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

[dontsteponmyshoes]

damn, is it basketball season yet!

 

[darthska]

^ NOT... VAREJAO!!!

Sheed would be nice, but he's not coming off the bench, and he's not starting over Bynum or Pau. I'd like to go Fish, Kobe, Artest, Pau, Sheed, butyou don't pay a guy like Bynum the kind of money he's getting paid to come off the bench.

Kleiza is highly underrated, but has always struck me as lazy, like an upgraded Brian Cook.

Where would Marion fit? Same with Sheed; it would be nice, but he's not coming off the bench, so he'd either start over our current 2-guard (

) orour rumored newest 3-guard (that could be a possibility, but Artest coming off the bench? I don't see it).

I like Hill. Fish, Kobe, Artest, Pau, Bynum, with Odom and Hill coming off the bench.

 

[badboyf0life420]

ron on sportscenter

 

[noblekane]

if phil dont come back i would love to see jvg take over.

 

[ctdaprince]

ARTEST on Sportscenter now

 

[darthska]

bright nikes:

---

96TruwarierQBron artest is about to go on espn5 minutes ago from web

And now he's on ESPN. DAMN! Twitter is crazy!

 

[e3lal]

BlackMamba08 wrote:

---

The sad part is Ariza and his agent brought this upon themselves..

word. I wouldn't have been mad if he left to get paid but getting the same deal is

. Oh well, thanks for helping us land Artest. Hope he does well in Houston.

 

[johnnyhardaway]

Originally Posted by Lizaker4Lizife

By the way, what if we can't sign LO? What are your guys' options/preferences?

If we can't sign him, I'd prefer Rasheed.

but signing LO is a huge priority

- Marion
- Hill
- Kleiza
- Varejao
- Rasheed

others?

Lakers would be the technical foul team then... kobe ron ron rasheed.

 

[Lizakers]

[h1]Lakers get Artest; Ariza agrees with Rockets[/h1]
L.A. and Houston essentially make a swap of free-agent forwards.
By Mike Bresnahan and Broderick Turner

7:54 PM PDT, July 2, 2009

In a free-agent swap of forwards, the Lakers reached an agreement with Houston Rockets forward Ron Artest and the Rockets have reached agreement with Trevor Ariza, The Times has learned.

Artest met with Lakers executives throughout the day and agreed to terms of about $18 million over three years.

Ariza agreed to a five-year deal with the Rockets for about $33 million, roughly the same that the Lakers had offered in their effort to retain him.

"I had to do what was best for me and family," Ariza said. "I am happy with my decision. I'm glad this all worked out. The Rockets are going to give me a chance to improve my game and that's all you can ask for."

Ariza's agent, David Lee, said the 24-year-old forward passed up a more lucrative contract offer from another team with salary-cap space. "We decided to go with Houston anyway," Lee said. "It was never about the money. It was about going someplace where you felt appreciated."

Artest, who will be 30 in November, enjoys the Los Angeles lifestyle and was a presence in the courtside seats for some of the Lakers' games in the NBA Finals.

He is still a formidable defender and averaged 17.1 points last season, though he will take a pay cut from the $7.4 million he made last season because the Lakers don't have as much money at their disposal when it comes to other teams' free agents.

The addition of Artest basically ended the Lakers' pursuit of Ariza, who met today with the Rockets.

"I understand that they did sign Ron Artest," Ariza said. "They did what they had to do. I understand it's a business."

sounds like his agent got in the way and screwed it up for Ariza

 

[Burton Guster]

Artest on SportsCenter right now. Looking excited

 

[njtrueast]

hoodalized ROFL

 

[ctdaprince]

Originally Posted by Lizaker4Lizife

[h1]Lakers get Artest; Ariza agrees with Rockets[/h1]
L.A. and Houston essentially make a swap of free-agent forwards.
By Mike Bresnahan and Broderick Turner

7:54 PM PDT, July 2, 2009

In a free-agent swap of forwards, the Lakers reached an agreement with Houston Rockets forward Ron Artest and the Rockets have reached agreement with Trevor Ariza, The Times has learned.

Artest met with Lakers executives throughout the day and agreed to terms of about $18 million over three years.

Ariza agreed to a five-year deal with the Rockets for about $33 million, roughly the same that the Lakers had offered in their effort to retain him.

"I had to do what was best for me and family," Ariza said. "I am happy with my decision. I'm glad this all worked out. The Rockets are going to give me a chance to improve my game and that's all you can ask for."

Ariza's agent, David Lee, said the 24-year-old forward passed up a more lucrative contract offer from another team with salary-cap space. "We decided to go with Houston anyway," Lee said. "It was never about the money. It was about going someplace where you felt appreciated."

Artest, who will be 30 in November, enjoys the Los Angeles lifestyle and was a presence in the courtside seats for some of the Lakers' games in the NBA Finals.

He is still a formidable defender and averaged 17.1 points last season, though he will take a pay cut from the $7.4 million he made last season because the Lakers don't have as much money at their disposal when it comes to other teams' free agents.

The addition of Artest basically ended the Lakers' pursuit of Ariza, who met today with the Rockets.

"I understand that they did sign Ron Artest," Ariza said. "They did what they had to do. I understand it's a business."

sounds like his agent got in the way and screwed it up for Ariza

#@$% his agent ariza shoud still be wearin purple & gold






ah well we got ron ron now

 

[ben roethlisberger]

Originally Posted by Lizaker4Lizife

By the way, what if we can't sign LO? What are your guys' options/preferences?

If we can't sign him, I'd prefer Rasheed.

but signing LO is a huge priority

- Marion
- Hill
- Kleiza
- Varejao
- Rasheed

others?

I would be extremely pissed off if we chose Artest over LO. We better be able to have both of them.

 

[Los Angeles]

Artest was just on ESPN!

Tidbits for who missed it:
-staples right across espn pretty dope
-he's been in L.A since they lost to the Lakers
-he thought he was gonna stay with H-town
-when yao got injured, he lost his bird rights, they offered 1yr deal and he was not feelin it
-lakers were the first team that reached out to him and show him love
-Phil Jackson is his coach, also talked to his wife (

) he felt respect from PJ for doing that
-he made 6-7M last year and lakers offered him MLE, said he's made a lot of money being in the league he's here to WIN.
-this team can win more championships
-what number is he gonna wear, twitter him for suggestions
-excited as hell
-advertised his twitter cause it was hoodiferrific?

 

[sinser13]

http://twitter.com/RealSkipBayless

RealSkipBaylessThe Lakers basically just traded Ariza for Artest, who'll make less than Ariza wanted. Steal! First Pao, now this. Kupchak, bum to genius.

 

[Truth]

Who just saw Ron Ron on Sportscenter?

Hoodalized

"So Gutta" fitted

 

[darthska]

^ In the picture someone posted earlier of him at the NBA Finals in L.A., he had a 'So Hood' tee on.

 

[misterp0315]

This is going to be so awesome for so many reasons.

Kobe and Ron are going to battle in practice...making Kobe to be even more of a monster on offense.
If someone is killing, Kobe won't have to break down and guard whomever. Just leave them on Artest or alternate.
Our team is much tougher and way better in rebounding. Ron gets those long shot rebounds all the time.
Legit scorers...Kobe, Pau, Odom, Artest...all can go off at any moment.
Perimeter shots...knock down 3 point shooters for days.

I love it.

 

[tupac003]

Lizaker4Lizife wrote:

---

[h1]Lakers get Artest; Ariza agrees with Rockets[/h1]
L.A. and Houston essentially make a swap of free-agent forwards.
By Mike Bresnahan and Broderick Turner

7:54 PM PDT, July 2, 2009

In a free-agent swap of forwards, the Lakers reached an agreement with Houston Rockets forward Ron Artest and the Rockets have reached agreement with Trevor Ariza, The Times has learned.

Artest met with Lakers executives throughout the day and agreed to terms of about $18 million over three years.

Ariza agreed to a five-year deal with the Rockets for about $33 million, roughly the same that the Lakers had offered in their effort to retain him.

"I had to do what was best for me and family," Ariza said. "I am happy with my decision. I'm glad this all worked out. The Rockets are going to give me a chance to improve my game and that's all you can ask for."

Ariza's agent, David Lee, said the 24-year-old forward passed up a more lucrative contract offer from another team with salary-cap space. "We decided to go with Houston anyway," Lee said. "It was never about the money. It was about going someplace where you felt appreciated."

Artest, who will be 30 in November, enjoys the Los Angeles lifestyle and was a presence in the courtside seats for some of the Lakers' games in the NBA Finals.

He is still a formidable defender and averaged 17.1 points last season, though he will take a pay cut from the $7.4 million he made last season because the Lakers don't have as much money at their disposal when it comes to other teams' free agents.

The addition of Artest basically ended the Lakers' pursuit of Ariza, who met today with the Rockets.

"I understand that they did sign Ron Artest," Ariza said. "They did what they had to do. I understand it's a business."

sounds like his agent got in the way and screwed it up for Ariza



Ariza sounds so stupid right now. I have lost so much respect for him. If your going to get the same money why play for a team that has no shot at a chip?

Best for your family? You would have gotten the same money in YOUR HOMETOWN!!!

I don't know what to feel right now. If he would have gotten paid I would have been cool with this whole situation. But he isn't going to make a PENNYmore with them so why make the move? Either David Lee duped him or maybe he is just really stupid.

Last year when we lost ronny it made since. We all understood. GS made an offer we wouldn't match. This just doesn't make sense. Sounds like some highschool stuff.

Appreciated? Let the fans take care of that. The GM is around to build a team that's going to win. He isn't around to make you feel appreciated.

I am really scratching my head right now...I just don't get any of it.

Dah well.

LET'S GET LO!

 

[grimey]

Ariza sounds salty for his stupid decision.

 

[darthska]

Grimey:

---

Ariza sounds salty for like his agent has given him some positive jargon to spit out in an attempt to play off misleading Trevor into this stupid decision.
Fixed.

 

[r0biiin]

"It was never about the money. It was about going someplace where you felt appreciated."

 

[jretro23]

yeah i don't get it.

in a way it really seems like he wants to try to be a main option for a team, and have plays ran for him. because he could of went to cleveland, a legitcontender next season, and have basically the same role he had with the lakers.

feels like he, or his agent, gassed himself up too much, and doesn't care about winning another championship at this point in his career. he's stillyoung.

i don't know, i'm scratching my head too.


wish him the best...

 

[darthska]

^ I love that quote.

Like L.A. didn't appreciate Ariza.

If he's talking about the fans, he knows damn well we loved him.

If he's talking about being appreciated by being offered more money: negative, ghostrider.

So how exactly is your client more appreciated in his new home, Mr. Lee?

You goofed.

 

[Burton Guster]

Originally Posted by tupac003

Lizaker4Lizife wrote:

---

[h1]Lakers get Artest; Ariza agrees with Rockets[/h1]
L.A. and Houston essentially make a swap of free-agent forwards.
By Mike Bresnahan and Broderick Turner

7:54 PM PDT, July 2, 2009

In a free-agent swap of forwards, the Lakers reached an agreement with Houston Rockets forward Ron Artest and the Rockets have reached agreement with Trevor Ariza, The Times has learned.

Artest met with Lakers executives throughout the day and agreed to terms of about $18 million over three years.

Ariza agreed to a five-year deal with the Rockets for about $33 million, roughly the same that the Lakers had offered in their effort to retain him.

"I had to do what was best for me and family," Ariza said. "I am happy with my decision. I'm glad this all worked out. The Rockets are going to give me a chance to improve my game and that's all you can ask for."

Ariza's agent, David Lee, said the 24-year-old forward passed up a more lucrative contract offer from another team with salary-cap space. "We decided to go with Houston anyway," Lee said. "It was never about the money. It was about going someplace where you felt appreciated."

Artest, who will be 30 in November, enjoys the Los Angeles lifestyle and was a presence in the courtside seats for some of the Lakers' games in the NBA Finals.

He is still a formidable defender and averaged 17.1 points last season, though he will take a pay cut from the $7.4 million he made last season because the Lakers don't have as much money at their disposal when it comes to other teams' free agents.

The addition of Artest basically ended the Lakers' pursuit of Ariza, who met today with the Rockets.

"I understand that they did sign Ron Artest," Ariza said. "They did what they had to do. I understand it's a business."

sounds like his agent got in the way and screwed it up for Ariza



Ariza sounds so stupid right now. I have lost so much respect for him. If your going to get the same money why play for a team that has no shot at a chip?

Best for your family? You would have gotten the same money in YOUR HOMETOWN!!!

I don't know what to feel right now. If he would have gotten paid I would have been cool with this whole situation. But he isn't going to make a PENNY more with them so why make the move? Either David Lee duped him or maybe he is just really stupid.

Last year when we lost ronny it made since. We all understood. GS made an offer we wouldn't match. This just doesn't make sense. Sounds like some high school stuff.

Appreciated? Let the fans take care of that. The GM is around to build a team that's going to win. He isn't around to make you feel appreciated.

I am really scratching my head right now...I just don't get any of it.

Dah well.

LET'S GET LO!


Exactly. Why leave the team you just won a championship with, who you started for during the playoffs to go to another team that really has no chance ofwinning for the same amount money. If your going to leave, at least make sure your getting paid. Ariza