Hey Guys, I was running throught salaries/contract's on hoopshype and just thought it would be a cool good thing for us to just think about future player's and our current players. I think our biggest year, the year the Laker's are going to be able to break out is 2007. Why? Well there are a couple of keys contract expirations that will happen, 1. Brian Grant's contract is out, our salary cap drops from 55 Million to 33 Million Between 06-07 and 07-08 which is a huge relief for the Laker's and there is a exceptionally good center going on the free market that year. 2. Jamaal Magloire. Jamaal Magloire is going to be a free agent from the Hornet's and frankly I think he will be looking at other team's offer's and I think the Laker's should and could make a run for him especially since he will be coming from the Hornet's one of the worst franchises in the league as of now. I am sure he would be willing to sign with one of the most succesful franchises with Bryant and Odom. That year could be huge for the Laker's, now assuming we are going to resign and give contract extension to the current roster, who do you think should get extension's and be resigned. Important Players To Keep: Caron Butler - Resign in 2006 and give him long term deal, I think once he gets his consistency down and comes out every game scoring points and doing his thing could be a huge player for the Laker's. Chris Mihm - Contract Extention 2006, Chris Mihm is holding himself at center and who knows, maybe in the next 2 years he will develope into a more consistant player especially on road games which can be huge for the Laker's and if they can sign Magloire in 2007 they will have a dependable back up center who would easily start on other teams, this would be big for the Laker's because of the fact they will be deep at the center position and frontcourt. Tierre Brown - This guy has been big for The Laker's and he is a rookie, he is playing very and has very good ability to drive to the hoop, if he improves his jumpshot could be a very good role-player to come in the game for The Laker's, Resign him next year for a 4 years. Luke Walton - Luukkkke Walton, What can you say, great court vision, ability to get he ball moving when it seems everyone is moving slower than snot? Yeah he is valuble, once we free up the small foward position he should be the immediate back up behind Caron Butler, he is great off the bench and comes through for The Laker's when he goes on the court, never under performs. Sign him to a 5 year deal. Brian Cook - Robert Horry? Maybe if he improves his defense and his inside presence, other than that his pick and roll to the 3 point line is one of the most valuble tools for the Laker's because it free's up Kobe and also scores them large amounts of point's fast. Excercise Team Option in 2006 and give him a 5 year contract extension. He can only get better and is a perfect back up at the Power Foward Position. Trade Player's: Devean George - Never played up to his game expected and with Butler will not be starting which will make him ineffected, has trade value and Laker's can pull in a 1st round draft pick for him. Kareem Rush - Yes, Kareem your up for trades, a lot sooner than I thought? To Charlotte for a 2nd round pick would be horrible because Rush was first round, pull a first round off them and send them some money, with them being a new team we will get a top 5 draft pick which we need to get for Rush plus sending them $. Slava Medvedenko - No defense, some offense. Get's burned easily, not worth his contract in my opinon, hard to trade him, maybe a through in on the Bobcats deal, 2 under playing roleplayers for a top 5 draft pick, sounds kind of like a good deal? Jumaine Jones - Yes, even though Jumaine is playing very tough and playing good for The Lakers. It is just we don't need more small fowards and right now with the way he is playing he has a high value for him which means he can be shopped around to teams that are in need of a tough good small foward, try to trade him for a first round draft pick or a good point guard. He is good, just not the kind of good The Laker's need. Player's To Watch: Kirk Hinrich - 2007 Jamaal Magloire - 2007 Jeff McInnis - 2005 (If Signed, no reason to give Atkin's Contract Extension) Marcus Banks - 2007 Also we get if we make some trades we will have a lot of 1st round draft picks which can bring in some good players, especially if we can make the Bobcat's trade for a 1st round pick. Your guy's thoughts?
Just remember...we can't go up until 2007 without signing and re-signing players...so that $33 million that you're talking about us being at in 2007, may be higher than you think. For example...I can guarantee you that if we resign Butler and Mihm, they'll want more than what they are getting now, and with the MLE's we'll be using every year, along with the LLE's and minimums, we'll be over cap.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting realdealbneal:</div><div class="quote_post">Just remember...we can't go up until 2007 without signing and re-signing players...so that $33 million that you're talking about us being at in 2007, may be higher than you think. For example...I can guarantee you that if we resign Butler and Mihm, they'll want more than what they are getting now, and with the MLE's we'll be using every year, along with the LLE's and minimums, we'll be over cap.</div> Yeah, that is a problem, Grant Contract is such a burdon
I think Butler, Kobe, and Odom need to stay together if this team wants to move to the next level. That is our core, and that is a great core. Once Caron becomes more consistant he will be huge for the Lakers. Odom's game is off track and I dont expect it to be like that forever, if it is..ship him out, but he will get back on track. I think it would be nice to sign Magloire when he is available, but not a necessity. I think Chris Mihm will keep improving and he will be a very servicable center, he just needs to work on his rebounding. I love Brian Cook and I think he could vey well be another Robert Horry for us, so as of right now we need to try to hold onto him. I would love to get someone like Jeff McInnis in here, we saw he made Cleveland a better team last year, he could very well do that for us down the line once his contract is up.
I'd personally want to build on Butler. Earlier before his injury whilst he was on the Heat; he was always a capable scorer but what I liked most was his aggression and efforts on defense. As the saying goes defense wins games. So thats something that could be raised up in his game to further add to his effectiveness so that in time; he, Odom, Cook, Walton and Kobe may be a formidable force. I especially loved the idea and suggestion of Hinrich; he'd bring value to any team. Excellent passer and 'team' player, plus he can shoot the longrange j; he could relieve Kobe of taking them all; though Cook seems to be doing a good job of that already. The whole team aspect is needed. The team's young; so someone young and full of potential and skills already like Hinrich would be a Godsend. He plays and thinks maturely already and by that time he'd be even moreso so this addition really caught my eye.
