Don't Expect a Huge Change, a Superstar in the Off Season

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">"A championship run really includes a lot of experience and you don't see teams that average 23 and 24 years of age ... you don't see teams that young getting to the (NBA) Finals,'' General Manager Mitch Kupchak said. "I wouldn't discount it a year or two down the road, and clearly that's our goal.''

Because of salary-cap restraints, the Lakers aren't in much of a position to change their roster much and aren't in a hurry anyway. After next season, they will be under the salary cap and are prepared to bid on a better crop of potential free agents.

For now, the plan is to stick with a team that at first sputtered, then grew together in the final two months of the season and nearly pulled off a first-round playoff upset.

"You cannot predict a major change,'' Kupchak said. "There's only two or three, maybe four teams that have significant cap room in the NBA. This is not a great year where you're going to see eight to 10 stellar free agents available. So even if you had $10-12 million worth of cap room, there aren't a great number of players to spend it on.''

Kupchak added that a high-impact trade is unlikely.

"We don't believe that we have to have a superstar come in here to be able to advance,'' Coach Phil Jackson said. "That's not part of our thinking, of course. Now, if something jumped out and was available, no team's going to turn that opportunity down.''
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link: http://www.dailybreeze.com/sports/articles/2768301.html

- mitch

 

Seems as if next year wont be much different. Its gonna be alot harder for the Lakers to make playoffs though. New Orleans is slowly becoming a playoff contender, the Jazz will be fired up to get the 7th or 8th spot, the Kings have the potential to win the Pacific division with Artest, Minnesota might make some offseason moves that could put them up to the next level, Denver should still be quite a challenge, the Clippers are gonna be good next year, Golden State still have Richardson, Davis, and Dunleavy (that combo could explode at any time), Houston might be lucky to have T-mac and Yao healthy enough for championship contention, the Suns will be the Suns, the Mavs will be the Mavs, Memphis will be Memphis, and the Spurs will be the Spurs. The only teams that dont actually pose a threat to the Lakers, (if no major offseason moves are made), are Portland, Seattle, and Minnesota. Mitch has made it perfectly clear that nothing big will happen until maybe after next season. Things are not looking good.

 

Quick question.... when does Artest's contract expire??

 

FIRE MITCH PLEASE SOMEBODY SHOOT THAT GUY SO WE HAVE A NEW MANAGER. Im really impatient with what he's doing with the lakers roster. He screwed up with the shaq trade and now he can't fix things.

 

See what happenened when Jerry West left.

 

Horrible GM

Kupchak is bringing underachievers to LA like Isaiah to NYC

 

bad news but a true fan will wait. I don't think Cupcake has a lot of input in the big trade, it's the Buss that run things behind them. The Shaq trade was probably Buss's idea. Without a lot of good stars in the free agent market this year and without much cap room left, there is noway to land a superstar. Mitch does his best already. What I don't agree with him is how he's drafting player. After West left, the Lakers haven't get any good player from the draft, it probably his fault for doing a bad scouting. Overall, I don't have too much hope in him anyway, he always a step slow in signing player, let him go and hire Kiki!

 

Although, seeing KG with Kobe would be nice I can understand why Mitch is not going to make a “blockbuster trade” this off season. The team had a promising season, and really started to gel down the stretch run. If Brown and Odom play at that type of level for an entire season this team could really be a factor in the near future. Not to mention adding Bynum into that equation. The Lakers have a bright future they should'nt risk ruining that.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Best Kept Secret:</div><div class="quote_post">....If Brown and Odom play at that type of level for an entire season...</div>
No they can't, no they can't, no they can't. They've been in the league how long now? Kwame Brown was drafted #1 and mentored under MICHAEL JORDAN and he gave up on him. Odom has underachieved his whole career when you look at what he's capable of doing. When you look at the great players, they all played hard and worked hard when they first got in the league -be it Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Steve Nash, whoever. They might have taken time to LEARN but not time to develop a work ethic. Like I said Lamar and Kwame are Mitch's Stephon and Stevie Franchise they just get bailed out cause Kobe's on the team so they don't stink so bad. In fact if Kobe and Jamal Crawford switched teams, the Lakers would look a lot like the Knicks.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting phunDamentalz:</div><div class="quote_post">In fact if Kobe and Jamal Crawford switched teams, the Lakers would look a lot like the Knicks.</div>
i agree with most of it, but stupid quote here. of course the lakers would be a lot like the knicks if crawford and kobe switch places. kobe is one of the best players to ever play the game, and crawford is just another offensive nba guard.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Brian:</div><div class="quote_post">i agree with most of it, but stupid quote here. of course the lakers would be a lot like the knicks if crawford and kobe switch places. kobe is one of the best players to ever play the game, and crawford is just another offensive nba guard.</div>
Thanks for agreeing too bad you think my quote is stupid
listen what i'm saying is the guys around kobe such as lamar and kwame that everyone says oh pippen-to-kobe's-mj are actually a lot closer to Franchise and Starbury - guys with *talent* but for some reason just don't GET it.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting phunDamentalz:</div><div class="quote_post">Thanks for agreeing too bad you think my quote is stupid
listen what i'm saying is the guys around kobe such as lamar and kwame that everyone says oh pippen-to-kobe's-mj are actually a lot closer to Franchise and Starbury - guys with *talent* but for some reason just don't GET it.</div>
lol. i was just playing with you. i knew what you meant.

 

Perfect Mitch Kupcake...waste away Kobe's prime years! Great job..

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting rocky votolato:</div><div class="quote_post">Perfect Mitch Kupcake...waste away Kobe's prime years! Great job..</div>

We have one of the best players in the league today who is going to piss away his prime because of some idiot.....

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting phunDamentalz:</div><div class="quote_post">No they can't, no they can't, no they can't. They've been in the league how long now? Kwame Brown was drafted #1 and mentored under MICHAEL JORDAN and he gave up on him. Odom has underachieved his whole career when you look at what he's capable of doing. When you look at the great players, they all played hard and worked hard when they first got in the league -be it Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Steve Nash, whoever. They might have taken time to LEARN but not time to develop a work ethic. Like I said Lamar and Kwame are Mitch's Stephon and Stevie Franchise they just get bailed out cause Kobe's on the team so they don't stink so bad. In fact if Kobe and Jamal Crawford switched teams, the Lakers would look a lot like the Knicks.</div>

I completely agree. Kwame has had more than enough time to develop into the player he should be. Some may argue he was to young and all this other crap. But take into consideration that Kobe, Garnett, and plenty of other great players were drafted straight out of highschool. And worst of all, Kwame had the greatest player in NBA history as a mentor...and he couldnt turn into anything. As for Odom, his inconsistancy throughout the season has really bothered me. Even though he began to play better during the last few games of the season you still can't use that as a reason to keep Odom. Odom is nothing more than a pothead. He had great potential...could have been one of the NBA finest. But he has failed to meet expectations because he doesnt care. Lakers will most likely keep Odom and Kwame but with the way things are going, its hard for Laker fans to expect much from this squad next season.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">When you look at the great players, they all played hard and worked hard when they first got in the league -be it Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Steve Nash, whoever.</div>

Up until 2 years ago no one would ever have remembered Steve Nash outside of Dallas, just thought I'd point that out.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting ilive4ball:</div><div class="quote_post">Up until 2 years ago no one would ever have remembered Steve Nash outside of Dallas, just thought I'd point that out.</div>
Steve has always been a solid player, he wasn't as much of a big deal in Dallas I believe because he wasn't given the leader role on the team - he had to pay his dues behind Finley, Dirk, etc., in Phoenix he was given the chance to be the leader and he's responded.