Eric Neel: Shaq-less Lakers could be much better than expected

"The Shaq trade was a bad move. I've said it before, and I'll say it again.


But, like Dave Wannstedt says, you've got to move on.


In the moments after the Shaquille deal went down, I saw only doom and gloom for the Lakers. But I've been out in the woodshed, doing my best Caractacus Potts, tinkering and scheming, and I think there's actually a chance they could be all right. There's even a chance they could be better than all right. There's even an outside chance they could be real good.



Kobe 2.0 could lead the Lakers a long way.
Hear me out ..."


http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=neel/040730

 

With Shaq out Kob Bryant will average more points. I will guarntee that he will win the leagues scoring champ in the next few years at least once.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting kobe-360:</div><div class="quote_post">With Shaq out Kob Bryant will average more points. I will guarntee that he will win the leagues scoring champ in the next few years at least once.</div>

i agree hes got a shot at the scoring title now, but i dunno how well that would really work out for hte team.

at the same time, i really feel like he can and should become the dominant scorer for this laker team.

eric neel made a good point about kobe becoming the distributor but i really feel that he can play the role of team leader and creator while putting up 30 a game. what i would like to see change is his shot selection. this has been one of the only things kobe has been lacking in his game and the biggest difference between kobe bryant and the all-time greatest, michael jordan.

lamar odom is one of my favorite players in the league for his versatility and i have always felt he has underachieved throughout his career. i think, however, that playing alongside kobe could be just what odom needs to get going to his full potential. he could very well become the 21st century scottie pippen from the sf position and be the perfect complement to a maturing kobe bryant.

this season is going to be a major test for kobe bryant but he has all the skills to step up and lead his own team deep into the playoffs as long as he approaches it with the right mentality. I think that mentality needs to fall somewhere in between Kobe and the Kobe 2.0 Neel spoke about. Kobe 2.0 needs to exist but i think kobe 2.0 has to be a combination of Kobe 1.5 and Odom 1.5

 

You guys should remember that he almost won the scoring title two years ago...came in second (I believe he lost by just 1 PPG) to McGrady...they both topped 30 PPG. This is with Shaq getting 27 PPG that same season.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting DFW US:</div><div class="quote_post">but i think kobe 2.0 has to be a combination of Kobe 1.5 and Odom 1.5</div>

That would be KobOdom 3.0

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">he could very well become the 21st century scottie pippen</div>

I haven't watched him play much, but i don't hear much about his defense. Scottie had superb defensive abilities and that really helped Jordan era bulls. So i think odom's gotta get some big time D to really become the "21st century scottie pippen"

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting dpballers913:</div><div class="quote_post">I haven't watched him play much, but i don't hear much about his defense. Scottie had superb defensive abilities and that really helped Jordan era bulls. So i think odom's gotta get some big time D to really become the "21st century scottie pippen"</div>

Very good point.

Odom is not known for his individual defense but i think his team defense is outstanding. i can see the lakers running a swarming trap defense this year a lot like miami did last season (just with a lot more talent, speed, and athleticism).

Odom could be an amazing individual defender if he stepped up the intensity which I think he will this year. He has the benefit of playing with some of the most intelligent perimeter defenders in the league so hopefully he'll learn a few tricks.

 

Odom is not known for defense. He is known for his athletic play and ability to play multiple positions. he has good ball handles too. He needs to step up his defense if the Lakers plan to contend in the west.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting PupMelo:</div><div class="quote_post">"The Shaq trade was a bad move. I've said it before, and I'll say it again.


But, like Dave Wannstedt says, you've got to move on.


In the moments after the Shaquille deal went down, I saw only doom and gloom for the Lakers. But I've been out in the woodshed, doing my best Caractacus Potts, tinkering and scheming, and I think there's actually a chance they could be all right. There's even a chance they could be better than all right. There's even an outside chance they could be real good.



Kobe 2.0 could lead the Lakers a long way.
Hear me out ..."


http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=neel/040730</div>


It could happen. A lot of things are gonna have to line up for the Lakers but I have faith in them. I don't know if anyone's considered this either: when the Lakers had Shaq they were always known as "the best team." Even when they didn't win the title. They've always had that bullseye on their back that made every team go all out when the Lakers were around. Now that they're the underdogs, it might actually inspire the usually lazy Lakers and the other teams may be overwhelmed this time.

 

I believe the lakers will surprise a couple of people this season and be a legit force in the nba. They got a decent team with butler, odam, kobe, grant, george,rush, and divac all those guys can shoot with the exception of grant. They got youth in odam, butler, and kobe. Along with more youth with rush and george who have also been known as two of the best lakers in the past when it cam to shooting threes.

The lakers have brought in a guy who is familiar with the team in terms of there players in divac since he was on the kings all those years the lakers beat them in the playoffs. Also he wont camp out in the lane like shaq would openning up there offensive game plan. It will also bring back showtime to the lakers team considering the fact that fivac is a great passer and has lead all big men in assists the last few years. Added with kobe that could be a good mix for the lakers.

They can also move grant a very under rated player back to his natural position considering the fact that unlike the heat they dont need him to play the 5 spot. If malone doesnt stay he will probable be there starter at that position him or of course slava could be a possibility also. IMO the lakers will improve in two areas this season and go down in one they will improve in fast break baskets and assists do to the fact the team will be great passers and shooters. On the other end they may go down in rebounds since divac isnt as ood as shaq on the boards. If they aquire kidd mabye since the owner is tring to bring back showtime I would call them a title contender that is IF they get kidd and according to hoophype.com though they are intrested they dont seem to want kidds big contract.

 

i just think with out shaq they can bring in a lot more people and not the greatest players, but good solid players that can do there own things which means combined is a good combo

 

Who won the scoring title last year? And how did his team finish?

Yeh, Kobe will have a chance to win many individual awards without Shaq,
but an NBA championship won't be one of them.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting SunshineRain:</div><div class="quote_post">Who won the scoring title last year? And how did his team finish?

Yeh, Kobe will have a chance to win many individual awards without Shaq,
but an NBA championship won't be one of them.</div>

The scoring title means nothing to Kobe right now...I can almost guarantee that. Plus, Kobe almost won it two years ago WITH Shaq on his team...he almost beat out McGrady. Michael Jordan won it all the time, and how did his team finish? A scoring title means nothing when it comes to winning a championship. I bet Billups, Hamilton or anyone from the Pistons wins a scoring title, but look what they did. If you work together, no matter how bad you seem on paper (which the Lakers really don't)...then you can achieve anything.

 

If kobe is thinkin like me, he would definately not be focused on no damn scoring title. He wants the be the leader. He knows that includes ball distribution, motivating his teammates, and playin more as a team. With Shaq telling everyone that Kobe doesnt play team ball, and the critics talking trash, I know that I would personally work on playin the Team Game. Im thinkin Kobe is thinkin the same thing. Lets shut the mouths of alot of people. He has something to prove. The scoring title wont prove nothing to the world. He will want more than that.

 

But ya know...for extra measure, he should attempt to take the scoring title also. Otherwise, the problem becomes this: guys that have always talked sh*t on Kobe will still do the same thing, because NOW their argument will be that he had great players to play with, and he didn't do as good statistically without Shaq. So, either way, Kobe needs to think of the championship first, but also make himself the team leader as he carries them to the rings.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting DFW US:</div><div class="quote_post">
eric neel made a good point about kobe becoming the distributor but i really feel that he can play the role of team leader and creator while putting up 30 a game. what i would like to see change is his shot selection. this has been one of the only things kobe has been lacking in his game and the biggest difference between kobe bryant and the all-time greatest, michael jordan.
</div>

Wait, did you ever see MJ play? He would sling up some of the toughest shots imaginable! Falling off balance, fading away, up-and-unders, turnaround jumpers.

It's not like MJ didn't take bad shots, trust me. Now I'm not saying Kobe doesn't take bad shots, because sometimes his shot selection is poor. But even the "greatest" Michael Jordan, took some tough shots.

 

I don't know if its the right thread but i need to say it. How could anyone possibly think the shaq trade was a bad deal? Next year would have been his last year and we wouldn't have resigned him so we would have diddly sqaut for him. But we traded him, get a potential all-star in odom and maybe a future all-star in butler. grant is a great rebounder also. sure it would have been bad if shaq was a few years younger. but he wont last that much longer as the self proclaimed mde. i think it was an awesome trade and we will do better than we did with him.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting KareemTheRush:</div><div class="quote_post">I don't know if its the right thread but i need to say it. How could anyone possibly think the shaq trade was a bad deal? Next year would have been his last year and we wouldn't have resigned him so we would have diddly sqaut for him. But we traded him, get a potential all-star in odom and maybe a future all-star in butler. grant is a great rebounder also. sure it would have been bad if shaq was a few years younger. but he wont last that much longer as the self proclaimed mde. i think it was an awesome trade and we will do better than we did with him.</div>

Odom will not become an allstar in the West. Theres too many more talented forwards. The East was his chance to shine..........


The Lakers will finish as a 6th seed probably. Kobe can lead them to the first round this year but thats about it. Shaq is still the most dominant player of the game and is a top 3 player. I still wouldnt of done this trade if I was the Lakers. They probably could've gotten something better. As Kobes PPG go up his FG goes down. Kobe has enterd the life of T-Mac but with a lot more talent. T-Mac has entered the life of Kobe. The luxury of playing with a big man.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting KareemTheRush:</div><div class="quote_post">I don't know if its the right thread but i need to say it. How could anyone possibly think the shaq trade was a bad deal? Next year would have been his last year and we wouldn't have resigned him so we would have diddly sqaut for him. But we traded him, get a potential all-star in odom and maybe a future all-star in butler. grant is a great rebounder also. sure it would have been bad if shaq was a few years younger. but he wont last that much longer as the self proclaimed mde. i think it was an awesome trade and we will do better than we did with him.</div>

I see what you mean and I agree with you to a certain point. Most, almost all, people still think of Shaq as the Shaq in his prime, the one that averaged near 40 and 15 in the Finals and played good team defense. He is getting old and is often injured, and when he isn't he plays bad defense. He simply cannot put up the numbers that he used to, and that can be seen against the Pistons. In his prime, if he was guarded single-coverage all series he would average 40, but he had limited performances save 1 or 2 games where he had a rest of 3 or 4 days. People all say that Shaq and Kobe would have won a championship. Guess what? Even when they were together, Shaq and Kobe were unsuccessful two years in a row. Don't blame the Lakers for not trying to make the combo work, because they tried and they milked it for all it was worth. Teams simply figured the Lakers out- as Shaq was getting older and older and his performance kept decreasing, they just had to find a way to stop Kobe by throwing as many defenders as they could at him, and they were successful. With Shaq's contract coming to an end and with he demanding a huge contract extension that would cripple the Lakers for a few more years, it was time for the Lakers to get rid of him, and in return they got young players and flexibility for the future. The window of opportunity for Shaq-Kobe had finally closed, and no one understood this except the Lakers management. Having made this trade and having signed a decent center, the Lakers are in the best possible position that they could be in. They'll have a pretty good season and won't win it all, but at least they have a good chance to do so in the near future. With Shaq and his $30 mil a year contract still on the team, the Lakers wouldn't have been able to do that.