<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (KobeBryant_24 @ May 7 2007, 03:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I don't believe that. I honestly think we are going to make a big splash, it's time.</div> Make a big splash with what? I don't know what it is with Lakers fans but you people think you can add any superstar player through a trade that you want, even though there's damn near no chance you can pull one off with your roster. The only way it would be possible is if a star player demanded a trade directly to the Lakers....I don't see it happening at all. I just don't f*cking get it, there's like 25% of Lakers fans that are just unbelievably naive.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BrewCityBuck @ May 7 2007, 03:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Make a big splash with what? I don't know what it is with Lakers fans but you people think you can add any superstar player through a trade that you want, even though there's damn near no chance you can pull one off with your roster.</div>I'm sorry, but Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom are pretty damn expendable. You can't tell me rebuilding teams wouldn't want to have those guys. They're both young and, especially in the East, could be monsters on another team.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ChuckTheD @ May 7 2007, 05:53 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I'm sorry, but Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom are pretty damn expendable. You can't tell me rebuilding teams wouldn't want to have those guys. They're both young and, especially in the East, could be monsters on another team.</div> Andrew Bynum could be a monster in a few years, but he needs a lot of work, and we've seen Odom in the East, put up nice 17/10/5....pretty much his usual. Again, I just don't see any team trading a star player for those two....Outside of Jermaine O'Neal, no star player seems to be out there to be had right now.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BrewCityBuck @ May 7 2007, 04:02 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Andrew Bynum could be a monster in a few years, but he needs a lot of work, and we've seen Odom in the East, put up nice 17/10/5....pretty much his usual. Again, I just don't see any team trading a star player for those two....Outside of Jermaine O'Neal, no star player seems to be out there to be had right now.</div>Who said we had a chace at gettting anyone besides Jermaine O'neal? You can't take the people who say, "Dude, we're landing KG this summer" seriously. Those rumors have been around for years, and they always will be because it's LA.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Who said we had a chace at gettting anyone besides Jermaine O'neal? You can't take the people who say, "Dude, we're landing KG this summer" seriously. Those rumors have been around for years, and they always will be because it's LA.</div>I mean, KG has got to be sick of shoveling snow by now. Why not come to LA, buy a nice place in Orange County and play for the best owner in the NBA. That doesn't sount that naive.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Michael Bryant @ May 7 2007, 04:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I mean, KG has got to be sick of shoveling snow by now. Why not come to LA, buy a nice place in Orange County and play for the best owner in the NBA. That doesn't sount that naive.</div>KG is like BCB, he has made himself believe that he prefers the cold north to California.
If so, then maybe he's already lost his mind. We don't need a crazy player...wait a minute, this is the Lakers, they are notorious for being dysfunctional and crazy, now we need KG even more.
I think Jermaine will go to NY personally. And I can't think of a team that would want Kwame Brown for 10 mil. Lakers are in a tight spot right now. I don't think they'll do anything big for a couple years yet.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MrBigShot_23 @ May 7 2007, 03:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>LMAO, I like how I just stated that assists mean nothing to me, and dont prove anything and the first thing you do is throw some more assist stats out there. OOOO over 5 assists a game. Thats 25th among starting guards (PG, SG), which is quite pathetic for a guy who plays almost the whole game. I have in fact watched more than 3 Laker games this year, buddy. I watch any NBA game when it is on TV. Also, I dont hate Kobe. He actually is one of my favorite players interms of skills and leadership, but it just sickens me to see him ruining the game of basketball. Basketball was meant to be a team sport, and Kobe is the anti of that.You dont get it. How the hell is saying that they need more help, not criticizing his players.Thats basically stating, "Hey the players I have around me aren't good enough right now, so go get me some better ones!" Maybe Kobe should deal with what he has, instead of having his front office go out and buy him players. Did the great ones, tell the office they needed better players? No. They led the teams they had and got the players around them better.</div>Assists mean nothing to you yet you keep saying Kobe doesn't pass ball enough. Which one is it? You can't just discount his tremendous passing this season. He ended up having to go back to the Kobe of last year and shoot the ball more because of injuries to the team. He basically had to pick up the slack. (realize this is a span of over 30 games) Also, over 5 assists a game is pretty dam good for a shooting guard. Especially a shooting guard that's main job is to score the basketball. I mean, you keep trying to put Kobe down and say he's selfish and doesn't play like the great ones but even Micheal Jordan himself averaged 5 assists. I just find is hilarious that you throw a stat out there that put Kobe 25th in guards when the list includes point guards. Point guards, whose main job IS to pass. Oh, and don't give me that, you don't hate Kobe...because you do. Otherwise you wouldn't make up these dumb ideas that Kobe doesn't pass the ball enough because he's selfish. That's retarded. And no YOU don't seem to get it. Kobe is not criticizing his teammates as in trying to put them down. He knows they gave their best effort especially in the wake of all of the injuries. He is basically saying he wants more talent around him. What's wrong with that? Did the great ones tell the office they needed better players? How can you possibly not think they did? Kobe's prime is not going to be around forever. He wants to win now and I understand his frustration. By the way, players like Magic Johnson told management specifically who he wanted on his team and was deeply involved with who his teammates were. So don't give me that baloney.
I would be dissapointed too if I was him. He is the best player in the NBA and it must be frustrating when you cant get your team past the first round like he has the past few seasons. All this shows me is that he has determination, high expectations, and that he loves to win....I think its good that he said these things.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nitro1118 @ May 6 2007, 12:46 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I know what you mean, but I understand his frustration. He is in his prime and playing at a level VERY few players have ever played at, yet the team has regressed from last year and can only win 1 first round game. He wants to be a contender before he starts to decline, and I understand that.</div>I agree with this post 100%. Kobe should be complaining. The Laker's acted like they where gonna win 3 more championships, when they re-signed him. The Laker's have made some very poor decisions, after re-singing Kobe, and I think he has the right to complain. You talked about how some super stars haven't won a title yet? Maybe because there team sucks, or there like T-mac. They put to much pressure on themselves, thinking there teams wins or losses are based on there game. And all the players you listed as not winning a title, had really bad teams, and its not there fault that they haven't won a title. If anything I would blaim the scouting team, and the GM, not the players themselves.
What can he expect the Lakers to do? They aren't exactly in the best situation. Like it or not, this unit they have now is probably their best shot. As long as they make the neccessary improvements. When they were clicking this season they were good and did beat all of the "elite" teams. I think Kobe is reacting too fast. Jordan didn't have his great team until he was what? 28? Kobe still has 5 great years in him, the way training and conditioning is these days, he has AT LEAST 5 great years in him.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (LakersFan247 @ May 7 2007, 08:49 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Assists mean nothing to you yet you keep saying Kobe doesn't pass ball enough. Which one is it? You can't just discount his tremendous passing this season. He ended up having to go back to the Kobe of last year and shoot the ball more because of injuries to the team. He basically had to pick up the slack. (realize this is a span of over 30 games) Also, over 5 assists a game is pretty dam good for a shooting guard. Especially a shooting guard that's main job is to score the basketball. I mean, you keep trying to put Kobe down and say he's selfish and doesn't play like the great ones but even Micheal Jordan himself averaged 5 assists. I just find is hilarious that you throw a stat out there that put Kobe 25th in guards when the list includes point guards. Point guards, whose main job IS to pass. Oh, and don't give me that, you don't hate Kobe...because you do. Otherwise you wouldn't make up these dumb ideas that Kobe doesn't pass the ball enough because he's selfish. That's retarded. And no YOU don't seem to get it. Kobe is not criticizing his teammates as in trying to put them down. He knows they gave their best effort especially in the wake of all of the injuries. He is basically saying he wants more talent around him. What's wrong with that? Did the great ones tell the office they needed better players? How can you possibly not think they did? Kobe's prime is not going to be around forever. He wants to win now and I understand his frustration. By the way, players like Magic Johnson told management specifically who he wanted on his team and was deeply involved with who his teammates were. So don't give me that baloney.</div>What the hell? What does assists have to do with passing the ball. An assist is a pass that leads a player to score. That is different from swinging the ball, just being patient and passing to someone who then that guy gets an assist. You ovbiously dont get my drift. Michael Jordan may have averaged just as much assists as Kobe, but he knew when to pass the ball. Pippen didnt average over 20 ppg in many years by MJ being a ball hog. MJ ovbiously took alot of shots, but when he was double teamed, he was smart enough to give up the ball. Dont give me the crap that Pippen is better than anybody the Lakers have, because MJ developed Pippen and got him open looks all the time from defenders focusing on him. Defenders focus on Kobe, but then he dosent pass. Lamar Odom has the potential to be a Pippen-like player, but Kobe dosent dish it to him.Also, of course PG's main job is to pass the ball, but even they dont have the ball in their hands as much as Kobe does, and dont get the playing time he does. Just to give you an example, Earl Watson with his 27 mpg averages more assists per game than Kobe, with his 40 mpg. Does that sound right to you? Of course it dosent but its true and you can look it up yourself.How does trying to construtively criticize Kobe's game, mean I hate him. I'm being completely honest when I say hes one of my favorite players in the game. He has amazing skills, and can score, but I'm telling you right now, the Lakers can get all the free agents they want, they wont win a championship if Kobe continues to play the way he plays. Playoff basketball is about teamwork, and Kobe not getting past the first round since Shaq left, is an attribute to that.Sure Magic helped the front office get who he wanted, but they came to him. He didnt publically call out the team and tell them they needed to get better players. I just dont know how the F*ck you figure that saying the team needs better players around them, as a criticism to his current teammates. Thats just dumbass ignorance right there.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (tHe_pEsTiLeNcE @ May 7 2007, 06:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>KG is like BCB, he has made himself believe that he prefers the cold north to California. </div> I've been to Los Angeles. Not my thing. :no1:
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MrBigShot_23 @ May 9 2007, 01:01 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>What the hell? What does assists have to do with passing the ball. An assist is a pass that leads a player to score. That is different from swinging the ball, just being patient and passing to someone who then that guy gets an assist. You ovbiously dont get my drift. Michael Jordan may have averaged just as much assists as Kobe, but he knew when to pass the ball. Pippen didnt average over 20 ppg in many years by MJ being a ball hog. MJ ovbiously took alot of shots, but when he was double teamed, he was smart enough to give up the ball. Dont give me the crap that Pippen is better than anybody the Lakers have, because MJ developed Pippen and got him open looks all the time from defenders focusing on him. Defenders focus on Kobe, but then he dosent pass. Lamar Odom has the potential to be a Pippen-like player, but Kobe dosent dish it to him.Also, of course PG's main job is to pass the ball, but even they dont have the ball in their hands as much as Kobe does, and dont get the playing time he does. Just to give you an example, Earl Watson with his 27 mpg averages more assists per game than Kobe, with his 40 mpg. Does that sound right to you? Of course it dosent but its true and you can look it up yourself.How does trying to construtively criticize Kobe's game, mean I hate him. I'm being completely honest when I say hes one of my favorite players in the game. He has amazing skills, and can score, but I'm telling you right now, the Lakers can get all the free agents they want, they wont win a championship if Kobe continues to play the way he plays. Playoff basketball is about teamwork, and Kobe not getting past the first round since Shaq left, is an attribute to that.Sure Magic helped the front office get who he wanted, but they came to him. He didnt publically call out the team and tell them they needed to get better players. I just dont know how the F*ck you figure that saying the team needs better players around them, as a criticism to his current teammates. Thats just dumbass ignorance right there.</div>God dam....I typed a long ass response and my comp froze. Here were my points:-Kobe has done exactly what you describing and saying Kobe hasn't done. It's exactly what did at the start of the season, then all of the injuries came around and Kobe was called upon to do more of the scoring again. (as last season) A span of at least 30 games where Kobe was no longer the facilitator and was working with a new starting lineup and players that weren't as familiar with the system.- Lamar Odom. Sure he has the potential to be great but you say he doesn't reach that potential because of Kobe? That ludicrous. It's all about how Lamar approaches the game. He has all the heart in the world but some nights he just doesn't bring it and is inconsistent. He needs to be more aggressive. Some nights he will go out and have a triple double and the next have a bust game with 8 points. That's the way he is and it sucks but to blame Kobe for Lamar not being the player he can be is stupid.-Kobe has done anything and everything for this team. If you truly believe the Lakers didn't get past the first round because of Kobe, YOU are the ignorant one.
I'm the first to admit that I'm not a Lakers fan so I dont watch alot of games. But I HIGHLY DOUBT that Kobe in the beginning of the year tryed to be a playmaker and did the things I said. Hes just not that kind of ballplayer, and I dont believe for a second he was spreading the ball, giving other guys chances etc.Lamar Odom. You ever wonder why he has off nights? Because he dosent get the ball as often. Sure he dosent play intense sometimes but who would be motivated to go out and play their hardest every single night when you have a player like Kobe on the team. You know hes not going to get you the ball in a good situation, and you most certainly know hes going to take the majority of shots. People always diss the Lakers players, but they dont make shots because they can never get into a rhythym. Guys take a shot probably about 1 out of every 7-8 possessions and thats no way to get into a good shooting rhythym.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MrBigShot_23 @ May 10 2007, 03:30 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I'm the first to admit that I'm not a Lakers fan so I dont watch alot of games. But I HIGHLY DOUBT that Kobe in the beginning of the year tryed to be a playmaker and did the things I said. Hes just not that kind of ballplayer, and I dont believe for a second he was spreading the ball, giving other guys chances etc.</div>He was averaging only 26PPG on a fantastic % (49%) in November. He did that last year in the playoffs as well. But when players like Odom and Brown went down, he had to once again carry the load scoring-wise for the team to win. His scoring burst at the end of the season is the only reason they even made the playoffs.<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Lamar Odom. You ever wonder why he has off nights? Because he dosent get the ball as often. Sure he dosent play intense sometimes but who would be motivated to go out and play their hardest every single night when you have a player like Kobe on the team.</div>You, my freind, are an idiot if you don't think damn near every player in the league wants to play with Kobe. He was the playmaker in the Lakers 3 peat, knows how to win, and makes things much easier for teammates. Lamar has been inconsistent his whole year. It isn't like Kobe is some kind of cancer, as he won 3 rings and made a Finals appearence just 3 years ago.<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>and you most certainly know hes going to take the majority of shots. People always diss the Lakers players, but they dont make shots because they can never get into a rhythym. Guys take a shot probably about 1 out of every 7-8 possessions and thats no way to get into a good shooting rhythym.</div>That can be said about any superstar in the league. Wouldn't you want the greatest scorer of this era, and one of the 3-4 best of all time, taking the majority of the shots on your team?Kobe only takes 22FGA per game. He isn't even #2 in the league in FGA per 48min, despite being the leading score rof the league by about 3-4PPG. Lakers role players take a shot about 1 every 4 possessions, which is right around where it should be with a player of Kobe's talent. Outside of Odom, none of the role players have had much success on other teams, but Kobe still has taken them to the 7th seed in the very tough West 2 years in a row.
