Amnesty Artest???

[Rolln300]

So the Lakers amnesty World Peace. Has to be strictly for Luxury tax issues because it really doesn't make sense other wise. I realize he isn't the same player he was a couple years ago but how many of the Lakers are right now?

 

[trojanfan12]

So the Lakers amnesty World Peace. Has to be strictly for Luxury tax issues because it really doesn't make sense other wise. I realize he isn't the same player he was a couple years ago but how many of the Lakers are right now?

It makes sense from a basketball perspective!! He just doesn't have it to play in D'Antoni's system!! Gonna miss the nut, but it makes sense based on what the Lakers are trying to do!!

Especially if the Odom rumors are true!!

 

[Retroram52]

It is about luxury tax. The Lakers are not going to pay it if they can help it. They pay Metta's salary and they save $30mil and get under the cap leaving the mid-level exception to sign say an Odom. Smart move on somebody's part. 10-1 this move was a combo of Phil and Jeannie. Short Buss is too damn stupid to even come up with that idea.

 

[wildturkey]

Do they get under the tax though? I can't find any hard numbers on it. Heck, I can't even find any reliable sources reporting he's getting axed (just ones saying its being considered). Really, if they don't get under the tax, there is no fucking point in doing it. If they're still over the tax, they can only sign minimum salary players. Artest may be overpaid, but he's got enough skills to keep around if you're not getting anything back other than a min guy.

 

[Retroram52]

Yea WIldTurkey. Both SB Nation and Yahoo Sports are reporting Metta is being amnestied and it will save the Lakers $30mil and Yahoo is stating they'll be under the cap. How reliable those sources are is another question. I went to Walterfootball which has a little NBA side show with a goodly portion of data and they did not provide anything of value. So, its iffy at this juncture.

 

[trojanfan12]

I heard that amnestying Metta provides $12 million in tax relief. Maybe the $30 million is considering other players that have been released or gone elsewhere (Duhon, Clark)?

As for Metta, if amnestying him provides an upgrade at the position (a motivated Lamar would be an upgrade), then I am all for amnestying him. If it doesn't, then I say keep him because as wildturkey points out, he does still have some skills left!!

 

[Skinny jeans aint cool]

I would have used it on Kobe. He's not playing this year, they are clearly tanking on purpose, and we all know its only a matter of time before he demands a trade because he wants another title. We saw what he did before they got Pau. Kobe is the ultimate team morale killer.

 

[Kold]

I'm good with the move. We don't win that 2010 title without Ron though. That one playoff run was worth the contract up until this point imo. I'll say this about Artest though, he's the only Laker player that I can remember that would do something extremely crazy on one play, and come back to do something extremely clutch to save a game. Now to the here and now.......even though it may not happen, THEY NEED TO SIGN BACK MY BOY ARIZA!

 

[Rolln300]

My God people, enough of the I would amnesty Kobe crap. The Lakers will not amnesty Kobe, he will retire a Laker and he will know whats going on with this team for the upcoming season (he wont believe it) but will know and next season the Lakers will step it up. They are clearing cap space any way they can at the expense of the upcoming season. They will offer Kobe a lot less money next year and they will pick up players they need for the future. So enough I would amnesty Kobe, it's not going to happen. No matter what his skills, habits or downfalls are at this point of his career he still draws crowds and is still the face of the Lakers. He fills seats right now so he gets paid.

 

[Kold]

Oh wait, Ariza opted IN to stay, not out.......Odom it is I guess....

 

[Retroram52]

TrojanFan. The figure is $21mil and a couple of us who have been researching this cannot find any data indicating whether the Lakers are under the cap or not. It is $21mill though not 12.

 

[lakersrule]

TrojanFan. The figure is $21mil and a couple of us who have been researching this cannot find any data indicating whether the Lakers are under the cap or not. It is $21mill though not 12.

Are you talking the luxury tax hit? The Lakers only save $7.2 million towards the actual salary cap. I think with Kaman getting the Mini MLE and cap holds for the other roster spots, the Lakers are only left with minimum contract offers going forward.

 

[Retroram52]

Yea Lakersrule. The $21mill figure is the reduction in the luxury tax. Then you are correct on the effect on the numbers of the salary cap. This is one of the sticking points for the signing of Odom. The Lakers don't have a whole lot left to offer but he's still interested.

 

[Davwy]

It is about luxury tax. The Lakers are not going to pay it if they can help it. They pay Metta's salary and they save $30mil and get under the cap leaving the mid-level exception to sign say an Odom. Smart move on somebody's part. 10-1 this move was a combo of Phil and Jeannie. Short Buss is too damn stupid to even come up with that idea.

Actually Kobe's and Pau's salary will be about 59 million next season. Toss in there 9m for Nash, Blake at 4m, Jordan Hill at 3.5m, the Lakers are lingering at around 80 and that doesn't include the rest of the roster. So, Metta could save them a lot, but he's not putting them below the cap where they can acquire players.

The last I heard on local Los Angeles radio, the Lakers said they have not decided and the will tomorrow on the Amnesty of Metta. Kobe came out and said he would liike Metta to stay and I think I heard Nash mention the same thing in a interview today.

Metta is good for the locker room and is entertain on a Laker team we are not expecting to go to the Finals. The Lakers probably are going to decide based on the personnel the Lakers have to replace him. Jamison and Ebanks are no longer under contract. Clark is gone, so outside of Metta, they don't have anyone to play the 3. Odom could play there, but the Lakers have to find players who really are taking one year deals.

 

[Retroram52]

Thanks Davwy. I was wondering if the amnesty of Metta made a difference in the salary cap numbers for the Lakers and as you have stated it does not appear to be close. The luxury tax is the place where the amnesty of Metta helps. But again, as you have stated, they may change your minds because Jamison has walked across the hall and has signed with the Clip joint and Clark is already gone.

 

[Davwy]

I can understand Jamison going. Jamison came to the Lakers last year searching for the ring. So, that's not the case this year in LA, so the Clippers is his next stop. Jamison already had his big pay day contract, so he can afford the vet's minimum and as long as he still has skills at his age, will find teams. I wish him luck.

And I understand Clark leaving. You never know what's going to happen to your NBA career, so the Lakers gave Clark the chance to highlight his skills and increase his value. So, I understand he has to look for the biggest contract right now. But we have to realize, he was on a team where he was at the most, 3rd choice most of the times, 4th choice in the offense. He was the open man off the double team, so put him higher in the pecking order, he may not deliver.

That was the case with Ariza. He didn't get better with more time and responsibility at Houston. His best games were in Los Angeles. He had a bad agent. He didn't have to immediately take the Lakers offer, (which was the same offer Metta took), but he should not have started talking to other teams immediately. That left the Lakers no choice but to look elsewhere, also. And Ariza ended up not getting any more money in Houston the Lakers offered. But he did miss out on that second ring.

One note on Clark, even if the Lakers were going to give him more money, I don't know if he would have stayed. Marcellas Wiley, on ESPN Radio LA was talking about how he was told by inside people how D'Antoni treated Clark, as as he called it, D'Antoni's Whipping Boy. As he said it, when people told him on the team how D'Antoni talked to Clark, he was like, "Dang, I didn't realize Clark got it like that." And this is with Clark playing well. But it also explains how somehow Clark just sitting on the bench at times when we're all wondering why. It was as if he was still had to prove himself. So, Clark immediately leaving and not even expressing words that he wanted to stay is not a surprise. There have been a lot of young players in the past who have express wanting to stay with the Lakers, but know they are likely to leave because they have to get that pay.... Ron Tariuf was one, but he express staying, but his value to high for the Laker's top heavy payroll. Even Ariza said he wanted to stay. Clark didn't even give the impression he was staying and the players on the team know why.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

D'Antoni really is something else -_-. Stupid Pringles.

 

[trojanfan12]

D'Antoni really is something else -_-. Stupid Pringles.

To be fair, every coach has a "whipping boy" on their team!! The "whipping boy" is the guy that gets chewed out when the head coach wants to chew out the superstar!!

An example is: Phil Simms says he got yelled at every time Parcells was pissed at LT!!

Clark may have just been too sensitive!!

 

[Retroram52]

HeyTrojanfan12. Now that Metta has been amnestied and apparently headed to sign with New York as I predicted, and we have a boatload of new, younger FAs, it'll be interesting to see how this team gels and if they add either Odom or Kris Humphries who is now apparently on the trade block along with Gerald Wallace.

 

[trojanfan12]

HeyTrojanfan12. Now that Metta has been amnestied and apparently headed to sign with New York as I predicted, and we have a boatload of new, younger FAs, it'll be interesting to see how this team gels and if they add either Odom or Kris Humphries who is now apparently on the trade block along with Gerald Wallace.

Gonna be very interesting to say the least!! I'm getting excited to see what this team can do with a full training camp under D'Antoni's system and a healthy (hopefully) Nash, Pau and Kobe to go with some of these young legs!!

I wouldn't mind Lamar coming back (as long as he's motivated), not interested in Kris Kardashian or Wallace!! Ugly contracts!! Kardashians is expiring, but I think Wallace has 2 or 3 years left at over $10 million per year!!