[::2009 Champion LAKERS OFF-SEASON THREAD Vol. Boring Non-News Days Causing In-Thread Tension::]

[kenji714]

I dont know how it would feel like the day when Kobe not playing in NBA anymore

 

[kb8sandiego]

^
It would be like before Kobe came into the league.

 

[kenji714]

Originally Posted by KB8sandiego

^
It would be like before Kobe came into the league.

but NBA got MJ. I can't picture myself watching Sasha, Bynum, Farmar, Luke, etc all those scrubs for 82 games.

 

[holdenmichael]

We have about a 3-4 year window to keep chasing a ring. Fisher will be long gone, Kobe will be done, Pau will be pretty close to done, Odom as well.

Bynum, Ariza, Farmar, Sasha, Walton will be in their primes if they all remain with us.

At this point, as with any team, it will be time to start anew. We should have plenty of money off the books with those vets bein done, and we would still have a nice peice or two to build around if Bynum, or Ariza, or Farmar reach their full potential.

So we need to blow thru the luxury tax, not worry about bad deals for the next 3-4 years, win as much as we possibly can, and then when Kobe and Pau are close to done, we can re-build on the fly, much as we started in 05.
I know that he's played more games, but Kobe is only 19 months older than Walton. Odom is four months older than Walton. Pau is actuallyyounger than Walton, but that's all beside the point.

I believe Walton and Bynum's contracts expire around the same time ('12/13). Kobe's obviously going to receive a new deal that'll probablyextend beyond that. Pau will get extended if he continues to play well. They aren't going to have much cap flexibility if they re-sign Pau so they may aswell go all the way and re-sign everyone unless they want a contract that would get them all off the books around the same time.

 

[dyyhard]

Originally Posted by CP1708

Originally Posted by westcoastsfinest

Originally Posted by CP1708

Dyhard -- That issue came thru yesterday man, it is friggin beautiful. Major props man, 'preciate it so much.

dyhard be coming through with some legit stuff...check out his website...ive bought a kobe olympic jersey and a Laker colored dodger cap from there...they ship out quick too!

Yeah he does, I ain't even finish sending my first PM to him and it was in the mail already.

ok found your post CP. thanks westcoastfinest. I only ship out fast bc i have no other business coming in

and that cp1708 package was a personal shipment, i'm not selling those mags in the store

that storefront is just a backup for ebay and bc ebay has screwed me over one too many times. actually I haven't been doing ebay at all.

just have a few sales here and there on the site, bc I've got to concentrate on my insurance business.

 

[CP1708]

Damn, I didn't realize Walton was that old.

Ok, never mind him in the prime area then. Bynum, Ariza, Sasha, and Jordan it is. (maybe Shannon if we lucky, not lookin good though)

But point remains the same, go balls out for the next 3-4 years. Once Kobe, and Pau, and Odom start talkin sunset time, then we let the contracts run dry,keep a player or two, and start the rebuild process.

I just don't get all this worry about bad contracts now while we're in the window. Whether we sign Ariza and he turns into Sasha, or we let him go, westill aren't going to add anybody we KNOW can handle the role. And Sasha fell off more because he lost all his playing time to Trevor, then he just tankedcuz he was rich. ALl those 3's Trevor was hitting were Sasha's shots in 08. And he hit them just as well as Trevor did.

I don't suspect Trevor losing playing time next year, so he shouldn't drop off like Sasha did. Give his money, screw the cap, and keep the window openfor the duration of our top players abilities. Worry about 2013 and beyond then, not now.

 

[slow motion g35]

kobe will not hang it up until he 1) above jordanl in pts 2) and if hes stuck on 5 or 6, hell stay around to get one more. If hes at 4 and 34. its over.

 

[CP1708]

Whatever saves us money to try and keep Trevor and Lamar I'm all for......

The Los Angeles Lakers have center D.J. Mbenga and forward Josh Powell under contract for 2009-10, both for $959,111. Both players' salaries are currently non-guaranteed - the Lakers could waive either player without owing any money. A decision on whether to waive either player must come soon, with Mbenga's salary becoming fully guaranteed if not placed on waivers today, and Powell's becoming fully guaranteed if not waived by Wednesday.

The Lakers have been financially conservative this offseason, in order to afford re-signing both Trevor Ariza and Lamar Odom. The escape clauses on Mbenga's and Powell's contracts provide the opportunity to save additional money, even if they intend to keep both players.

The minimum salary is a sliding scale based on years of service. For example, the 2009-10 minimum for a rookie is $457,588, while for a 10+ year veteran it is $1,306,455. However, in order to keep teams from shying away from older (and more expensive) veterans, teams are only responsible for paying the minimum salary of a two-year veteran ($825,497), with any salary above that amount paid from a league-wide pool. The luxury tax for these players is also based on the salary of a two-year veteran.

Here's the catch -- this only applies to minimum salary players on one-year contracts. Since both Mbenga and Powell are on two-year contracts, the Lakers will be responsible for each player's entire $959,111, along with the full luxury tax.

If the Lakers were to waive Mbenga today, then re-sign him to a one-year minimum salary contract in July, he would be paid the same $959,111. However the Lakers would only pay $825,497 in both salary and tax - saving a total of $267,228. The Lakers would risk losing him to free agency, but if both the team and player are clear about their intentions, then the risk is minimal.

Powell is paid above the minimum for a four-year veteran, so the decision for him is a little more difficult. In order to re-sign him at the minimum salary, he would have to sacrifice $74,230. The savings for the Lakers would be another $227,228, bringing their total savings for both players to $534,456.

If the Lakers are reasonably sure they would not lose Mbenga to free agency, then the decision regarding him becomes somewhat of a no-brainer. In Powell's case, they would not only risk losing the player to free agency, they would also be forcing him to give up some of his salary. However the Lakers have a history of making such moves - for example in 2001 they did this with Brian Shaw.

For the cost conscious Lakers, increasing their ability to afford Trevor Ariza and Lamar Odom might be worth risking Mbenga and Powell.
RealGM.

 

[tupac003]

David lee....

We delt with this fool before when we got Bynum's deal done.

Bynum was over paid IMO and I guess in order for s to keep Ariza we might have to over pay a little bit.

In these tough times I don't think they want to do it.

Its going to come down to who do the lakers want more.

I wonder if Ariza will end up like Posey. He left the C's and did NOTHING with the Hornets.

I hope its just BS talk....lets see what happens. Tomorrow is when everything starts....

 

[kingjay718]

Lakers/Suns Game 4 2006 is on ESPN Classic.

@ Sasha's supercuts hair do. Memories.

I hope the Lakers retain all their free agents, but if they're math gets whacky, then sign L.O. And make arun at Ron Artest. I love Ariza, but man RonArtest would be great look.

 

[i nasmatic i]

Unfortunately, I don't think the Lakers will sign both Trevor and Lamar, so it'll be a tough decision as to who stays.

The young, athletic SF who can defend well, hit threes and slash to the basket or the versatile forward who can do(nearly) everything, causes mismatches andreliable off the bench?

I think the Lakers will pick Trevor but we'll see...

 

[tupac003]

Man now folks are saying the sprus are in the running for sheed.....

This off season is going to big. I thought if we kept the team intact we would be fine...

We may have to pick somebody up!

 

[CP1708]

Yeah, Sheed with the Spurs = me in the fetal position.

And unlike AI, Sheed would conform to Tim, Pop, etc. See Detroit, 2004.

 

[night marcher01]

Sheed would be NICE! Lakers not making a run for him huh?

 

[badboyf0life420]

Originally Posted by KingJay718

Lakers/Suns Game 4 2006 is on ESPN Classic.

@ Sasha's supercuts hair do. Memories.

I hope the Lakers retain all their free agents, but if they're math gets whacky, then sign L.O. And make arun at Ron Artest. I love Ariza, but man Ron Artest would be great look.

lol good stuff.. smush !

 

[CP1708]

Oh and Sheed a Spur would increase that need to keep LO don't you think?

Course, Ariza would be needed to cover RJ.

So yeah, try to pinch pennies Buss, go on ahead.

 

[MVP]

I really wish the Lakers would have waited to give Bynum that extension, dude has done nothing to warrant the 12 mil he'll be making next season.

 

[MVP]

Originally Posted by CP1708

Oh and Sheed a Spur would increase that need to keep LO don't you think?

Course, Ariza would be needed to cover RJ.

So yeah, try to pinch pennies Buss, go on ahead.

I thought it would be all on 24 if they don't resign both. Like me and holden told yall, Buss has the money, he just seems from the reportsnot willing to spend it.

 

[CP1708]

^
I said it would be on Kobe if he took max money without us being able to sign Trev and LO.

If Kobe stays at 20, or goes to 22 or whatever is fine by me, if he took 27 and we lost one or both of them, then it is on Kobe


Edit (had to hit send before I finished, boss comin

)

Anyways, Holden said that Kobe doesn't have to opt out til end of July, the guys should have signed with whatever team by then, so maybe it won't be onKobe.

Hell, if we lose Ariza and Odom, wouldn't Kobe opting out and taking less money help us go out and sign replacements? Any way you look at it, it helps outthe organization if Kobe takes less, period.

 

[westcoastsfinest]

The spurs can pick up sheed all they want...if we keep ariza and odom...which I pray we do!!!...we should be fine but like I've said before...championshipor not this year...odoms gone but I would love to have artest to replace odom!!

 

[MVP]

I don't think it's helping the organization though, it's letting Buss off the hook for past bad decisions and contracts he's given...now he hasto man up and spend the money that he has to to keep this team intact. Kobe shouldn't have to take less money to accommodate or help Jerry out, Buss is abillionaire and can afford to pay.

 

[CP1708]

Jerry really a billionaire? I know he rich obviously, but I remember him saying that he made his money being a doctor and isn't as rich as guys like Cubanor Allen etc etc.

Anyone know his current worth?

I could feel differently if Buss was worth a ton, I would ease off of Kobe a little, but lemme see what Buss pulls in first.

 

[darthska]

DAMN, man!

- Tony Longoria
- Manu
- Richard Jefferson
- Sheed
- Duncan

Slashers in Jefferson, Manu, and Tony, shooters in Manu and Sheed, length in Sheed and Duncan, perimeter defense in Manu and Tony, post defense in Duncan andSheed, fastbreaking out the wazoo in TP, Manu, and RJ... and that's not even taking one single look at the bench!

 

[CP1708]

Well, I looked him up, he chalks in at 380 million, at least per the numbers I saw over and over in google.

It could be more now I suppose.

Hmmmmmmm, lemme think on it.

 

[MVP]

Nevermind, he's worth $380 million according to hoopshype, but still the Lakers are worth $584 million second only to the Knicks, bottom line is he STILLhas enough money to pay and he's given max deals to Magic and Shaq before, so why not Kobe who is his best player now.