Lakers

[TripletDaddy]

I thought Manu comes off the bench? I agree that *if* the Spurs stay healthy, they are a STRONG contender. They made some really nice moves. I still like the Lakers as favorites, but it certainly is no runaway. That has the potential of a nice battle all season long.

The Magic would get my nod in the East, but I just don't know how they will absorb the loss of The Turk.

I am not sold that Cleveland will make it to the NBA Finals. I don't think they can get past Boston. Lebronze is officially all championship hype until he delivers, so he gets no respect this season. He now needs to earn it. No more free rides off potential. Let's see what he can do in June. Everyone already knows he is great through late April.

By the way, KCAL announced last night that the Cavs will visit the Lakers on Christmas Day. Should be another good game.

[Surfah]

Dynasty.

[TripletDaddy]

Fisher tweets:

Drive for 5 has officially begun! Congrats L.O.! Congrats Lakers! Let's get to work!

Lamar tweets:

I'M BAAAAAACK!!!!

Official Lakers release:

http://www.nba.com/lakers/news/09lak...lamarodom.html

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

I think the Lakers should be concerned about the Drive for #1. Jazz have been stellar so far this off season, draft a PG to fill a HUGE need, overpay for an undersized back up, still have Boozer, Okur and Korver! The west goes through SLC this year.

[TripletDaddy]

I think the Lakers should be concerned about the Drive for #1. Jazz have been stellar so far this off season, draft a PG to fill a HUGE need, overpay for an undersized back up, still have Boozer, Okur and Korver! The west goes through SLC this year.

Well, I am being serious when I say that most teams probably do not enjoy playing in SLC. Interpret that as you wish.

[SoCalCoug]

Well, I am being serious when I say that most teams probably do not enjoy playing in SLC. Interpret that as you wish.

Why, don't they like white LDS girls who put out?

[scottie]

Ric Bucher's Tweet last night:

Synopsis: Dr. Buss got cold feet about the luxury tax he'll pay, told Mitch to explore other options. Phil, back fr Montana, warmed them.

[Surfah]

Ric Bucher's Tweet last night:

Bucher is an idiot. His sources are as lousy. He's almost as bad as Chad Ford. I like Ford's ranking of the Lakers offseason. LOL. I think he's been smoking some pakalolo in Hawaii.

[scottie]

Bucher is an idiot. His sources are as lousy. He's almost as bad as Chad Ford. I like Ford's ranking of the Lakers offseason. LOL. I think he's been smoking some pakalolo in Hawaii.

What makes him an idiot?

[Surfah]

What makes him an idiot?

His poor reporting. Like I said his sources are terrible. Lakers fans on forums laugh whenever he tweets or reports "inside information." As an analyst I think he's fine and I don't mind reading him to be honest.

[TripletDaddy]

Buss accomplished what he set out to accomplish. Lost in much of yesterday's euphoria was the fact that Buss stuck to his guns.....he took that original offer off the table, told Lamar that he would receive less, if anything....and Lamar did wind up signing for less. Only a couple mil (about 4 mil when you add in luxury tax), but the point being is that Lamar left money on the table by trying to strong-arm Dr. Buss.

This article in today's LA Times paints a very strange picture if you read the sub-texts.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-...,5679779.story

I had suggested earlier that these players are only tangentially involved in contract negotiations and that, given the high illiteracy rate amongst these folks, they probably never even read their contracts, let alone understand any of the terms contained therein.

So as I read this article, it contains blurbs that boggle my mind:

He was asleep, dreaming about playing basketball somewhere, preferably back with the Lakers -- with his cellphone turned off -- unaware his agent had worked out a deal.

Unaware? You have two teams competing for your services, it is YOUR future, your teammate Trevor Ariza was just banished because of his agent's stupidity....and you aren't even aware that your agent is committing you in principle to a contract?

When Lamar Odom awoke Thursday, the free-agent forward turned on his phone and heard the message from his agent, Jeff Schwartz: "You're still a Laker," the message said. Odom called his agent back to confirm it.

Again...the agent just leaves the player a message? "Hey, by the way, I found you a job." Odom has to call the agent back to confirm it? Why doesnt the agent at least go directly to Lamar's house to drop by with the good news? Why is Lamar doing any work to get info from his own agent?

This one is the killer:

The other offer was a three-year, $30-million deal that would have paid Odom $10 million a season.

"If I would have heard that one, I think I would have jumped on that," Odom said Thursday. "I don't remember hearing that one."

Wtf? It has already been established that the agent negotiates contracts without the knowledge of the player. And that the agent doesn't always inform the player of the details or progress. Now we learn that the agent isn't even presenting all options to the player during the process? I asked earlier whether there are any rules of fiduciary duty that legally bind an agent. It appears that none may exist.

These agents are parasitic vermin that are taking advantage of people, many of whom aren't even able to read effectively. I posted a video a week or two ago of Ron Artest...he couldn't even calculate the cost of nine $4 hot dogs without someone telling him. And yet the NBA does nothing to protect these people from predatory agents. While these athletes are often foolish and irresponsible with their funds, I am convinced that agents siphon off just as much extra money from their clients as any posse or bad investment. It pisses me off and seems unethical.

I did enjoy one of Lamar's quotes:

"Riding off Kobe's coattail ain't bad," Odom said, laughing. "He's got something special going around. I've got to be around. I've got to be one of the apostles. There was no way I was going to pass up playing with Kobe, Pau, Andrew and Ron-Ron."

Can I get an Amen!

[falafel]

Fisher tweets:



Lamar tweets:



Official Lakers release:

http://www.nba.com/lakers/news/09lak...lamarodom.html

Hey! Where's my credit for posting an internet rumor a week or more ago about how Odom was coming back, just needed to wait for Buss to get back from vacation?! Come on! FIRST!

[Color Me Badd Fan]

I thought Manu comes off the bench? I agree that *if* the Spurs stay healthy, they are a STRONG contender. They made some really nice moves. I still like the Lakers as favorites, but it certainly is no runaway. That has the potential of a nice battle all season long.

The Magic would get my nod in the East, but I just don't know how they will absorb the loss of The Turk.

I am not sold that Cleveland will make it to the NBA Finals. I don't think they can get past Boston. Lebronze is officially all championship hype until he delivers, so he gets no respect this season. He now needs to earn it. No more free rides off potential. Let's see what he can do in June. Everyone already knows he is great through late April.

By the way, KCAL announced last night that the Cavs will visit the Lakers on Christmas Day. Should be another good game.

The Lakers are a lot more youthful than the Spurs. Correct me if I'm wrong but Kobe's the only significant player (unless you count Fish as a significant player) who's over 30. The Spurs seem to be older than even the Celtics. Manu is 32, McDyess is 34 and Duncan is 33. Parker and Jefferson still have a lot of tread on their tires.

IF the Spurs stay healthy- and that's a HUGE if- then I think they're going to be very tough for the Lakers. They have the coaching, tons of playoff experience and now they have the depth to make another serious run.

I think Boston would have beaten Cleveland in the post season had they gotten past Orlando, and that was with a significantly depleted roster. Boston is another one of those "if" teams like San Antonio. If everyone's healthy, they'll win the East. Orlando regressed by losing Turkoglu and signing Vince Carter. I'm not sure where the talks with Big Baby are, but you have to love the depth Boston has at the 4 and 5 positions: Perk, KG, Rasheed and Davis. I am concerned what kind of effect emotional Rasheed will have on emotional Perk. Perkins showed his worth by effectively defending Howard and the pick and roll during the Boston-Orlando series. He's a great fit with KG and Pierce on the front court.

A healthy Boston team will win the East.

I would give a healthy Spurs team at least a 50-50 shot against the Lakers.

[TripletDaddy]

Agreed. I am concerned about the Spurs. I don't like to acknowledge such because I prefer to keep Junkie oppressed.

[MartyFunkhouser]

Lakers and Spurs are about even right now. Don't let the Bron Bron lovers fool you, Shaq does not put Cleveland on the level of the Spurs or Lakers.