We could still use 2 more people.
Is the draft tomorrow 3:30 Pacific time?
Btw, whoever has the **** for team name really needs to come up with a name. I mean c'mon dude that's pretty lame just pick anything.
And who's I am Stern's Kippah? That's hilarious! 😂
I notice an extra utility spot was added is that to compensate for there only being 8.
I don't know if this will be as competitive with just 8? Hmmm....
I was really expecting more people to join. Would it be too late for me to jump ship at this pt. Would anyone like to take my place?
MSNBC reports, “The Los Angeles Lakers and Chicago Bulls have been having daily talks about a Kobe Bryant trade, according to an ESPN report on Saturday. According to the report, the Lakers have asked for Luol Deng, Ben Gordon, Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah, but the Bulls do not want to give up that much for Bryant. The other problem is that Bryant would likely not want to play in Chicago if the Bulls gave up that much talent to get him."
anyone got any thoughts? bulls could be looking to recapture the jordan years perhaps? i wouldnt wanna give up luol deng though... not even for kobe. i think hes got some amazing potential
First off the numbers dont come close to matching as both Thomas and Noah are on rookie contracts and neither Hinrich or Gordon make the max. Second the Lakers dont have to bend over and take a lopsided deal like that, Kobe is still under contract for 2 more years and i'd rather have him sit for those 2 years than see the Lakers take that deal. At least we'd have 20 mill cap space once he comes off the books.
The only power Kobe has is the no trade clause, so he can kill any deal that he feels strips the team he gets traded to of too much talent. Thats why we have such a stalemate now. The Lakers arent gonna make the same mistake twice and trade a superstar for anything less than an all star and some young talent. What we got for the Shaq deal is part of the reason we are in this mess in the first place and i hope the Lakers have learnt from that mistake.
Ultimately i hope Kobe plays at least this season for the Lakers and sees that his best chance of winning a championship is with his current squad. We have some developing talent and in a couple of years we could be back in the mix with some small trades and smart signings. Any team that Kobe gets traded to is gonna have to give up alot if only to match his salary and he will always be seen as a guy how couldnt lead the team he had and jumped ship. If he stays with the Lakers at least he has a chance to be the leader of a team that could contend while he still has a few years left.
Originally posted by FistOfThe North
NBA analysts are calling the Celtics the Beast of the East. Calling them the team to beat.With all that powere and unselfishness, they'll take it all the way.
Those same analysts have said the same thing about Dallas and Phoenix so I'm not putting too much stock in what they say. You still have got to play the games and also hope the team suffers no injuries. That said I'm think the Spurs may repeat.
Originally posted by FistOfThe North
NBA analysts are calling the Celtics the Beast of the East. Calling them the team to beat.With all that powere and unselfishness, they'll take it all the way.
Yea, they said the same thing about Lakers in the West in 04, same thing about Phoenix, and Dallas last year, and none of those teams won the championship in those years, analayst only predict the obvious, which is why they're never right when they predict who's going to win it all. Oh gee, the Celtics will finnish in the top 3 in the east, thanks for insight ESPN, I didn't that one coming. What's next, Dallas will crack the top 2 in the West.
Aldridge was working Duncan over, mid range, post up, the dudes got the complete game for a big man. He also runs the floor really well and has a natural knack for blocking shots. I really like the Blazers young players, Jack, Roy, Webster, Aldridge, Outlaw and Oden will be going places in a few years.
As for the Laker game it was certainly exciting, Kobe showing why you should never turn off before the final buzzer. I dont think he gave the other guys enough opportunities to get in the game once we got down though, the only way the Lakers are going to compete on a regular basis is if Kobe allows his teammates to learn how to come along for the ride (even if they fail). In the first quarter the ball was moving everyone was active defensively and we were up, then when the Rockets made their run and went ahead Kobe seemed to try and take it upon himself to shoot the Lakers back into the game. Granted he can and has done that before but a) he has an injured wrist and his shot was off (as evidenced in his FT %) and b) the Lakers are far more dangerous when we are playing team ball and even if we dont win the game its the only way forward with or without Kobe. When Kobe starts to fire away like that everyone else stops making the cuts and the offense looks stagnant, the triangle offence when run properly is a motion offence where players should not hold the ball for more than 2 seconds because it disrupts the rhythm and timing.
The fact that Lamar is still out and Vlad was also missing and we still gave a strong Rockets team a run for their money is encouraging, we have alot more talent on this team than most give us credit for - they just need to be healthy and to be given a change to succeed. But even if they fail at least we will know where the changes need to be made, but with Kobe going into tunnel vision mode all that does is take the other players out of their rhythm. I've said many times that i want Kobe to retire a Laker and i think if he gives this team a chance now they are healthy he might be surprised with how good this team could be if he is patient.
I'm pretty sure it was necessary Kool. Rockets got back in the game in the 2nd, when Kobe wasn't in the game, we saw how it works out when Kobe doesn't have the ball in his hands. As soon as he goes in "Kobe mode" we start making a run. That is how this team is, we will fail if miserably if Kobe doesn't do what he does. How do you figure we are most dangerous when we play team ball? We turn the ball over and we don't score! Seems like a lottery team to me. I hope Kobe keeps doing what he's doing, I'm a Lakers fan that wants the team to actually win games.
We were 23-16 early last year having beaten the Suns, Spurs and Mavs, this was while Kobe was playing team ball. This year we have more depth at center and point guard and Smush is in Miami, so you have to say we are a better team. Im not saying Kobe doesnt need to look to score but for stretches there last night he wasnt even looking to pass and was going one on five. When he works off the ball its much harder to double team him and if you do if he moves the ball quickly out of the trap its a lay up drill (as long as the ball doesnt end up in Kwame's hands).
The thing i really did like about Kobe last night was his defense, he really proved to people that he is one of the best perimeter defenders with Team USA in the summer and if he can play even 70% of that kind of defense then that will help more than him going off for 50 a game. We certainly needed his scoring last year with all the injuries but now we are nearly at full strength and he have some players that can score. But Kobe is the only player we have that can play that kind of D and i think that would inspire his teammates alot more than 30+ shots a game. Like i've said many times offense is not our problem, defense is.
A bit scared last night by giving up 20 point lead but they turned it around.
I dont understand why some media and people have the Raptors as a lottery pick. Why no love?
I think this team can go far this year. Same team as last year, Bargnani is going to get even better, and the depth of this team is staggering. You have Joey Graham coming off the bench as its 12th player. A guy who was the 6th-7th man last year. Kopono is an instant upgrade from Mo Pete's playing.