koast, but at the same time, trading Kobe for Ray Allen? NO WAY!!!! Not without another top player to boot. If the Lakers HADN'T traded Shaq, Shaq would have been in worse shape this year than he was last -- remember? When Ben Wallace was beating him all over the floor to loose balls -- Wallace even had time to run AROUND Shaq to intercept balls -- that's saying something, IMO. It's says Wallace is quicker than I thought and Shaq was a lot SLOWER than I thought (I already knew he was lazy).
Ray Allen would have been great but I would have wanted a PG or big man to with him -- a young one to build ANOTHER dynasty around (together with Kobe, Allen, etc.).
There's a TON of weight on Kupchak's shoulders right now -- he has to make the right moves to build the Lakers again -- but once again, the Lakers don't hit the bottom of the pile like many teams who once won a title.