If L.A. were to win this year, could this be their last for awhille? Look at it this way: Karl Malone will retire if we win the championship, Payton will leave if Fisher is resigned and vice versa, Kobe could leave if he wanted, and would have to leave if found guilty of rape. That leaves Shaq, he has lost a step, but is still the most dominant player in the game. With rising teams such as Minnesota, San Antonio, and Memphis emerging, is this the Lakers last chance to win a title in awhile? (pending no big acquistions)
I think everything is dependant on Kobe's situation...I feel if kobe is a laker next season, everything will once again fall into place... If kobe returns, I expect .. GP is gone, no ifs ands or buts about it...but that won't be a huge loss... I think Malone will stay because he wants Kareem's record Shaq will continue to deteriorate, but the emergence of other players (as well as continuing to get better) will hopefully soften the blow... IF Phil is gone, Jim Clemons is a very capable replacement... We can only expect guys like Kareem Rush and Brian Cook to continue to develop..with GP gone, and possibly fisher, the lineup could look something like this... C Shaq F Malone F George G Kobe G Rush That's not a bad unit...add in a couple of role players here and there and they should compete once again next year...
I don't see that lineup working due to the fact that it would have no true point guard. The Lakers need to keep either Fisher or Payton, I would prefer Fisher personally, and they need to hopefully resign Kobe or get some big name out of the free agent market or make a huge blockbuster trade to replace him. But, if the Laker unit stays in tact, I see them making yet another run. But, it all boils down to Kobe, if he stays, they definitely have a chance, if not, well, we'll have to wait and see if that happens.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Moo2K4:</div><div class="quote_post">I don't see that lineup working due to the fact that it would have no true point guard. The Lakers need to keep either Fisher or Payton, I would prefer Fisher personally, and they need to hopefully resign Kobe or get some big name out of the free agent market or make a huge blockbuster trade to replace him. But, if the Laker unit stays in tact, I see them making yet another run. But, it all boils down to Kobe, if he stays, they definitely have a chance, if not, well, we'll have to wait and see if that happens.</div> They run the triangle offense...They don't need a true starting point guard...just look at the Bull teams of the 90's
^Yep, just like when the Lakers won the first title of this millennium. The Lakers had Ron Harper at the point too.
Just to let you all know, i pretty sure i read this somewhere, like the los angeles times or something, Gary Payton has said he will do whatever Malone does. If Malone retires so will Payton, if Malone stays with the lakers so will Payton, wherever Malone goes payton said he would go. I guess they've developed a real friendship.
Well I wouldn't go as far as to say Payton will retire if Malone does, He'll just go to another team. I'm not even sure Payton will stay with the Lakers even if Malone does. Like someone else said, GP really didn't know what he was getting into when he came to LA. It's Hollywood out here, and everything you do is news. You have no privacy. It takes a special kind of person to come out here and deal with this madness.
It really depends on kobe. If kobe stays then we still have the best 1-2 punch in the league that no team will have an answer for in the playoffs. As long as we have those 2 and some solid role players, we have a chance to win more in the future. If kobe leaves then we have some real issues to deal with this offseason
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting notMuchgame:</div><div class="quote_post">I think everything is dependant on Kobe's situation...I feel if kobe is a laker next season, everything will once again fall into place... If kobe returns, I expect .. GP is gone, no ifs ands or buts about it...but that won't be a huge loss...</div> Exactly. If Kobe returns, which looks very unlikely at the moment, we can build players around him. He's only 25 years old and coming into his prime, so why not go out in the FA market and find the best quality players you can put surrounding him? Gary Payton will be gone next season. With a display of whining, complaining about his role in the triangle offense, and not having the ability to shut down the quicker guards in the league, I expect him to be out of town very soon. <div class="quote_poster">Quoting notMuchgame:</div><div class="quote_post">I think Malone will stay because he wants Kareem's record</div> Yeah that could possibly be true, but I remember someone very close in his family passed away, and if I recall correctly, it really changed his plans of either coming back next year, or simply retiring from basketball. If you ask me though, I'd want him to retire. The man will be too fragile to play another 82 game season. We all saw his injuries that he suffered this year. It'll be too heavy of a risk not only for him, but for this organization. <div class="quote_poster">Quoting notMuchgame:</div><div class="quote_post">IF Phil is gone, Jim Clemons is a very capable replacement...</div> We have a lot of excellent candidates, but if you ask me, not only do I think Jim Clemons would be a great head coach with himself knowing the triangle offense sitting alongside Phil Jackson, but Byron Scott would definitely fit into place as well. <div class="quote_poster">Quoting notMuchgame:</div><div class="quote_post">We can only expect guys like Kareem Rush and Brian Cook to continue to develop..with GP gone, and possibly fisher, the lineup could look something like this... C Shaq F Malone F George G Kobe G Rush That's not a bad unit...add in a couple of role players here and there and they should compete once again next year...</div> I remember Kareem Rush's 30 point performance at Sacramento. His personal career high, but besides that, we haven't seen much from him. For most of the season and when he's got here, he's played a ton of bench minutes, and I realyl don't think he's ready for 40+ minute games as a starter. I really like his left-handed jumpshot, and he seems to be knocking it down on a consistent basis, but to me, no way is he capable of being a starting player anytime soon. BY next year Brian Cook will be in his second season as a Laker, and if he continues to shoot his line drive jumper with no accuracy, arc, and rotation on that basketball, he won't be seeing any playing time soon. Luke Walton in my opinion should be experimented more. I love his passing ability, and his jumpshot. Now if only we can work on his low post defense, he'll be a decent player for years to come.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Emo:</div><div class="quote_post">BY next year Brian Cook will be in his second season as a Laker, and if he continues to shoot his line drive jumper with no accuracy, arc, and rotation on that basketball, he won't be seeing any playing time soon. Luke Walton in my opinion should be experimented more. I love his passing ability, and his jumpshot. Now if only we can work on his low post defense, he'll be a decent player for years to come.</div> Those "line drives" jumpshots go in more than most powerforwards "textbook" shots...Cook should get plenty of playing time next season... Luke Walton is a horrible jumpshooter man, I don't know how u could "love it." He needs to get into the gym and learn to at least hit some mid-range shots and MAKE THEM LAYUPS!!
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Emo:</div><div class="quote_post"> I remember Kareem Rush's 30 point performance at Sacramento. His personal career high, but besides that, we haven't seen much from him. For most of the season and when he's got here, he's played a ton of bench minutes, and I realyl don't think he's ready for 40+ minute games as a starter. I really like his left-handed jumpshot, and he seems to be knocking it down on a consistent basis, but to me, no way is he capable of being a starting player anytime soon. BY next year Brian Cook will be in his second season as a Laker, and if he continues to shoot his line drive jumper with no accuracy, arc, and rotation on that basketball, he won't be seeing any playing time soon. Luke Walton in my opinion should be experimented more. I love his passing ability, and his jumpshot. Now if only we can work on his low post defense, he'll be a decent player for years to come.</div> When GP and possibly the other super people are gone, Kareem is gonna have more time to get used to getting in a starting lineup, i believe he hs this ability. He proved that when he gets the minutes hedoes what he's told. His jumps are great, rather do i think walton himself is still a bit of an experiment. He isnt really consistent like rush is ALREADY.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting notMuchgame:</div><div class="quote_post">Those "line drives" jumpshots go in more than most powerforwards "textbook" shots...Cook should get plenty of playing time next season...</div> I still disagree. I remember while the Big Four were out nursing their injuries back in the reguar season, Cook played some starter minutes, and I remember he started shooting midrange jumpers from the baseline, and at one time during the game, he went 0/4 from the field. I think a while back, we had a conversation about Brian Cook, and sorry if I'm mistaken, but I think you told me he has an outside shot but that he can't show it off because it doesn't fit Jackson's triangle offensse? If Brian Cook can't shoot midrange jumpers, and make them at a consistent basis, to me there's no way he can fit a starter's role and play. Maybe in the years ahead of him, but he needs to sit on that bench more and watch and learn. <div class="quote_poster">Quoting notMuchgame:</div><div class="quote_post">Luke Walton is a horrible jumpshooter man, I don't know how u could "love it." He needs to get into the gym and learn to at least hit some mid-range shots and MAKE THEM LAYUPS!!</div> Not really. When he's open, he's not afraid to hesitate and shoot a basket unlike other rookies in this league. He has a decent shot from the perimeter, and he was a big reason to why we won some games in the regular season due to his nice passing ability skills and of course like I already mentioned, his jumpshot. It's just his low post defense that I worry about. Experienced power forwards use him to his advantage because they know and understand that he's still learning how to defend well in the paint.
^ actually I agree with nMg on both views of Cook and Walton. I like Cook a lot, and if that's the shot that works best for him keep it that way. I do think he should get more minutes next season also. I also agree that Walton is a horrible jump shooter, and I don't see how you think he's not hesitant to shooting it. The last few games I've watched him in he kept passing the ball around even when he had wide open shots.
Seeing as how I'm a Laker fan and live in Iowa, I'm not able to see too many of the games in which Cook plays. But, I did see a lot of his college games while he was at Illinois, and, that jumper did work in college. But, than again, in college, there is a lot more zone played and it gives the opportunity for more open jumpers because they're trying to prevent the ball from getting inside, so, in essence, you can shoot more of a line drive shot. But, seeing as how zone is almost non-existent in the pro game, the line drive shot won't work nearly as well because of the fact that you are constantly being defended and you can't hit a line drive jumper as easily. So, I think, because of that, he may have to fix his shot and get more arc on it to be more effective in the NBA.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Emo:</div><div class="quote_post"> I think a while back, we had a conversation about Brian Cook, and sorry if I'm mistaken, but I think you told me he has an outside shot but that he can't show it off because it doesn't fit Jackson's triangle offensse? </div> nah man, that's not what I said. What I told u was that Brian Cook has 3pt range, but he'd be benched by Phil if he ever attempted any at this point in his career. BUT he does indeed have that range. I had a chance to watch him a lot during summerleague in Long Beach and he was firing 3's like Robert Horry (not great, but it occasionally goes in)... <div class="quote_poster">Quoting Emo:</div><div class="quote_post"> If Brian Cook can't shoot midrange jumpers, and make them at a consistent basis, to me there's no way he can fit a starter's role and play.</div> I think u are really mistaking Brian Cook's game...at this point, he's ALL mid-range, all he can reallly do is face up and shoot...he's not that athletic, and he doesn't have a back-to-the-basket game... I agree that he needs more arc on his shot, but the fact remains that his "line drive" shots go in more than most powerfowards "textbook" shots..
from what I have seen from Cook...he is all mid range game. I know he had a nice shot in College and I am hoping he will emerge next year. Walton on the other hand has an ugly shot, I would rather have Cook shooting the ball..Waltonis good for passing the ball..he brings a lot energy also, Cook has the more upside, but Walton isnt a dud either.
