PG - Payton SG - Hmmmm.. I guess Kobe SF - Odom PF - Medvedenko C - Grant This is what I would do, but I'd actually switch depending on the size of the squad of the other team. If they were a smaller more versitle team I'd start SF/Butler, PF/Odom, and C/Grant. My 1st players of the bench would w/o a doubt be Divac, Rush, and Walton. I think the LAkers have many options this year and should have no worries about competing in the West.
Medvedenko showed some promise last, it seems like he will have a pretty good career in L. Same line-up.
PG: Gary Payton SG: Kobe Bryant SF: Caron Butler PF: Lamar Odom C: Brian Grant Thats what I think it will be, this is what I think it <u>should</u> be: PG: Gary Payton SG: Kobe Bryant SF: Lamar Odom PF: Brian Grant C: Vlade Divac
pg: gary payton sg: kobe bryant sf: lamar odom pf: karl malone (if he resigns which most likely he will) if not then brian grant c: divac (i dont think grant can start at center hes just doesnt have the size, divac has a much bigger frame giving the lakers a good complementing center)
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Billa_Bong:</div><div class="quote_post">pg: gary payton sg: kobe bryant sf: lamar odom pf: karl malone (if he resigns which most likely he will) if not then brian grant c: divac (i dont think grant can start at center hes just doesnt have the size, divac has a much bigger frame giving the lakers a good complementing center)</div> I don't know where you heard that from but Karl Malone is almost very likely not resigning with them. He's either heading to the Heat, retiring or Spurs, in that order of likelyness.
C - Vlade Divac PF - Karl Malone SF - Lamar Odom SG - Kobe Bryant PG - Gary Payton Sixth Man - Caron Butler I still do think Karl will come back, even with all the rumors about him going to Miami or San Antonio. It's not my wishful thinking either, I just have this weird feeling he will be back..
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Banks:</div><div class="quote_post">I don't know where you heard that from but Karl Malone is almost very likely not resigning with them. He's either heading to the Heat, retiring or Spurs, in that order of likelyness.</div> Actually, the Lakers signed Divac at the request of Karl. Divac reportedly thanked Malone for allowing the Lakers to offer him the MLE.....I think Karl may be in a Laker uniform next year. Heres your article!!! Malone asks for Divac Starting 5? PG-gary SG-Kobe C-Divac PF-Malone SF-Odom
"I came here for a particular reason, and now I feel it has been snatched away from me," Malone told the Los Angeles Times after the O'Neal trade. "It is very disheartening." Yeah I have a strong feeling he will be returning to the lakers
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting heatfan83:</div><div class="quote_post">"I came here for a particular reason, and now I feel it has been snatched away from me," Malone told the Los Angeles Times after the O'Neal trade. "It is very disheartening." Yeah I have a strong feeling he will be returning to the lakers</div> Hey, alot of people thought that Payton would leave after Shaq got traded, but Rudy T convinced him to stay. I have a feeling that Kobe, Payton and Buss will convince Karl to stay a Laker...
I think even if the lakers aquire malone brian grant should start in his place to help keep him injury free you saw what happened in the regular season and the finals when karl malone got injure this is my predicted starting lineup C- Vlade Divac PF- Brian Grant SF- Lamar Odom SG- Kobe Bryant PG- Gary Payton And with this line up people will be wrong about us having a small team to compete in the West we might be the biggest team in the west.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting heatfan83:</div><div class="quote_post">"I came here for a particular reason, and now I feel it has been snatched away from me," Malone told the Los Angeles Times after the O'Neal trade. "It is very disheartening." Yeah I have a strong feeling he will be returning to the lakers </div> I have a strong feeling he will be back. Sorry to burst your bubble.......
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting trenchteam:</div><div class="quote_post">I have a strong feeling he will be back. Sorry to burst your bubble....... </div> too bad your 'strong feeling' doesn't discount all the hints and evidence that has been thrown in your face When I say that Malone will not return to the lakers, I'm not being biased, I'm making an educated guess. Why did he join the Lakers? To get to the finals and have a chance to win a champion. Why would he stay with the Lakers now? For fun? Let's take a look at Malone's possibilities for the future: a) Retirement - it's possible, but I think he will continue to play until he gets a championship or he just can't play anymore. Lakers - Besides admiting that the lakers have ruined a chance at reaching the finals anytime soon, they Lakers are not title favorites, theyre not even in the top 5. As for Gary Payton returning, he's got a lot more years in him than Malone, so he can afford to wait for the Lakers to become big again. All the Lakers have to offer are words and promises of hoping to reach the Finals. Also, wasn't there a beef between the lakers and the jazz w/ malone? So he plays one season with the lakers and all of a sudden he forgives all the years the lakers fans hated him, and now they love him cuz they're gonna really need him this season. I know theyre are true Lakers fan that are also true Malone fans, but there are still other Lakers fans that hated Malone before he was a Laker, but now that they need him they are really hoping for him to stay and are quick to forget any feelings in the past. c) Spurs - Here's a good possibility. With shaq outta the lakers, the Spurs are expected to reach the finals and win a title, but even then it won't be easy considering all the good teams in the West. A plus, is also his wife's hometown. d) Heat - Well, the Heat play in the East, they got the diesel, dwade, jones, and whoever the heat decide to start. If he goes with the Heat, they will have a good team minus a SF. The Heat only have to compete with the Pacers and the Pistons for the finals. And arguably, because of all the competition the Spurs face in the West, theres a safer bet the Heat can reach the Finals. Plus Miami can pay the most outta the 3. Theres also an extra incentive for bringing a title to a team that has never won a title, which has a good chance this year than anytime in its franchise history. Either Spurs or Heat look like they will acquire him, if he doesn't decide to retire. If I am missing a key point as to why malone will stay with the lakers please post it. I laugh at your strong feeling.
Heatfan, c'mon now... Why would Malone go to the Heat? Even if he went to Miami they probably wouldn't win the title, let alone even make it to the Finals. He would only go there to be with Shaq most likely. I would understand if he wanted to go to the Spurs, because they would almost immediately become the favorites. However, he has several friends on the Laker squad: Kobe, Payton, Buss, etc. He even told the Lakers to pursue Divac so the Lakers could have a decent bigman and a better shot at the title. So who knows. I am sure Kupchack is trying very hard to convince Karl to stay in LA.
Sup MDE, I know because im a heatfan that a lot of people will think they I'm being biased towards the heat when talkin about the malone trade, let alone the heat. I'm not, but by weighin out the what's thrown on the table, I *think* I make a good argument as to why he won't be with the Lakers. When you say <div class="quote_poster">Quoting the MDE:</div><div class="quote_post">However, he has several friends on the Laker squad: Kobe, Payton, Buss, etc. He even told the Lakers to pursue Divac so the Lakers could have a decent bigman and a better shot at the title.</div> It means, to me atleast: 1. He thinks they should acquire Divac because it gives them a better shot at a title if he does decide to stay. But even then, a better shot doesn't neccesarly mean they will have a serious shot, just a better chance. 2. He says to acquire Divac because he's not sure what he's going to do and doesn't wanna be an ahole to the lakers by ruinin a chance to acquire a better center than b grant. 3. That in the end, being that he has friends in the Lakers, he will only be playing for fun without a dead serious shot like they had last year. At the end though, its just this statement that really weighs on why he won't return to the Lakers: "I came here for a particular reason, and now I feel it has been snatched away from me," Malone told the Los Angeles Times after the O'Neal trade.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting heatfan83:</div><div class="quote_post">At the end though, its just this statement that really weighs on why he won't return to the Lakers: "I came here for a particular reason, and now I feel it has been snatched away from me," Malone told the Los Angeles Times after the O'Neal trade.</div> That statment could mean nothing if the reports that his family is attached to Southern Cal are true. Wasn't he quoted as telling a reporter that he and his family love it in LA? I also think his decision hinges a bit on his family and what they want. If the kids and wife like it there in Cali, then they probably aren't gonna want to move yet AGAIN. He has to be healthy as well. He ain't gonna play if he isn't at least mostly healthy and able to make a contribution to his team. Plus, I hope he realizes that Shaq's request of a trade was based primarily on wanting more money, not on the fact that management/Kobe forced him out.
This thread had nothing to do with wether karl malone will be goin to the lakers or heat if he goes to the lakers itll be a plus for us if he goes to miami they still arent going to win a champioship so its all good.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">PG - Payton SG - Hmmmm.. I guess Kobe SF - Odom PF - Medvedenko C - Grant </div> I like the top 3 but the bottom 2 are very shaky. Grant I don't think can play center for the west. And Medvedenko I really don't like him starting for some reason. Even though he shown some improvement I just don't see him starting.
[quote name='pgrudo00']PG - Payton SG - Hmmmm.. I guess Kobe SF - Odom PF - Medvedenko C - Grant I cant beleive Divacs not youre starting center pshh and medvedenko id rather butler play the 3 move lamar to 4 and put divac on the 5.
Even though Malone wants a title really badly, I don't think he wants to risk his reputation and go to another team looking for a title. He already did that with Utah and I can tell he feels bad about leaving them. The people here in LA love him and his family loves LA. A title isn't the most important thing in life and he's already had a great career and lots of money so...why not stay in LA?
