I know, but you do remember Bucher does not get talked to by Kobe's people right?
Will Lakers -- or someone else -- show them the money?
Odom, Ariza and Brown get ready to test free agency starting at 9 p.m. tonight
By Elliott Teaford, Staff Writer
Updated: 06/30/2009 12:06:06 AM PDT
By Elliott TeafordStaff Writer
One by one, they said they hoped to come back to play for another NBA championship next season.
Trevor Ariza, Lamar Odom and Shannon Brown said they were happy and at home with the Lakers and wanted to re-sign with the team.
The Lakers want them back, too. General manager Mitch Kupchak and coach Phil Jackson each said the journey to a second consecutive league title begins by re-signing the three unrestricted free agents.
Kupchak made two moves toward retaining the services of Ariza, Odom and Brown when he traded two of the Lakers' three draft picks for cash and future selections. He didn't want to add players or their salaries to the roster.
The next and most important step begins at 9 p.m. today.
That's when Kupchak can begin negotiations with agents for the players. It's also when general managers for 29 other teams can begin pursuing Ariza, Odom and Brown in hopes ofluring away three valuable members of the Lakers' 2008-09 championship team.
Money, as always, will play an all-important role in where they land.
Kupchak made it clear he doesn't have blank checks to hand out, and issues such as the salary cap and luxury tax could mean he won't be able to afford to re-sign them. He also doesn't know how high other teams might go in order to sign them.
Because they are unrestricted free agents, the Lakers do not have the right to match outside offers for Ariza, Odom and Brown. It means the talks might go quickly, with the players agreeing to new deals within a matter of minutes or hours.
Negotiations between teams and restricted free agents tend to take longer.
Compounding matters is Kobe Bryant's right to terminate his contract by 9 p.m. today and join Ariza, Odom and Brown as a free agent. Bryant indicated he intends to stay put until his contract expires after the 2010-11 season, however.
"I can't speak to `likely' or `most likely' or `likelihood,' but I would say we're hopeful," Kupchak said when asked to characterize the possibility of re-signing all three players and keeping the roster intact for another run at the title next season.
Eight players are under contract for $74 million. If the Lakers re-sign Ariza, Odom and Brown, it could add another $20 million or so to their payroll. If they pick up the team options on three other players, the figure could rise even more.
Last season, the Lakers' opening-night payroll was about $82 million, well above the salary cap ($58.680 million) and the luxury tax ($71.150 million). Kupchak expects the salary cap to decline for the first time in history and the luxury tax to drop with it.
The exact figures won't be released until early next month, but the bottom line is the Lakers simply can't spend whatever it takes to retain their free agents. Kupchak must stick to a budget as he goes shopping.
"Obviously, it's going to take sacrifices on many parts," Jackson said. "Obviously, Dr. Buss is not going to be able to do it without making sacrifices at some level. The players are going to have to sacrifice something if they want to come back. No one can have his cake and eat it, too, in this situation, but it's possible to do it."
Jackson referred to Jerry Buss, the Lakers' team owner.
It is Buss' money Kupchak is spending. It's also why Kupchak traded two draft picks for a total of $4.5 million last week. That's money he can use to help cover new contracts for next season for Ariza, Odom and Brown - each of whom expressed a strong desire to return to play with the Lakers.
"He's always seemed to do the right thing in terms of putting this organization in a position to compete," Kupchak said of Buss, who has won nine NBA titles since purchasing the franchise in 1979. "He makes really well thought-out basketball decisions, and that's been his method of operation since he purchased this team.
"I trust his judgment to do that (again)."
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Looks like its all on Buss and what he wants to spend....
We all know if we go on another deep playoff run he will get whatever luxury tax money back.
Originally Posted by I NaSmatic I
3 years-$85M?
I can't blame you Kobe, but at least tack on another year.
Originally Posted by E3LAL
Originally Posted by I NaSmatic I
3 years-$85M?
I can't blame you Kobe, but at least tack on another year.
Dang, Kobe! Hopefully he won't take all that.
Really nervous about LO and Ariza especially if a top team snags them away from us.
Damn, our payroll could be 100 mil and the luxury tax at 70 or so? Which means 60 mil total payout over the tax?
Uh, no. If the payroll is $100M and the tax number is $70M, the Lakers pay $30M.
Lakers depth chart:
G Fisher, Farmar
G Bryant, Vujacic, Yue
C Bynum, Mbenga
F Gasol, Powell
F Walton, Morrison
According to Hoopshype.com, that's a little under $76M right there. Add $19-22M for Odom, Ariza, and Brown ($9-10M, $8-9M, and $2-3M respectively) and youget $95-98M. The Lakers would be paying $25-28M in luxury tax, but they'd make some, maybe more, of that back in the playoffs.
One of Yue, Powell, and Mbenga won't be with the team according to Mitch so they'll save around $2M there. According to Larry !%+$'s article(http://lakers.realgm.com/..._due_on_mbenga_powell/), the Lakerscan save another $.5M by waiving and re-signing Powell and Mbenga.
Morrison, Fisher, and Farmar make up a little over $12M in expiring salaries this season. If we figure that at least one of these guys or someone else will bew/ the team at around $5-6M, the Lakers will save $12-14M next year.
Vujacic's contract expires the year after that and it appears that the Lakers have a team option on the last year of Bynum's contract so he could begone or traded the following year.
Kobe's extension alone isn't going to cost the Lakers any flexibility. If Pau extends and gets a max deal, the Lakers will be paying around $80M toKobe, Pau, Byum, Odom, and Ariza in '12. Adding Walton and Brown's contract puts them close to $90M.
How much money will those other guys leave in Buss's pockets?
Originally Posted by E3LAL
Originally Posted by I NaSmatic I
3 years-$85M?
I can't blame you Kobe, but at least tack on another year.
Dang, Kobe! Hopefully he won't take all that.
Really nervous about LO and Ariza especially if a top team snags them away from us.
CP1708 wrote:
What are we going to do with Boozer? He can't play SF, and he won't do us any good off the bench.
I thought about it, but I don't think he improves us any.
Ya, I know. I didn't think LO would have drawn this much attention and now I'm nervous. I thought the way Bynum fouls, Boozer would beable to get some good minutes (I know he would never come off the bench like LO has done). If it didn't pan out, we could trade away his valuable expiringcontract. Lets just sign LO and Ariza...wish it was that easy
This is great news! Powell and Mbenga are coming back for the 2009-10 season!
Lakers Basketblog: Power forward Josh Powell and center D.J. Mbenga will remain on the Lakers' roster for the 2009-10 seasons after L.A. opted not to terminate their respective non-guaranteed contracts by the July 1 deadline, according to Lakers spokesman John Black.
Powell and Mbenga each had a year left on their contracts, and since neither was acted upon, the 6-10 and 7-0 post players are guaranteed through the coming season.
Powell averaged 4.2 points and 2.9 rebounds in 11.7 regular season minutes and 2.1 points with 1.2 boards in 5.2 postseason minutes during L.A.'s championship run. He showed his value when afforded ample playing time, highlighted by a 17-point, 9-rebound performance on March 11 at Houston when the Lakers were without Andrew Bynum (injury) and Lamar Odom (suspension).
Mbenga won the rights to L.A.'s third center position as the Lakers sent Chris Mihm to Memphis for a draft pick, and made the most of his 7.9 minutes per game in the regular season by blocking 1.04 shots in that time. He even inspired his own cheering section of the upper deck with fans often sporting "Banging with Mbenga" t-shirts.
Mbenga will join the Belgian National Team this summer in preparation for EuroBasket 2009, while Powell, star of J-Peezy's Playlist, is currently working out in his hometown of Atlanta.
Works for me.
