The 2007 Plan is dead?

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Two weeks from the trade deadline, the Los Angeles Lakers sit with the eighth best record in the Western Conference. On their heels are the Utah Jazz, Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves and Sacramento Kings. The highest the Lakers seem capable of climbing is to the sixth seed, which would entail leapfrogging the Memphis Grizzlies and New OrleansOklahoma City Hornets. The sixth seed has the advantage of playing the winner of the weaker Midwest Division.

Since division winners are guaranteed a top three seed, should the Lakers finish with a better record than say the Denver Nuggets (currently atop the Midwest), the Lakers could actually head into the first round with home court advantage over the higher seed. Although it's certainly possible one of the top four teams in the conference may slide (Dallas Mavericks, San Antonio Spurs, Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Clippers), they're likely out of reach.

The 2007 Plan Dead?
After making a stab at Ron Artest, the Lakers have appeared to be quiet on the trade front. A rebuffed inquiry to the New York Knicks on Channing Frye aside, LA has been said to be offering no more than Devean George, Slava Medvedenko and the Miami 2006 pick to any inquiring suitor.

The plan from the moment Shaquille O'Neal was traded to the Miami Heat was to attain cap room in 2007 to pursue a top free agent. Unfortunately for the Lakers, names like Yao Ming and Amare Stoudemire inked long term extensions with their existing teams. The hope of acquiring LeBron James may be nothing more than a fantasy.

Still, all of the team's moves over the last year or so have seemingly been geared towards maintaining their cap flexibility in 2007.

Or have they?

This summer, the Lakers traded Caron Butler and Chucky Atkins to the Washington Wizards for Kwame Brown. The deal was a sign and trade which had Brown's contract guaranteed for two seasons. The third season was originally $9.075 million in non-guaranteed money at the Lakers' discretion, thus fitting into the 2007 plan.

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To read more, click the link below, its a great read!

Hoopsworld

 

ok. so basically the 07 plan is dead thanks to kwame? and they are looking for a big name in 08? wtf! they are just wasting away kobe's prime! i cant tell you how pissed i am. there is no way i want to wait another 3 years

 

Webber's deal should expire in 2007.Lakers should sign him,you'd be instant contenders!*

*sarcasm

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Martin:</div><div class="quote_post">Webber's deal should expire in 2007.Lakers should sign him,you'd be instant contenders!*

*sarcasm</div>

Even if we wanted him, he would never some to LA. After all those rings we denied him of when he was getting his ass beat night after night for Sac-town.

 

I say we trade Kwame for draft picks so we can acquire more space for the 07 plan

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting dtpxcore:</div><div class="quote_post">I say we trade Kwame for draft picks so we can acquire more space for the 07 plan</div>

This would suck seeing as that means we ultimatly gave away Shaq for Odom and some draft picks. Or we gave up Chucky Atkins and Caron Butler for Profit and some draft picks.

 

This is a GREAT article. It's depressing as hell, but in some wierd way still offers hope.

There were a few names mentioned that really intrigued me as players we could and should feasibly trade for:

Drew Gooden
Earl Watson or Brevin Knight
Paul Peirce.

The last ones a stretch. Anyways, I echo what every one else is saying and am not mad, but scared that they will waste Kobe's prime. I honestly, don't think they are that dumb. I know Mitch isn't the greatest GM, but there is no way Jerry Buss, Phil Jackson and Magic Johnson will let a player of Kobe's magnitude go to waste.

 

Paul Pierce for me would be perfect. The only way we will get him is by trading Odom. After seeing how we play without Odom, its going to be tough to find a replacement. He leads us in rebounds and assists. Can Paul Pierce grab ten boards a game, dish out five assists and score twenty points? I don't think he can. The only player in the league that is capable of doing this is Kevin Garnett.

This point leads me to the fact that we are being too hard on Odom. We complain that he doesn't score 20+ points a night. Again, this follows to another point that we need to make more then one trade.

Getting Paul Pierce will settle our offensive problems, but then who will grab the boards for us? Kwame Brown doesn't look like he's making an improvement. Bynum is a couple of seasons away from getting minutes. Paul Pierce won't solve all of our problems. Somebody else will need to step up, much like Houston with Yao and T-Mac. During our glory day's, we had players like Fox, Horry, Fisher and George doing the little things that count and win us games. As Magic said, we are two players away from a championship team. One star(Paul Pierce) and another role player.

 

We need to to do something to resurrect the season. I say we prepare now for the 07 plan. We can't waste Kobe's prime. We have to bring in another superstar to help out. We have to get Odom out of here, and bring in veterans that do the little things. Like Ron Harper, Robert Horry, and Rick Fox. Those guys come off the bench and get it going. Right now our 07 plan is dead, and the only way to resurrect the season, we have to bring in Pierce.

 

stupid! this is just stupid! i cant tell you how pissed i am just thinking about it. we are just wasting away kobe's prime. with the 07 plan, i actually had something to look forward to, and pipe dreams like signing lebron. now, it seems like its all over thanks to kwame. wtf? im seriously questioning the management of this team. why guarentee kwame's third year of his contract when he hasnt even finished his first?? im lost