Shaq has ok'd trade to Miami

[WayOutWest]

What a disgrace the Lakers have become.  While it's completely Shaq's fault I can't help but get upset with Mitch and Buss for handling it so poorly.  There are so many things they could have done different to get more value for Shaq or even possibly hold on to him.

I heard Magic interviewed live on the radio Friday and it was obvious that Shaq was gone.

Next year it will be the Spurs and the Wolves battling for supremacy, the Kings/Rockets/maybeMavs will be the 2nd tier with the Lakers/Nuggets/Jazz bringing up the rear.

I hope Kobe moves across the room at Staples and get's Kupcake's arse out the door already.  IMO Kobe/Magette/Brand/Livingston/Kaman are a better group than Kobe/Odom/Grant/Payton/Slava.  Odom is one puff away from a lifetime suspension from the NBA and Grant/Slava front line will be crushed out west, even the Clippers will have their way with them.

[Derek Bodner]

Odom is one puff away from a lifetime suspension from the NBA

Not true.  

From the CBA (article XXXVIII section 9©):
© Penalties.

Any player who (i) tests positive for marijuana pursuant to Section 5 (Reasonable Cause Testing), Section 6 (Testing of First-Year Players), or Section 7 (Testing of Veteran Players), (ii) is adjudged by the Grievance Arbitrator pursuant to Section 6(e) to have used or possessed marijuana, or (iii) has been convicted of (including a plea of guilty, no contest or nolo contendere to) the use or possession of marijuana in violation of the law, shall suffer the following penalties:

    (A)For the first such violation, the player shall be required to enter the Marijuana Program;

    (B)For the second such violation, the player shall be fined $15,000 and required to enter the Marijuana Program;

    ©For the third and any subsequent such violation, the player shall be suspended for five (5) games and required to enter the Marijuana Program.

----------------------------------------------

The maximum penalty, whether it's your 3rd or 50th time getting caught, is a 5 game suspension.

[westkoast]

Wheres Vlade, Peeler, Van Exel, and Elden?  Dunleavy? Del Harris?

To try to stay positive I think it will be somewhat exciting to see Kobe and Caron Butler play together, that is if thats ok with Kobe.  Plus my tickets are going to be easier to get and probably cheaper.

[Reality]

I heard Magic interviewed live on the radio Friday and it was obvious that Shaq was gone.

 

Plus espn-Lakers-ABC.com had the following NBA front page headline.

And In Other Lakers News ...
 Overshadowed by those pesky Shaq/Kobe updates, the Lakers introduced Rudy Tomjanovich on Saturday as their new head coach.
Rudy T, who emphasized Kobe would be the man if he returned to the team, had agreed on Friday to take the job.

They highlighted the Kobe part.  From the article i don't see where Rudy T really said that but, whatever, yes Shaq is gone and now its "glorify Kobes role" time to try and keep the Lakers from losing him also and have an 0-2 meltdown.  

Yes i concur while it was Shraq who more or less forced a trade, I think they could and should have gotten more.  By that i mean way back at the beggining of the year if they would have said OK its foregone that this is Shraqs year and then did the postseason accordingly.  That Kupkake Buss inspired announcement was too much.

You know my stance on which LA team he needs to join.  It better be either Spurs or Clippers.  
 

[SPURSX3]

LA is looking to be the next Sacremento Kings squad...or would it be dallas??  Shaq in the east makes things easier, and i dont think he will take miami to the finals, but it is helpng to balance the two conferences finally, Detroit, Indiana and Miami, possibly new york might be serious threats...

[Derek Bodner]

possibly new york might be serious threats

How does them having no cap room, no draft picks, no tradeable assets and mediocre players make them a serious threat?  What pieces do they have to improve a mediocre team?

NY won't make the playoffs next year, let alone be a serious threat.

[JoMal]

The Knicks are always a threat to be in the playoffs. Not that the League has anything to do with it, but come on! They play in New York City!

I don't blame Shaq for forcing this trade nearly as much as I do the Laker brass and Kobe, who controls that brass with plenty of his own. Shaq feels that he had more to do with bringing Malone and Payton to the Lakers then Mitch, and he clearly expected compensation for it in the way of that extension he has been harping for since the pre-season. He didn't get it and he demanded to be traded.

But Kobe clearly has put the Lakers over a barrel. By using the Clipper ploy as fodder, he would make the Lakers look even worse if they lost both their stars in the same year. Things are working out just a little too conveniently for Bryant to come back to the Lakers.

BTW, the news out of Sacramento is that the Lakers are going to offer the mid-level exemption to Vlade Divac. The Kings are not going that high in their offer to Vlade because of the luxury tax. I can't imagine the Laker fans being too happy about that, considering the way they treated Divac the last three years.

[SPURSX3]

possibly new york might be serious threats

How does them having no cap room, no draft picks, no tradeable assets and mediocre players make them a serious threat?  What pieces do they have to improve a mediocre team?

NY won't make the playoffs next year, let alone be a serious threat.

There is a rumor isiah may be getting ready to do a seven player trade, I think Jomal Crawford is the name being his target, who knows who else he may get, considering what he did last season, i would count him out to do a couple pf miracle moves...

[westkoast]

I really believe Mitch is going for that ever so popular award of Worst GM of this decade.  How the hell do you deal Shaq for 0 all-stars?  Or how about a guy who left LA because there was too many distractions aka too many weed spots?  Only person Im looking forward to seeing is Caron Butler.

Only thing worse than this trade would be a straight up deal for Allan Houston.

[Derek Bodner]

There is a rumor isiah may be getting ready to do a seven player trade, I think Jomal Crawford is the name being his target

Jamal Crawford is trash (although a nice fantasy player).  He'll shoot some of the most ridiculous jumpshots you've ever seen, and is a putrid defender.  Not to mention they already have a large amount of dollars given to a jumpshooting, no defense playing 2 guard.  Come to think of it, that would be a typical isiah move.

considering what he did last season, i would count him out to do a couple pf miracle moves...

miracle?  hardly.

he got marbury last year.  a guy who has never won, consistently underperformes when the stage gets bigger.  the team was still mediocre, and struggled to make the playoffs in the eastern conference.  and guess what, in order to make that marginal improvement he's killed any chance of future improvement.  he's hurt his capspace even more (taking on hardaway's contract, one of the worst in the league), gave away 2 first round draft picks, and 2 promising young players.  all that to lockup the 7th seed and 39 wins?

with no tradeable assets, no first round picks, and no caproom (and players like marbury and tim thomas who consistently underachieve in the playoffs), how exactly do they take the step from 39 wins to championship contention?

it was a move that stank of panic, shortsightedness, desperation and pressure.  Very little thought was given to the future of the ballclub.  and they will suffer.

[SPURSX3]

There is a rumor isiah may be getting ready to do a seven player trade, I think Jomal Crawford is the name being his target

Jamal Crawford is trash (although a nice fantasy player).  He'll shoot some of the most ridiculous jumpshots you've ever seen, and is a putrid defender.  Not to mention they already have a large amount of dollars given to a jumpshooting, no defense playing 2 guard.  Come to think of it, that would be a typical isiah move.

considering what he did last season, i would count him out to do a couple pf miracle moves...

miracle?  hardly.

he got marbury last year.  a guy who has never won, consistently underperformes when the stage gets bigger.  the team was still mediocre, and struggled to make the playoffs in the eastern conference.  and guess what, in order to make that marginal improvement he's killed any chance of future improvement.  he's hurt his capspace even more (taking on hardaway's contract, one of the worst in the league), gave away 2 first round draft picks, and 2 promising young players.  all that to lockup the 7th seed and 39 wins?

with no tradeable assets, no first round picks, and no caproom (and players like marbury and tim thomas who consistently underachieve in the playoffs), how exactly do they take the step from 39 wins to championship contention?

it was a move that stank of panic, shortsightedness, desperation and pressure.  Very little thought was given to the future of the ballclub.  and they will suffer.

CRAWFORD TO KNICKS:Chicago Bulls free agent Jamal Crawford is days away from a monster payday and a ticket to New York, according to sources close to the situation and printed reports from both markets. The Knicks and Bulls are in heavy discussions to make a deal, the exact terms of the deal will be set when the NBA sets the salary cap on Tuesday, but all sides say they will make a deal. The Bulls will shed some contracts in the deal and get back a number of smaller or ending contracts according to sources. The Knicks will take back a re-signed Crawford set to make upwards of $8 to $9 million in his first year and Jerome Williams, one of Chicago’s hefty contracts. Bulls GM John Paxson said he felt strongly something would get done saying "I know we can get something done. We're also trying to get something positive done for Jamal, whether that's bringing Jamal back or trading him in a way that helps us financially or whatever." The deal on the table is rumored to be Shandon Anderson, Moochie Norris, Frank Williams, Othella Harrington and Cezary Trybanski to the Bulls for Jamal Crawford, Jerome Williams, Eddie Robinson and Chris Jeffries.
 

[Joe Vancil]

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.

The deal on the table is rumored to be Shandon Anderson, Moochie Norris, Frank Williams, Othella Harrington and Cezary Trybanski to the Bulls for Jamal Crawford, Jerome Williams, Eddie Robinson and Chris Jeffries.

What's Crawford going to do for New York - back up Houston and Marbury?

This stands about as much chance of helping either team as one of the trades in our Fantasy league.

 

[SPURSX3]

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.

The deal on the table is rumored to be Shandon Anderson, Moochie Norris, Frank Williams, Othella Harrington and Cezary Trybanski to the Bulls for Jamal Crawford, Jerome Williams, Eddie Robinson and Chris Jeffries.

What's Crawford going to do for New York - back up Houston and Marbury?

This stands about as much chance of helping either team as one of the trades in our Fantasy league.

I think Isiah is just setting up trade bait to be honest, he needs to be able to pull something else off, which i think he will after this is done...

[Derek Bodner]

hard to pull something else off when you have no tradable contracts.

nobody's going to want JYD and ERob, not at their salaries.  same with Jamal Crawford and Allan Houston.  And Tim Thomas.

Othella Harrington (for his expiring contract) and Frank Williams (for a slimmer of hope he might become what they thought when he was drafted) were about the only things left they could trade.

Knicks better hope Chris Jefferies blows up...

[Ted]

hard to pull something else off when you have no tradable contracts.

nobody's going to want JYD and ERob, not at their salaries.  same with Jamal Crawford and Allan Houston.  And Tim Thomas.

Othella Harrington (for his expiring contract) and Frank Williams (for a slimmer of hope he might become what they thought when he was drafted) were about the only things left they could trade.

Knicks better hope Chris Jefferies blows up...

Oh man, I love this trade for the Bulls. They shed two of their worst contracts (JYD and ERob, who has done nothing since signing his big deal).

I'd trade Jamal for Moochie and Frank Williams alone. Othella's expiring contract is just a bonus, and Shandon Anderson is dead space. Jerry Sloan is the only coach who could make him look good.

Sounds like Isiah is pushing for Danny's spot as worst GM in the East.