Well...the blockbuster trade finally happened today and now that the lakers have a big hole in the middle at center. I think the lakers have to now be very active in free agency to rebuild the team. Ppl I suggest the lakers should try to pursue are Erick Dampier, Vlade Divac(maybe for just 1 year), Theo Ratliff (through some kind of trade), Keon Clark just to name a few big men that are available. I hope they can get Erick Dampier though becuz he has a big body and can rebound and play defense. Somehow the lakers need to get rid of hideous contracts like devean george, rick fox, gary payton. If they can package them all to some team and get some players in return that would be good for the lakers. In the future though I hope Brian Grant opts out of his contract next year and sign with another so the lakers are relieved of his horrendous contract and give cap space for once to the lakers. What do you guys think?
New Laker Gm? Want A Job As The New Laker Gm? You Sound Like You Might Actually Know Something About This Trading And Contract Stuff, Call Me, Mitch Kupcheck 1-800-how Am I Driving?
You aren't thinking much. If Payton and George and Fox all have large bad contracts, why would anyone want to take them off the Lakers hands. Usually they are packaged with an attractive player, but other then Kobe, the lakers have none, unless they flip Odom.
^They can't trade any of the players they acquired from Miami until later on during the season. But the Lakers need a centre...very badly. This trade stinks on the Lakers part. They look like Miami's old team now and if Kobe does not re-sign they will be much worse than Miami was. They need a big man other than Grant to scrap for rebounds and block some shots, or else they might be headed for the Lottery. You need size in the West to compete.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting norespect:</div><div class="quote_post">You aren't thinking much. If Payton and George and Fox all have large bad contracts, why would anyone want to take them off the Lakers hands. Usually they are packaged with an attractive player, but other then Kobe, the lakers have none, unless they flip Odom.</div> Ok teams will ALWAYS want cap space since it gives them financial flexibility and since payton and fox are in their final years of their contracts they can get rid of them after the season ends giving them some flexibility to sign some players. Now obviously this mostly applies to teams that are forced to sign and trade becuz if they dont' they will risk getting no compensation for that player. A great example of this is Erick Dampier. He wants out of Golden State no matter what and its only up to Golden State's manangment to try to find a way to salvage something that they can get either an impact player or contracts that would free up cap room for the year after. Payton I think has some game left...I think being on the lakers really hurt his game since he was not used to being the "Main Guy" on the team and didn't really fit into the triangle. Fox has 1 year left worth 4 million and most likely he'll retire the year after this. Take them both and you can get around 10 million bucks in salary cap next year. PS: Whatthef....Mitch Kupcheck is spelled Mitch Kupchak.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting whatthef?:</div><div class="quote_post">Want A Job As The New Laker Gm? You Sound Like You Might Actually Know Something About This Trading And Contract Stuff, Call Me, Mitch Kupcheck 1-800-how Am I Driving?</div> Exactly, Mitch Kupchak has no idea what he got himself into. Kupchak has got to be the worst general manager in the NBA. He has done nothing for them, Shaq brought Gary and Karl, Kupchak has done nothing for them. Brian Grant has the 2nd worst contract in the NBA and the Lakers are stuck with him for 4 years, there is no way he would opt out with that kind of money. This is a joke of a trade for the Lakers and I think we have Kupchak to blame. Laker fans should blame this season on Kupchak and it would be nice to see him get fired. Kupchak is the negative of the Lakers and he is the one that must be traded NOT the most dominating player in the NBA.
stuck with brian grant for 4 years when his contract is up in 3...hmmm interesting point you make there...=P and kupchak is not the worst gm in the league...although he may be in the running for second...the worst gm in the league distinction should be proudly placed on danny ainges head...and like i said before (see: "big mistake" thread in the lakers forum)...the mistake was not trading shaq 2 years ago...he needed to be traded this year, but he should have been traded 2 years ago...
Come On Look At This! Shaq has gone - PERIOD! There's no going back. However you have to look at the positives. Odom put up near-MVP numbers towards the end of last season. Brian Grant was a great rebounder and defensive presence, if he can get the form back that he had at portland, he's a great PF to have. I think Malone won't go to the heat, he's closer to KOBE, then Shaq. They also play a nice Pick and roll game. Also payton's contract is small, that's why the Lakers can afford him. Fox may retire. So they just need a C. But I'm sure they can get one in a trade. I would trade Caron Butler. A lot of teams would be interested, altough Sloba M played well as Shaq's replacement.!!!!!!!!! :thumbsup: They will not be as good but it will be more interesting to c what Kobe is like without BIG Heat face! Apart from Duncan, no team in the league has a dominant big guy anyway. P.S. Barkley come out of retirement
haha the barkley comment is funny... and i agree...the team looks downgraded but i think we're in a better position going into the future...
I don't know all the details of the Lakers cap situation, but Grant will not opt out of that bad contract. With Kobe's big deal, and Odom has a pretty darn nice contract too, I don't see the free agent route as an option for them, other than using the excemptions. Luke Walton is nice. It seems Kupchek has constructed a very inflexible roster. He's the worst GM in the league. I really do think the trade for Walker and Laetner would have been better for LA since they'd have been a huge free agent player next year. But honestly, he just couldn't send Shaq to another team in the West and have to take an ass whooping four times a year. With Miami, he'll only have to take that whooping twice a year.
Well we won't know the cap situation for the Lakers and the rest of the league until they release it next season. Looking a year in advance they will have Kobe, Odom, Grant, Butler, and Cook signed. They will likely have both of their draft picks from this year signed as well. Off the books will be Payton and Fox, my guess is neither is brought back. The Lakers will have to decide whether or not to keep Rush or Walton, and hopefully Devean George opts out of his contract hoping for more money on another team. Hopefully the Lakers can use Fox's contract money to bring back Rush and Walton and then use Payton's money to bring in another big man. 2005 free agent Bigs... Zydrunas Ilgauskas Theo Ratliff Pau Gasol Kwame Brown Brendon Haywood Dasagna Diop Eddie Curry Tyson Chandler
