Garnett to LA LA Land?

[Laker Fan]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19419768/

For Bynum, Odom, AND picks? A little steep for a 32 year old, even if he is one of my favorites, apparently Bynum is on Kobe's list so he may well be doomed anyway to not return next year but does mortgaging the farm for one player seem wise?

[Joe Vancil]

Is that one player that you're mortgaging the farm for Garnett, or Kobe?

Getting Garnett is a huge plus for the Lakers.  Having to appease Kobe continually is a huge minus.

The old manner of looking at things like this is that the team getting the best player is getting the best of the deal.  In this case, that would be the Lakers.

I'm hearing that the deal also involves Kwame Brown for salary purposes.

[westkoast]

Bynum is on Kobe's list for several reasons but the main one being that the franchise, specially Buss Jr, seems to be putting so much value on Bynum...almost more then Kobe at this point.  All deals will have to involve Bynum as he is a young big man with the most potential.  That is why Kobe is mad at him.  That and apparently according to some sources his head as got a little bit big since the the 2nd half of the season because of the hype and talk from up stairs.

I heard it was Kwame, Lamar, and Andrew for KG.  While I don't care about Kwame, giving up Odom and Bynum is tough for me personally.  I enjoy watching Lamar Odom play basketball.  Andrew Bynum as well.  The question is do the Lakers try to win now or take a gamble and be left with no one but Bynum?  With the way the LA fans are the franchise needs to make a serious move to be a contender if they are going to raise ticket and food prices next year.

[Laker Fan]

Is that one player that you're mortgaging the farm for Garnett, or Kobe?

Getting Garnett is a huge plus for the Lakers.  Having to appease Kobe continually is a huge minus.

The old manner of looking at things like this is that the team getting the best player is getting the best of the deal.  In this case, that would be the Lakers.

I'm hearing that the deal also involves Kwame Brown for salary purposes.

It is a double edged sword for us I think, Kobe is STILL the premier player in the NBA, he is also STILL the premier pain in the butt prima donna spoiled brat, so continuing to appease him is tough, but something for the longterm the Lakers must do, given the fickle nature of LA fans, his star power, youth, and skills.

Garnett is a huge upgrade over Odom, as much as I like Odom, I am so not big on losing Bynum but you knew you would have to for a player of Kevins stature, he brings with him one of the most glaringly missing components in Laker Land, defense, and better rebounding on both ends of the court. He also brings class, unselfishness, and little in the way of ego, plus he and Kobe are good friends from what I hear, I think he will perform well in the triangle and I seem to be the biggest Walton fan on this board and I think Walton bookending the frontcourt with Garnett is very, very appealing.

The downside is his age compared with the potential of a still very young Bynum. I know 32 isn't bad and Kevin is in very good shape but it is still 32 and that's what I meant by mortgaging the farm, as irritating as Kobe can be, I am a believer that LA must build around him because you still have several very good years  with him, his work ethic rivals only Karl Malones.

I think LA becomes a contender only if they can add one more defensive role player besides Garnett, with only Garnett, you get a very good team, not a title team, although if this trade happens, I would love to eat my words if LA titles.

[WayOutWest]

Not sure how giving up Odom, Bynum and Kwame leaves the Lakers.  I'm not as high on Bynum as the rest of Laker Nation, he's nothing special, but the Lakers are now relying on Mihm to play center full time for a full year.  There is still nobody to play PG either.  Next year, should this trade happen which I'm willing to bet it WILL NOT, it would be 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 for the Lakers in the form of Farmer, Kobe, Walton, Turiaf and KG.  That is a decent team and a team I'd be happy to cheer for despite the results they may get from lack of experience at the 1 and 4.

I'm not holding my breath for KG.

[Joe Vancil]

Laker Fan,

So that would leave a lineup of Farmar/Vujacic/Parker at point, Kobe/Evans at the 2, Walton/Radmonovic at the 3, Garnett/Cook/Turiaf at the 4, and...?  That's an awfully thin front court, and despite Garnett's good defense and rebounding, he's all alone on that back line.  You're looking at being forced to re-sign Chris Mihm at that point, just to have a starter at the 5.

Or, you could scrap the triangle, move Garnett to center, and go small.  Think Phil Jackson would go for that?

Right now, I see the Lakers paying the price for the Radmonovic signing last year.  A better use of the money would have made it easier to trade for Garnett now.

[Joe Vancil]

Okay, Miguel...stop reading my mind.

[Lurker]

Problem is why would Minnesota take that deal?  There is no high draft pick and McHale for all his stupid moves (and I think Taylor has more of a hand in it than admitted) has never been a poor judge of talent.

I have read two different reports that Bynum & Odom are not enough to make Minnesota give up KG.  They want BOTH youth and high picks...LA doesn't off them this.  That is why all the reports had other teams involved...Indy & Boston.  But the Celtics don't want to give up Jefferson.  But in those scenarios Minny gets Telfair, Green, Ratliff, and the #5 and 19 picks.  That deal includes the high pick but no talented youth.

In short I just don't think LA has the assets to pull the deal off.  And it doesn't seem like anyone else involved wants to be stuck holding the short stick.

[JoMal]

Problem is why would Minnesota take that deal?  There is no high draft pick and McHale for all his stupid moves (and I think Taylor has more of a hand in it than admitted) has never been a poor judge of talent.

I have read two different reports that Bynum & Odom are not enough to make Minnesota give up KG.  They want BOTH youth and high picks...LA doesn't off them this.  That is why all the reports had other teams involved...Indy & Boston.  But the Celtics don't want to give up Jefferson.  But in those scenarios Minny gets Telfair, Green, Ratliff, and the #5 and 19 picks.  That deal includes the high pick but no talented youth.

In short I just don't think LA has the assets to pull the deal off.  And it doesn't seem like anyone else involved wants to be stuck holding the short stick.

Ah....a sound, non-Laker induced soporific take on what this trade would mean to the other team. It would do nothing for the Wolves. So why would they wast everyone's time in proposing it?

[Reality]

Ah....a sound, non-Laker induced soporific take on what this trade would mean to the other team. It would do nothing for the Wolves. So why would they wast everyone's time in proposing it?

  Because "The Days of Our Kobe" has an occasional day in which the script writing needs some filler?

[Lurker]

Problem is why would Minnesota take that deal?  There is no high draft pick and McHale for all his stupid moves (and I think Taylor has more of a hand in it than admitted) has never been a poor judge of talent.

I have read two different reports that Bynum & Odom are not enough to make Minnesota give up KG.  They want BOTH youth and high picks...LA doesn't off them this.  That is why all the reports had other teams involved...Indy & Boston.  But the Celtics don't want to give up Jefferson.  But in those scenarios Minny gets Telfair, Green, Ratliff, and the #5 and 19 picks.  That deal includes the high pick but no talented youth.

In short I just don't think LA has the assets to pull the deal off.  And it doesn't seem like anyone else involved wants to be stuck holding the short stick.

Ah....a sound, non-Laker induced soporific take on what this trade would mean to the other team. It would do nothing for the Wolves. So why would they wast everyone's time in proposing it?

Because in the 4 way deal McHale was hoping to get Al Jefferson + two draft picks (including #5) and another young player with potential.  Boston is saying no to Jefferson so now Minny would help LA, Indy and any other team involved but not themselves?  

[WayOutWest]

Ah....a sound, non-Laker induced soporific take on what this trade would mean to the other team. It would do nothing for the Wolves. So why would they wast everyone's time in proposing it?

That was the problem with the Celtics being involved, any third team is just going to get a used condom after the deal.  That's why I've thought it's not going to happen.

[WayOutWest]

Talk around the water cooler is that a KG deal is extreemly unlikely because it would have to involve additional team to make salaries work.  The deal the Lakers are concentrating on is trying to land JO.  I would rather keep Odom and Bynum than pick up a drama wuss like JO.

[Reality]

I heard the water cooler talk is that the manufacturers of Midol are willing to make a huge offer to Kobe for endorsement.  Apparantly they are the third team involved.

[Skandery]

That's the thing, WOW, a used condom would probably get more rebounds than Mark Blount and Kendrick Perkins.  Frame of reference, man!