Lakers are DONE for a while

[Retroram52]

Here is what the Lakers have done the first day of the FA period. The Lakers made contact with the representatives for L.A. native Nick Young, former Laker Jordan Farmar, Houston free agent Francisco Garcia, Cleveland free agent Wayne Ellington and Clippers free agent Matt Barnes, league sources said. L.A. also reportedly expressed interest in Houston's Carlos Delfino, New York guard Chris Copeland and Minnesota's Chase Budinger.

The Lakers also inquired about Charlotte free agent center Byron Mullens. They are also going to meet with Howard again after he is wooed by other clubs as the Lakers are getting the first and last words with him.

I really like some of the other moves they made today including Farmar, Delfino, Young, and Matt Barnes. May be they'll get a hold of Lamar Odom as well.

 

[Black Adam]

not big on Farmar. you DO have to do your due diligence, though...

 

[Davwy]

I agree CL67. Apparently the Lakers are not standing still during the FA period as they have talked to a number of FAs today including all positions. They may dump some more contracts in the next couple of days as they are sensing that Howard is leaving. I hope we get some young athletic legs. They should be trying to sign Earl Clark though as he is talking to Cleveland.

I'd like for them to rid us of Steve Blake's contract and go with Meeks and Goudelock to start the season at guard. Kobe can then come back when he is healthy. May be somebody is willing to take Nash's contract and we can work a trade. I'd like to see the Lakers trade of Lin and pick up Delfino or Brooks. Mitch is also talking with a Bobcats center as well as he is a FA. We shall see.

The Lakers already released Goudelock, so he's not coming back.

The Laker's aren't going to bring over Lin with his two years, 16 million dollar contract. He's not really worth that.

 

[Silas]

I believe Byron Mullens would be a nice acquisition. Nick Young can make 3's, but I believe he's a pretty one dimensional player.

Lakers need to pick up some draft picks, IMO. Trading Nash would make some sense, though personally I like Steve Nash a lot as a person.

 

[wildturkey]

I'd take Ellington over Young. Young is chucker and will break plays down just to shoot. Ellington can shoot just as well but isn't even close to being as disruptive. I love to see Matt Barnes back but I thought he actually wanted to get paid this time round as opposed to taking minimum contracts like he has for years.

 

[Shaolin_Fighter]

Not done yet. Howard could very well stay put and a healthy team next season with a few support player additions could be the difference.

 

[bluepigpen]

NOT!!!

 

[Vitamike]

Finally a realistic post by a Laker fan.
Nobody would dare ever try to imply that the Lakers wont someday be great again, but all of the writing on the wall says it won't be any time soon.

Lots of talk about next summer and I suppose all you can do is dream of James for the next 12 months, but he's not going to the Lakers.

Really, you mean a post you can agree with as TEB is just a bit different from most Lakers fans and can give the negative a lot more weight than most. You see we Lakers fans have seen this all before, back in 2004/2005 we all herd how the demise of the Lakers was coming and we would not sniff another Championship for a long time.

Well fast forward 6 seasons later and in that time we garnered 3 more Finals appearances and 2 more Titles.

So go ahead and count us out. We don't care.

Next season is a bridge to 2014 when the cap problem is resolved. It won't be pretty next year.

This is what a lot of haters are ignoring however the one wild card that can't be ignored is the ramifications of Jerry Buss' passing and how that may impact the future success of our beloved Lakers. Only time will tell if history repeats itself or not.

 

[Black Adam]

LOL, anytime anyone agrees with Turnip's slant on basketball he wants to call it Gospel...

 

[Rolln300]

Well hello everyone, I have been away for a while with some surgery and healing but I am back and ready for some smack.
As for Dwight, (Mr. I need a ready made championship team because I don't know how to lead one), he can stay or he can go. If he stays, he might learn to play the low post someday and benefit the Lakers sooner or later and if he goes, who cares.
This is the Lakers and they will do what they need to at least make the playoffs. I am not saying they will win the championship for a while but make no mistake, the Lakers will do whats needed to get back to the top someday soon and they will always do their best to be competitive enough to make the playoffs.

 

[Black Adam]

Well hello everyone, I have been away for a while with some surgery and healing but I am back and ready for some smack.
As for Dwight, (Mr. I need a ready made championship team because I don't know how to lead one), he can stay or he can go. If he stays, he might learn to play the low post someday and benefit the Lakers sooner or later and if he goes, who cares.
This is the Lakers and they will do what they need to at least make the playoffs. I am not saying they will win the championship for a while but make no mistake, the Lakers will do whats needed to get back to the top someday soon and they will always do their best to be competitive enough to make the playoffs.

Ro-hollin', welcome back, bro...

 

[Rolln300]

Thanks Chiefs, I am hoping to be posting a lot more.

 

[LASports]

If Dwight doesn't want to be a Laker, don't let the door hit ya.
It's a privilege to be a Laker!!

 

[OutlawImmortal]

People would have been crucifying Kobe if he had gone to that meeting and kissed Dwight's ass, I commend him for telling it like it is.

 

[Black Adam]

People would have been crucifying Kobe if he had gone to that meeting and kissed Dwight's ass, I commend him for telling it like it is.

 

[Retroram52]

Hey Rolln300. Good to see you are healed up and ready to talk sports. Looks like you are steppin' right in on the Howard debacle. What a flippin mess.

 

[wildturkey]

People would have been crucifying Kobe if he had gone to that meeting and kissed Dwight's ass, I commend him for telling it like it is.

You talking about that story that "leaked" yesterday? Yeah, I tend to agree. People are ripping on Kobe because he's Kobe. But if you read what he said, its exactly what everyone says about Dwight Howard. He needs to learn how to win. Just a situation where people dislike the messenger.

Here's a decent story with more details on LA's meeting with Howard:

Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash talked titles with Dwight Howard during Los Angeles Lakers' pitch -- sources - ESPN Los Angeles

 

[Retroram52]

Meanwhile, while the Lakers fret over Howard, we lose an emerging player to Cleveland. That being Earl Clark. Clark followed Mike Brown to Cleveland and signed a four-year deal. Perhaps this was another casualty of dumbass Short Buss and Dont'knowi. More stupidity!!!

 

[wildturkey]

Meanwhile, while the Lakers fret over Howard, we lose an emerging player to Cleveland. That being Earl Clark. Clark followed Mike Brown to Cleveland and signed a four-year deal. Perhaps this was another casualty of dumbass Short Buss and Dont'knowi. More stupidity!!!

Clark was never going to stay anyway. He had a break out year last year so the threat of more money elsewhere was always looming

 

[jayviabay]

Meanwhile, while the Lakers fret over Howard, we lose an emerging player to Cleveland. That being Earl Clark. Clark followed Mike Brown to Cleveland and signed a four-year deal. Perhaps this was another casualty of dumbass Short Buss and Dont'knowi. More stupidity!!!

I seen a rumor about letting him walk to go after copeland from the knicks. anyone else see this one?