New Season Thread Made, Move on Over :)

[thegoldenchild]

Which is?

toughness, go at players...

 

[night marcher01]

I still have no idea on how we kept Pau,Metta,Blake,and Devin. Clark is going to be good and Duhon isn't bad if Blake goes down.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[westcoastsfinest]

D12 is finally a Laker! A rumor that actually went throughsmokin Let's get it! Jodie Meeks is a great pick up! Do you guys think Mitch is done?

 

[essential1]

Do you guys think Mitch is done?

Nope. I think there is probably a move or two to sure up the bench..


Jodie Meeks tweeted he's headed to LA tomorrow.

 

[goldmember]

Who else are they looking to sign?

Kenyon?

 

[c hanna]

gonna be a fun season to watch

 

[Bert.]

congrats on getting Howard, i dont like his personality at all. actually i hate him but basketball wise hes obviously the best C and you guys are the best team now

 

[mrdieselfuel09]

Feels good to see the Lakers stacking up this season. Last season was just horrible...McRoberts, Kapono, and Murphy?:x:x:x

 

[mr j 858]

 

[goldenarmz97]

This signing pleases me.

 

[mr j 858]

 

[mr j 858]

 

[essential1]

Dwight seems extremely happy.... This dude found his perfect destination here..

He's going to be treated like a God in LA.

It would take a catastrophe to get him to leave LA.. And not even Kobe is capable of that.. He's already rolled out the red carpet, and said look this is your team, I hand pick you personally to carry this torch once I'm gone.

 

[lakeshow]

they convinced over in the NBA thread that he already ready to leave lol... even stein said he would be ready to go to dallas if it didnt work out in LA... guess what... thats wishful thinking for you stein cuz u in dallas... u not gettin D12 son!!! Long Live the LakerGang!

 

[runningfishy]

A lot of people are groupies here, but I am critical of Dwight. Like all the fans, I'm happy, but I just don't like how Dwight is just a fake. He's talked about how he dislikes something, and now won't back it up. All the circus talk about being loyal to the Magics, and then digging out on them. All the talk about how he hated the Lakers, because of the Shaq comparison and now he's self enrolled on Cloud 9. I mean, I would've rooted more for this, but it wasn't how it should've been. He doesn't have that drive, and that's what I fear. He's a media puppet, and a clown.

He's everywhere now, promoting LA. I bet he likes it here, but he has not grown up one bit. That's a shame, and that's why his skills are stuck.

I would've liked this guy more, if he demanded a trade to New Jersey, or had some character, but he doesn't.

I've followed Kobe, LA, and this franchise for a long time now, but it pains to see how this will turn out. People do not remember the imploding blazers, or even the 4 horseman stint. Yes, it's LA, but this is destruction if guys aren't serious. Having BIG NAMES on a roster sheet looks good for the announcers, and does well in video games, but in reality, it won't work.

I am fearful. A weak bench, an aging and inexperienced cast, along w/ a soft coach, this team will reap more failures than success.

 

[runningfishy]

Dwight seems extremely happy.... This dude found his perfect destination here..
He's going to be treated like a God in LA.
It would take a catastrophe to get him to leave LA.. And not even Kobe is capable of that.. He's already rolled out the red carpet, and said look this is your team, I hand pick you personally to carry this torch once I'm gone.

As some suggested, if Dwight grows up and becomes serious, he'll grow. But if he continues to just be a clown and circus act, he won't succeed. He lacks the drive, and you know it. Complaining will only last you so long. At some point, the burden will rest on his coconut shoulders.

 

[moe fab]

Wow! Great off-season. Now we only need to gel and build chemistry. My only fear is that we get caught up in the hype and fold; a la 2004. However, with that name on the front, and the history that goes with it, we use the regular season to grow accustomed to each other's strengths and weaknesses, and use that time to get better as a team. I'm sure we all remember 2004. But this team doesn't strike me as one full of egos and seems to be one built to win now.Our weaknesses are complimented by others strengths.

Let's go Lake Show!

 

[noblekane]

i dont think kenyon martin will come here. he wont get much playing time even tho he should so he can stick it to vinny del negro...

i think we end up with tmac in the end...

and dwight you got the teammates you needed to win you a chip. its time for you to man up and win one.

 

[th0mas cr0wn]

I didn't know Meeks Mills can get into the paint like that. I dig.


Dwight is gonna run LA in a few years. LA will def make him feel at home. Oh, and we have Nash too IMO, we have a good contrast of personalities on this squad. I don't mind Dwight being the goofball that he is, as long as we win games (& championships). We got the two "funny" dudes in D12 & Nash, and the more serious in Kobe & Pau. This season is gonna be fun.


Oh, and I can't wait till we play the Clips in Staples lol. Gonna be a crazy atmosphere. Hopefully D12 puts Blake on a poster

 

[swagneto]

 

[kvsm23vs24]

What Pau has done on these Olympics shows that Drew was def taking away Pau's touches.
Pau is playing great. With Nash

 

[bucknuteagle]

A lot of people are groupies here, but I am critical of Dwight. Like all the fans, I'm happy, but I just don't like how Dwight is just a fake. He's talked about how he dislikes something, and now won't back it up. All the circus talk about being loyal to the Magics, and then digging out on them. All the talk about how he hated the Lakers, because of the Shaq comparison and now he's self enrolled on Cloud 9. I mean, I would've rooted more for this, but it wasn't how it should've been. He doesn't have that drive, and that's what I fear. He's a media puppet, and a clown.
He's everywhere now, promoting LA. I bet he likes it here, but he has not grown up one bit. That's a shame, and that's why his skills are stuck.
I would've liked this guy more, if he demanded a trade to New Jersey, or had some character, but he doesn't.
I've followed Kobe, LA, and this franchise for a long time now, but it pains to see how this will turn out. People do not remember the imploding blazers, or even the 4 horseman stint. Yes, it's LA, but this is destruction if guys aren't serious. Having BIG NAMES on a roster sheet looks good for the announcers, and does well in video games, but in reality, it won't work.
I am fearful. A weak bench, an aging and inexperienced cast, along w/ a soft coach, this team will reap more failures than success.

Ok, let's take this point by point. Dwight Howard is no more of a clown than Shaq, and both of them have ridiculously large brands because of it. It's why they get the ridiculous advertising money. Yes, Dwight flip flopped a bit in the last year, but it's much more pronounced by the media than what he actually did. He requested a trade and stuck to that pretty much the whole time. He was talked into executing the extra year on his contract by the Magic, the city of Orlando, and even his MOM. For his entire adult life he's lived and played in Orlando, so clearly there's a definite strong emotional attachment there. I don't remember him saying he particularly hated the Lakers, and the only repeated story was how his call with Kobe about what his place would be on the Lakers last year was lackluster to say the least, but let's assume him talking about hating the Lakers was true. I have a feeling that all changed when we got a future Hall of Fame point guard in Steve Nash.

Everyone talks about him not having drive, but he's still the 3x Defensive player of the year, dragged his team to the finals Lebron style, and has managed to never be injured before last season. It's true that he's not a particularly great leader, but that's why the Lakers are perfect isn't it. They have two of the best leaders in the history of the game in Kobe and Steve Nash, so I'm not worried there.

And as for the BIG NAMES on the roster sheet... I take it you missed the season last year. It was lockout shortened so I guess it did go by fast, but let me just tell you who was in the finals. Lebron, D. Wade, Chris Bosh, James Harden, Serge Ibaka, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook. The NBA has always been about stacked teams and getting the best players. How many NBA Champions have not had big names on the roster in the history of the league?

Also, our bench has quickly become one of the strongest in the league, Jodie Meeks, Jamison, Hill, Blake... and all of our starting five either have rings, have been to the finals (Dwight), or multiple conference finals (Nash). And as much as people hate on Mike Brown (myself included), the guy knows defense, and they just hired a new assistant coach to help implement a new offensive system... also Steve Nash is probably the best coach on the floor in the NBA (except maybe Chris Paul). If this team doesn't do well I will be very surprised. And by well, I mean a trip to the finals next year.

 

[mr j 858]

People need to stop saying this team can be like 03-04 Lakers when we got Karl Malone & Gary Payton.

There really is no comparison. Both of those guys were at the end of their careers and clearly signed just for one last run at a ring.

That 03-04 season had a bunch of drama going on that summer leading up to the start of the season with Kobe's sexual assault case going on and Kobe & Shaq were back to feuding publicly over whose team it was.Also that same season Kobe was in the final year of his contract and was about to become a un restricted free agent.It was seriously amazing that 03-04 Laker team even made it to the NBA Finals year and came back from a 0-2 deficit in the 2nd round of the playoffs that year with Derek Fisher 0.4 miracle last second shot.If Karl Malone didn't get hurt that season and was healthy in the Finals the Lakers would have won the championship that year.

This summer there is NONE of that drama going on where there can be a dark cloud hanging over the team that can affect them.

 

[mr j 858]

 

[ag 47]

A lot of people are groupies here, but I am critical of Dwight. Like all the fans, I'm happy, but I just don't like how Dwight is just a fake. He's talked about how he dislikes something, and now won't back it up. All the circus talk about being loyal to the Magics, and then digging out on them. All the talk about how he hated the Lakers, because of the Shaq comparison and now he's self enrolled on Cloud 9. I mean, I would've rooted more for this, but it wasn't how it should've been. He doesn't have that drive, and that's what I fear. He's a media puppet, and a clown.
He's everywhere now, promoting LA. I bet he likes it here, but he has not grown up one bit. That's a shame, and that's why his skills are stuck.
I would've liked this guy more, if he demanded a trade to New Jersey, or had some character, but he doesn't.
I've followed Kobe, LA, and this franchise for a long time now, but it pains to see how this will turn out. People do not remember the imploding blazers, or even the 4 horseman stint. Yes, it's LA, but this is destruction if guys aren't serious. Having BIG NAMES on a roster sheet looks good for the announcers, and does well in video games, but in reality, it won't work.
I am fearful. A weak bench, an aging and inexperienced cast, along w/ a soft coach, this team will reap more failures than success.

Agree with you on Dwight 100%. But even if he doesn't grow up. Doesn't improve one bit from where he is right now is terms of skill, the facts remain that he's:

6x NBA All-Star
5x All-NBA First-Team
3x NBA Defensive Player of the Year
Took his team to the NBA Finals.
The 2nd or 3rd best player in the league.

That's a really really good way to rebuild past the Kobe era. Especially if it nets a title run.