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[Mr.Guy]

Am I the only one who thinks that Swaggy P is a corny nickname?

 

[essential1]

Am I the only one who thinks that Swaggy P is a corny nickname?

Absolutely... And this is coming from a guy who said I would never say Swaggy P 4 months ago.

 

[essential1]

Mitchell ?

Are Lakers interested in changing course?
December, 30, 2013
By Marc Stein | ESPN.com

Pau Gasol for Brook Lopez?

It would seem, on the surface, that merely posing such a question is a moot point given that Lopez is out for the season after re-breaking his troublesome right foot.

Beneath the surface, though, there are at least two reasons to address it here:

1. Sources with knowledge of the discussions told ESPN.com that the Lakers did indeed engage the Nets earlier this month in some exploratory talks to see if Brooklyn had interest in such a swap. Sources say that the Nets balked at the idea when it was presented before Lopez's injury, but it's still noteworthy if it happened.

2. The Lakers were known to be, at the very least, calling around to gauge Gasol's value before they decided to pull Pau off the market earlier this month. So determining how serious the Lakers really were with their Lopez interest is tricky ... especially since Lopez's health misfortune extinguishes any realistic hope of Pau-for-Brook talks re-igniting between now and the Feb. 20 trade deadline. Yet the mere concept of Gasol and Lopez exchanging jerseys nonetheless gets you thinking, because Lopez is owed $32.5 million over the next two seasons after this one.

And because trading for a player with guaranteed money due beyond 2014-15 would almost certainly affect the Lakers' free-agent flexibility in the summer of 2015.

Which runs counter to what we've all assumed about the Lakers for some time.

Trading for players whose contracts expire in 2015 is one thing. There have been whispers in circulation for some time now that the Lakers, as opposed to wasting time with the long-shot pursuits of LeBron James or Carmelo Anthony, might be willing to go that route if they knew they could indeed getting a difference-maker or two back to pair with Kobe Bryant in Year 1 of Kobe's new two-year, $48.5 million contract extension.

But trading for a highly paid player whose contract stretches into 2015-16 is something else entirely. That strategy has long been seen as a non-option for the Lakers, based on the premise that -- depending on how the rest of the roster looks at that point in terms of guaranteed money -- acquiring someone like Lopez would almost certainly complicate L.A.'s long-held desire to make a free-agent splash in the summer of 2015.

The harsh reality for both of teams, let’s not forget, is that they’d have to get under the luxury-tax threshold twice in the next three years to avoid the looming repeater penalty, which will surely factor into any serious trade discussions either franchise pursues in the remaining 52 days until the deadline.

Yet you can’t help but wonder: Has there quietly been a policy shift in L.A. when it comes to certain trade targets?

That's a question very much worth asking.

 

[sb]

At least manning had a GOAT season and the eagles are in the playoffs

 

[CP1708]

Brook Lopez is hurt allllllll the time.

I swear to God L.A..........

 

[pmatic]

Funniest part about tanking.. Even if this team tried their hardest to tank.. They'd still end up with 10th or later.

I think they can creep their way into the 7-8 range with luck. But 10 is probably a safe bet at the moment.

 

[essential1]

Funniest part about tanking.. Even if this team tried their hardest to tank.. They'd still end up with 10th or later.

I think they can creep their way into the 7-8 range with luck. But 10 is probably a safe bet at the moment.

Definitely all about the Ping Pong Ball..

10 could be 1. I'm just saying based on how awful the East is. Even us being terrible, we'd still hover around the middle of the East. And be better than a few in the West.

 

[pmatic]

Funniest part about tanking.. Even if this team tried their hardest to tank.. They'd still end up with 10th or later.

I think they can creep their way into the 7-8 range with luck. But 10 is probably a safe bet at the moment.

Definitely all about the Ping Pong Ball..

10 could be 1. I'm just saying based on how awful the East is. Even us being terrible, we'd still hover around the middle of the East. And be better than a few in the West.

I'm glad you finally saw the light.

 

[yeezusdisciple]

Am I the only one who thinks that Swaggy P is a corny nickname?

yes

 

[daddyrabbit251]

Brook Lopez

Had to go back and add another just for our FO even calling New Jersey

Man these injuries, i just don't know man. Team consistently has 5 players out of the rotation

Might as well pack the season up, resign who we can, push the retirement papers on nash and hope for a #1 AND Melo/LeBron


Let P take Kobe's slot in the ASG

 

[essential1]

Funniest part about tanking.. Even if this team tried their hardest to tank.. They'd still end up with 10th or later.

I think they can creep their way into the 7-8 range with luck. But 10 is probably a safe bet at the moment.

Definitely all about the Ping Pong Ball..

10 could be 1. I'm just saying based on how awful the East is. Even us being terrible, we'd still hover around the middle of the East. And be better than a few in the West.

I'm glad you finally saw the light.

I'm not Pro-Tank though. Never have been. Never will be. I want this team to win every single night.

But like always when I get into the Pro and Anti tank arguments.. "We have no control over how the team performs."

 

[essential1]

Yes he's missed two seasons for the same injury. There is the injury red flag.

But he actually puts in work.

Brook Lopez's contract is actually a pretty good one.

He has two years left after this season 15.7, 16.9 mil. Then a player option.. Which he will definitely decline because of those injuries to get a long term deal for assurance.

Also a North Hollywood guy.


There is also a big picture with Brook Lopez. If he doesn't work out, or gets injured, you trade him in the offseason for a draft pick. Even injury prone, he will get you a first rounder.

Also if you are pro tank, you should like the deal as well because as bad as Pau is that trade would eliminate any idea of a #2 scorer this year. Have to rely on extended minutes from Kaman, Sacre & Kelly.

All that said.. It won't happen, but if it did you should be elated.

 

[CP1708]

We're like two injuries away from this being Kendall Marshall's team.

Marshall, Meeks, Wes, Williams, Sacre lineup.

 

[daddyrabbit251]

Rewatched the backstage lakers episode with the movies

The trainer pretty much hinted at P

Love this team man

 

[essential1]

Article on ESPN by Dave Mcmenamin basically saying Pau has quit on us.. In a very passive agressive Pau-like way

 

[daddyrabbit251]

Article on ESPN by Dave Mcmenamin basically saying Pau has quit on us.. In a very passive agressive Pau-like way

Pau

 

[pmatic]

Gasol leaves the Lakers hanging

Granted, there's no way of knowing if Pau Gasol would have made any difference in the Los Angeles Lakers' past two losses, to the Utah Jazz and Philadelphia 76ers, two decidedly sub-.500 teams that L.A. fell to by a combined nine points.

Even if Gasol fought through his upper respiratory infection and came close to his 14.7-point and 9.4-rebound averages, L.A. might have still lost with the way it missed 16 of the 23 3-pointers it took against the Jazz and turned the ball over 22 times against the 76ers.

But here is the unwavering truth that makes the outcomes of the games almost irrelevant when considering Gasol's lost contributions, no matter how strong or how meager they would have been: He could have played.

It was Gasol's decision to sit out as his team extended its season-high losing streak to five with a 111-104 defeat to Philly. It's not like he has been bedridden or completely unable to exert himself physically. According to a team source, Gasol still showed up to Lakers shootaround to lift weights Sunday, and when he told longtime trainer Gary Vitti he wanted more time to get over the infection and was not going to play against the Sixers, Vitti said to not even bother showing up to the game.

Gasol has not spoken to the media since Christmas Day -- the last game he played in -- when he chose to battle through the respiratory condition he was already dealing with then and finished with 13 points, 13 rebounds, 3 assists, a block and a steal. L.A. hung tight with the Miami Heat before losing by six.

After the Utah loss, Gasol tweeted, "Great team effort in Utah last night despite all the injuries #GoLakers."

Before the Philadelphia game, he tweeted, "I hope to recover soon and be back on the floor again. All my support to my team mates tonight vs the Sixers #GoLakers."

With him, the Lakers nearly knocked off the back-to-back defending champions Wednesday. Without him, the Lakers fell to a Philly team that had lost its past 13 road games coming into Sunday.

Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni was asked point blank after the game if L.A. would have won if it had Gasol against the Sixers.

"I don't know," D'Antoni said after letting out an exasperated laugh and then quickly changing the subject to the team's turnovers, which led to 27 points for Philadelphia.

After meeting with the media postgame, D'Antoni was greeted by Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak in the locker room, and the two retreated for a meeting of their own in D'Antoni's office as two men who both predicted a return to All-Star form for Gasol this season. They are left to pick up the pieces after another loss, while Gasol, the league's seventh highest-paid player this season at $19.3 million, stayed at home, earning approximately $175,000 to rest.

D'Antoni publicly challenged Gasol before when he famously said he benched the 13-year veteran late in a game last season because he "wanted to win," and then said "there's no reason not to play hard" this season in response to Gasol telling the Los Angeles Times that his positioning in the offense affects his aggressiveness. But D'Antoni protected the Spaniard on Sunday.

Not everybody did, however.

Were there any players in the Lakers' locker room who wondered if the Philadelphia game could have been different if Gasol had decided to play?

"We've had that [thought] the last couple nights, the past couple games," Jodie Meeks said. "It is what it is. Hopefully, he'll be back next game. If not, the guys that are there will play as hard as they can."

One thing to note about those guys playing hard: The 11 players who did play for L.A. on Sunday will make about $14 million combined this season -- or more than $5 million less than Gasol is taking home individually.

"We’ve fought. We’ve done everything we’re supposed to," said Xavier Henry, who suffered a strained right knee in the first quarter Sunday from playing the game full out, the only way he knows how, even though his veteran's minimum contract doesn't become fully guaranteed until next month. If Monday's MRI result shows major damage, he could have been putting those dollars in jeopardy by playing in such fashion.

Of course, it's not like you could say the Lakers directly lost their past two games because of a lack of production at the starting center position with Gasol out. Chris Kaman filled in with 19 points and 11 rebounds against Utah. Jordan Hill followed with 18 points and 13 rebounds against Philadelphia.

But, in a way, that's an even bigger indictment on Gasol. There are players on L.A. champing at the bit for an opportunity to play while he chooses not to. Kaman was still feeling stiffness in his moderately sprained left ankle Sunday, but he still laced them up.

With Kobe Bryant in the throes of rehab to try to come back from a knee fracture after he already made the long climb back up the mountain from a torn Achilles, and Steve Nash making specialized trips to Vancouver, Canada, to try to finally control the nerve-root irritation that's crippling him in his back and hamstrings, and Steve Blake still practicing daily with his left hand while he wears a stabilizing brace to let his injured right elbow heal, the baseline has been set for these Lakers that you're supposed to do whatever you can to play. Basketball is a privilege, not a right, especially when you're being compensated handsomely for it.

Gasol seems to have missed that message.

Link

I'm all for losing games, but at least put on a jersey.

 

[essential1]

I guess my injury report a couple of days ago that Pau will be day-to-day with a yeast infection is spot on.

 

[had pants]

 

[sea manup]

Might as well sign bynum so pau has a friend to not play basketball with

 

[kal-el-8]

 

[CHAOSE57]

Might as well sign bynum so pau has a friend to not play basketball with

Don't forget to add Ebanks to the mix

 

[sea manup]

 

Might as well sign bynum so pau has a friend to not play basketball with

Don't forget to add Ebanks to the mix

we could make a reality tv show about those three guys trying to help lamar get his life together

 

[grandtheftbike]

Might as well sign bynum so pau has a friend to not play basketball with

Don't forget to add Ebanks to the mix

ebanks been in the mix..the remix.

 

[freeze]

is ebanks still in the nba?