Shaq/Kobe/T-Mac... predictions?

What do you guys think will eventually happen with all of these guys?

First was rumors of Kobe leaving (possibly to Clips). Then Shaq talked to T-Mac (good friends btw) at the All-Star game about teaming up in LA if Kobe left. Then there was the rumors Kobe going to Phoenix, followed by T-Mac and Kobe in Phoenix. Now their is rumors that if Kobe and Shaq are still Lakers through 04-05, that Shaq will return to Orlando in 05-06 to play with McGrady. I'm seeing the Kobe/T-Mac and the Shaq/McGrady(in Orl) as not going to happen but who knows. If LA wins, I think things might stay where they are, but if they lose, I think we'll see some major shifts in the NBA this offseason. Thoughts? Predictions? Step forward and voice them.

good, i hate the Lakers.

Shaq and McGrady would be f*ckin awesome. Kobe and McGrady would be f*cking awesome. shit, put all threee of them together on Orlando. i dont hate Shaq and Kobe, i just hate the Lakers in general, since Magic retired. Payton used o be one of my favorite players and now i severely dislike him. i loved Shaq back in the day in Orlando, now i hate him, and if he moves back to Orlando, ill love him again.

my prediction.

Lakers win championship.

Phil Jackson and Kobe get resigned. Karl stays and Shaq stays happy. I don't see them winning a championship and splitting up. Kobe said stuff out of spite this year, but I think he knows where to go to win.

I will forever hate Kobe and Shaq and will hate any team they go to (unless its Portland but even then I'll want a trade).

Shaq - I really don't see him playing anywhere but LA. He'll retire before going back to Orlando IMO.
Kobe - If they win, I say 80% he'll stay. If they lose, I expect him to be gone 90%. Kobe has never gotten along with Shaq and Phil (Phil is more recent)
Payton - Gone 85% either way. If they lose, he will be mad and leave, if they win, he'll be satisfied and leave.
Malone - This man is unpredictable. He loves basketball enough that he might not leave even if they win. If they lose, it depends on how much wear and tear he is willing to go through.
Phil Jackson - Contract talks haven't gone too smooth and rumors have it that this is last season with the Lakers. He is fed up with Kobe and management will place Kobe infront of Phil.
McGrady - ??? Orlando will try to keep him unless he demands a trade. I personally have always thought of T-Mac as overrated. He is extremely good, but he just doesn't have what the greats seem to have. He whines too much and appears to be giving up in Orlando too easily. Not necessarily a leader, just a good player. I will look down even more upon him if he leaves Orlando.
I guess only time will tell.

Tracy isnt exactly overrated. its true, he seems to be giving up, but c'mon, Orlando sucks. he doesnt play much defense, though im sure he could. if he wanted he could drop 30 or 40 a night for a month straight, he just seems kinda let down that he's on a crappy team. if Orlando got another star, and some good role-players, they have a great chance of getting deep into the playoffs.

i disagree i think mcgrady would make a good leader...the problem is there aint noboby for him to lead an orlando.... as far as kobe i think he'll go to memphis that team is a superstar away from a chance at a championship i see payton gone no matter what and like u said malone is up in the air....i dont know if shaq is gonna stay in la coz la dont what to give him a long term deal and thats what he wants

I can see T-Mac helping a team to win, but not leading them. He is affraid to take charge. He didn't want to go to Orlando without help (Grant Hill) and even Phoenix has admitted that they'd like to get McGrady but only if they can get Kobe as well.

McGrady would be awesome in Phoenix just with Marbury

no i think he was gonna go to orlando even without grant hill i think he went coz at the time he was in vince carters shadow... i think he would make a good fit in memphis if kobe doesnt sign over there but i dont see it happenin

this is just a fantasy draft type thing here, so dont think its going to happen, but id love McGrady on New Jersey. someone who could finally score in the half court is exactly what New Jersey needs(my favorite team by the way)

He couldn't escape Vince's shadow because Vince was his cousin. I think that had to do with looking good on his own to his family or something. He did state that he didn't want to be the go to guy and he didn't sign until he knew that Hill was. Also, at that time they thought they'd sign Tim Duncan as well, which obviously didn't happen.

Another reason McGrady is overrated is because unlike most greats, McGrady can't adapt. Kobe will change his game for whatever is necessary. McGrady himself has even mentioned how he has struggled with the zone and he is at a loss of what to do.

yea i know vince is his cousin but he left coz no matter what he did in toronto he would always be looked at as vinces cousin...he may say he has more trouble against the zone but i dont think that really slows him down i mean he's lead the league in scoring the past couple of years

He has led the league in scoring, yes. But he has yet to prove himself as a leader of a winning team.

Originally posted by Myth
Another reason McGrady is overrated is because unlike most greats, McGrady can't adapt. Kobe will change his game for whatever is necessary. McGrady himself has even mentioned how he has struggled with the zone and he is at a loss of what to do.

Laker talk:

Gary Payton's new found friendship with Karl Malone has him telling media that he's going where Karl goes next year. I'm sure Gary wouldn't mind staying since he is a starter, and they have an excellent chance at winning a championship. but sitting in the 4th and getting dealt the blame doesn't help him much. Still, i think he's starting to understand his role on the team better...but who knows his status until the season's over.

So far from you 3 I've heard that basically all 4 Laker superstars and their coach are as good as gone in the next 2 years. Come on now....Jerry Buss is too good of an owner to let them all slip away. He's going to end up with AT LEAST 2 of the 5. And a championship run...leaves a posibility of all 5 coming back just not a very great possiblity.

With Kobe, sure he's told the media he wants out, but that was early in the season while LA was in 4th-5th place...struggling. He hasn't said a word since well before the All-Star break...nor has any Laker other than GP when he got the blame for San Antonio.

T-mac Talk:

K, i gotta agree with Myth on this one. T-mac isn't a good leader, he's just a scorer. His defense is just plain attrocious. His team isn't THAT bad, but the coach runs the offense around T-mac, instead of playing a team game....so Orlando sucks. Lots of dribbling and fancy 1-on-1 moves don't make you a great basketball player, and it doesn't help your team at all. Sorry to bring him up WuTa, but Allen Iverson is the same way except he plays decent defense. Both are just scorers, not great team leaders.

"you 3"? i hope you arent including me, because i didnt say anything besides "that would be awesome". note: WOULD is the key word here. i dont know shit about the Lakers operations, and to an extent, i dont care. if i cared, id know more.

on the T-Mac thing- thats exactly right. place him on a team with a leader(i.e. New Jersey with Jason Kidd) and he would fit right in, perfectly. add a good coach(oh look at that, Larry Frank. dont say he's not good, 13-0 start is damn good.) and youve got a eastern confrence championship team, and a contender for the title, no matter who comes out of the west.

based on your WOULD i included you, but I'm sorry, i was mistaken.

If you were to put Jason Kidd and T-Mac on the same team they wouldn't be truly effective unless they had some size in the middle. Not so much for offense, but for defense. Throw in a Theo Ratliff or a Ben Wallace type of big man, and you've basically got Jordan's Bulls team with 2 stars and a defensive hustler. That most certainly would give you a shot at the title.

I have no doubt that LA will retain AT LEAST 2 of those 5. I do not believe Shaq will play anywhere else but I do expect him to retire in about 3 years. The Orlando thing is a rumor which I believe has close to 0% chance of happening (not 0, but close).

If they win:
Shaq stays
Kobe stays (80-90%)
Malone ??? Stays if he can't pry himself away from the game
Payton ??? The trophy might feel good but he still won't be happy with his role.
Phil - How much is another championship run worth to him? How much of Payton's and Kobe's crap can he put up with just to get one more?

If they lose:
Shaq stays
Kobe - I'm still sticking with leaves here but I'm changing my % to 25% staying
Malone ??? How hungry is he?
Gary - Gone (just a prediction, doesn't mean it will happen)
Phil - If Gary and Kobe leave, I think there is a higher chance he will stay but who knows.

I really don't have that much trouble with Kobe leaving...

I mean, yah, he's about the best guard in the league...but he still does a lot of things to take the Lakers out of games. He dribbles a lot, he's too one-on-one/post-up when he should be cutting hard, getting back door passes from Malone and what not.

Just please lord get rid of Fox, Russell, and Medvedenko....please

i dont know how u could inverson isnt a good leader....i think he has proven himself to be a leader in the year he brought his team to the finals.....he led by example that year by playing hurt through out the playoffs and this year when his teammates where slacking he called them out and when the press wanted him to give names he refused and just said they know who they are...actully i think he said "everyone wants to look pretty and not dive for loose balls, and not play defensive"

with the lakers i can see malone staying another year i cant see payton staying unless jackson is gone coz that way he might get more minutes and play in the 4th...shaq is probly 90% even if phil isnt resigned and i think kobe is gone...theres a chance he will stay if phil is gone but who knows