireing contract then that equals more championships the HORRY guarenteed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lakers need to wiseup. Trade Kobe while he has value to “Da Bulls” for Ben Gordon, Tyrus Thomas, Thabo Sefolosha and Joakim Noah. It’s time to build a young strong team like everybody else in the West. There going to need Bynum, Ronny Turiaf and Radmanovic to step up big this year and Crittendon has the potential to be Rookie of the Year with playing time. If anything, the Lakers should also look at the Knicks roster and grab some talent like David Lee or Jamal Crawford. I’d trade Odom, Brown, Brian Cook and Jordan Farmar for both of them. Then your lineup would be
Point Guard: Jamal Crawford, Derek Fisher, Javaris Crittenton, Sasha
Shooting Guard: Ben Gordon, Maurice Evans, Thabo Sefolosha
Small Forward: Walton, Radmanovic
Power forward: Tyrus Thomas, Keith Lee, Ronny Turiaf
Center: Andrew Bynum, Chris Mihm, Joakim Noah
This lineup could run and jump with all the other young upcoming teams in the west, especially Portland and Seattle. Plus your defense now has some athletic wings that can block some shots. Just like UCLA proves, you don’t have to have all the talent if you play defense.
The bottom line is KOBE NEEDS SOME HELP!!! Now that KG has been traded to the Celtics, the Lakers need to hurry and do some serious negotiations with Indiana to get Jermaine O’Neal-ASAP!!!! And if they don’t, they will be in the same boat they were in last season-that is struggling to make the playoffs!!!
they should do Brown,Vlad,and Bynum for J O’Neal cause if we get rid of Odom to get J O’Neal then were really not any better. Then we’ll have the bigger three , and a RING.
All said and done, the Lakers should have never gotten rid of Shaquille O’Neal and none of this mess would be gong on!!!!!! They had their caliber team!!!! If there was bad blood between Kobe and Shaq and whomever else, they should have put their pride aside, sat down and aired out their differences and try to work as a team!!! PRIDE-gets you know where but resentful feelings!!! To God be the Glory-He wil fix it!!!
Somebody please get JO in a lakers uniform fast. But if you got give up Odom just get Artest some kind of way.
the Lakers seriously need to trade Cook, Brown, Karl, Evans and Vujacic for J. O’Neal then trade Radmonavich and rights to M.Gasol for Artest.
Then we would have a solid roster of
PG-FISHER/FARMAR
SG-BRYANT/CRITT
SF-ODOM/ARTEST/WALTON
PF-J.O’NEAL/TURIAF
C-MIHM/BYNUM/ (FA)
I would even start Odom at PG if would could get Artest.
PG-ODOM/FISHER/FARMAR
SG-BRYANT/CRITT
SF-ARTEST/WALTON
PF-J.O’NEAL/TURIAF
C-MIHM/BYNUM/ (FA)
LAKERS SHOULD SIGN MUTOMBO AND P.J. BROWN IF THEY”RE NOT GOING AFTER J. O’NEAL. THEN TRADE SOME OF OUR CURRENT ROSTER FILLERS TO SAC FOR ARTEST
Look at the last three years of Kupcake’s work. He should do whats right and step down. Trade Brown, Bynum, Vlad, Farmar and #2 pick for JO and Granger. Trade Cook, Sash and a #1 pick 08 for Artest. Sign Webber and Rose.
Fish, Bryant, Artest, LO, JO
Crit, Evans, Walton, Webber, Mihm
Rose, Turiaf
LO, BRYANT, ARTEST, JO AND MIHM!!!
This is krazy with all you fans come on this goes too that person about him saying that kobe is better and that MJ know that him self thats not true. That only thing that kobe can be better is by his scoring but that. anorther thing he won 3 rings with shaq and jordan didnt have a shaq so as of now its 6 to nothinng jordan. There is one THING that saparates kobe from Mj IS THAT JORDAN PLAYED WITH HEART AND KOBE DOESNT AND JORDAN PLAYED EVERY GAME LIKE IF IT WAS HIS LAST ONE THATS WHY JORDAN IS JORDAN DONT GET IT TWISTED. AND ONE MORE THING KOBE WANTS TOO BE A BULL AINT THAT FUNNY IF HE LEAVES THAT WHERE HE IS LANDING CAUSE THEY DONT WANT HIM IN THE WEST. AND THE BULLS WILL GIVE UP GORON AND NOCIONNIS AND JAMES ON CURRY AND TYRUS THOMAS.
As i go on and read all of this comments all you laker fans want all-star caliber team and that is not happening dont you forget they are over there salary cap. you guys want j.o. l.o. and r.a that funny its like me saying will keep kobe gordon deng and noccionis that would be rediculus look at what happend when that lakers had karl malon and that glove they got spanked by the pistons wake up already, that is not happening. you need too let go of one of your good guys. and even though you guys did have j.o. is still not making a difference at all. the west is too strong let me count that playoff spot that will be available by next year in april. 1.Spurs 2.Suns 3.Dallas 4.Houston 5. Utah 6.Clippers 7.GOLDEN STATE. 8 SEATTLE I WOULD HAD COUNTED PORTLAND IN 6 SEED BUT ODEN IS OUT. AND WE STILL NEED NEW ORLEANS 9 RIGHT THERE OH AND DENVER ALL THIS TEAMS HAVE A BETTER CHANCE THAN THE LAKERS DO YOU GUYS DO THE MATH. ITS ONLY 8 SPOTS AND I ALREADY COUNTED 10 WITH LAKERS OH YEAH IM FORGETTIN THE MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES WITH THAT PICK FROM OHIO AND MILIC SINGING THEY HAVE A BETTER CHANCE AS WELL. SORRY TOO SAY LAKERS ARE DONE IF THE LAKERS DONT MAKE IT HAPPEN PASSING THE FIRST ROUND OF THE PLAYOFFS THATS IF THEY MAKE IT. KOBE IS LEAVING THATS REALITY NOT LIKE YOU GUYS LEAVING THIS FAIRY TALE STORYS OF YOUR OWN.