<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Christmas isn't coming early for Kwame Brown. He was supposed to travel on the Lakers' upcoming four-game trip, but Coach Phil Jackson decided against it because Brown "couldn't get on the floor and practice with us yet." Brown began rattling off one-liners as soon as reporters told him what Jackson said Sunday. "I'll inbound the ball," he said. "Just let me go." He has been trying to recover from injuries and boredom since Chicago center Ben Wallace tumbled into his left knee and ankle on Nov. 18. He has missed 14 games with moderate sprains and was acerbic when told he would apparently be skipping another trip -- which also meant more one-on-one workout time with athletic performance director Chip Schaefer. "Usually Chip stays back and works out the guys . . . but you don't want to stay back with Chip. It's no fun," Brown said, smiling. "Whatever part of your body that's not hurting, you will work it." Brown has been able to run in a straight line but has had trouble cutting and stopping quickly. "My knee tends to, like, give out a little and I can't really get back to position," Brown said. The ankle is still problematic as well. "Some days the ankle feels great, some days it swells up and doesn't," he said. Still, Jackson expressed hope that Brown would return to the practice court next Monday, a day after the Lakers return from their trip. Brown, in the last year of a contract that pays him $9.1 million this season, is averaging 4.3 points and five rebounds a game. The Lakers' trip consists of four games against teams with a combined 35-57 record, perhaps a rare chance to actually gain ground in the Western Conference standings while on the road. Chicago (8-13) and Philadelphia (10-14) have played a little better lately and struggling Cleveland (10-14) just got LeBron James back, while New York (7-16) has been hopeless throughout the season. Jackson wasn't quite ready to predict a 4-0 trip. "Chicago's notoriously had slow Novembers on the road and come out in December after a homestand and play really well the rest of the year in their home court," he said. "The other three games [are] later on in the week, and it's three in four nights." This trip will seem like a one-nighter compared to the nine-game odyssey awaiting them in six weeks. "We have extended road games later in the season, but this is a good swing for us at this time," Jackson said. "It's the right time for us to go out on the road and kind of balance our schedule out a little bit."</div></p> Source: LA Times</p> Just a few days ago the Lakers said Kwame would travel with the team and could possibly suit up at some point. I'm hoping they have a deal lined for him and he's seen his last game in the Purple and Gold. There is no chance he comes back to the starting lineup with Bynum breaking out and paying $9M for a backup center doesn't make sense for this team any longer.</p> Kwame hasn't shown he can learn the PF position in the Triangle offense and even though the Lakers need his toughness and size, there are plent of options available to replace what he brings to the court.</p> I wonder what it would take to pry Kurt Thomas out of Seattle?</p>
Seattle is looking at Thomas as trade bait for a young prospect. I doubt they give him up for Kwame who has shown he is a bust.</p>
They would do that but do you really want to give up a 1st for Kurt Thomas? Hes solid but I see maybe one good year in left him.</p>
I think Seattle may deal Kurt Thomas for Kwame Brown, since Brown has a 9 million dollar expiring contract, and can give them more money to rebuild. Honestly, I've completely forgotten Kwame was even on the team. We don't need him anymore, so like shape said, hopefully a deal is lined up. When his injury was first announced, it wasn't supposed to be serious. He was supposed to be out maybe a week at max, but he has been out for about a month now. I don't know whether that means we have a deal brewing, or if Kwame is just a pussy. I'm leaning towards the latter since it usually takes Kwame months to recover from a minor injury</p>
Wasn't supposed to be serious? It was a sprained knee and ankle...he's already got bad ankles. You were on crack if you expected him back within a week. Why the hell would we trade him? We don't have a serviceable back up center for Bynum without Kwame, with Mihm's legs being pretty much shot.</p> Unless Kwame is an expiring contract filler in a trade for someone who can have a big impact on this team, then I say hold onto him and let him walk at the end of the year or see if he'll re-sign for something cheap.</p>
