NBA news (lots of Lakers news)

RAINBOW PONY · Jun 19, 2004

Phil Jackson has officially stepped down as Lakers head coach.

Shaq has told the Lakers he wants to be traded and he is no longer happy with the direction the team is going.

Bryant, Fisher, and Malone have opted out of their contracts, unknown what they will do and Payton may opt out now that Shaq wants to leave (shaq was the person who got GP to sign with the lakers).

Tracey McGrady has told the Magic he will not renew his contract after next season, so instead of getting nothing when he leaves, they are going to trade him before the season starts, they are in talks with the pacers, suns and rockets. The magic wanted up to 4 players for T-Mac from the Pacers, included in the trade would be Ron Artest.

Dennis Rodman aka the worm might sign with the Sacramento Kings as the new backup center when Divac retires this offseason.

galfordo · Jun 19, 2004

I'm not quite sure I understand the motivation for everyone stepping down. They did make to the finals, after all. They're acting like a bunch of babies.

evil wasabi · Jun 19, 2004

galfordo said:
I'm not quite sure I understand the motivation for everyone stepping down. They did make to the finals, after all. They're acting like a bunch of babies.

It's the end of their dynasty and everyone can tell. When a team hits its downslide everyone leaves. Just like the Bulls. When Jordan said he was done, Pippen said, well I'm done if he is. Jackson was done if Pippen and Jordan left. Rodman didn't want to stay with those 3 leaving. And then Kukoc left.

RAINBOW PONY · Jun 19, 2004

galfordo said:
I'm not quite sure I understand the motivation for everyone stepping down. They did make to the finals, after all. They're acting like a bunch of babies.

well shaq said he would only stay with the lakers if Phil stayed (ala Michael Jordan), and GP and Malone only signed to get their "free ring" when that didn't happen, they're gone. Kobe might be the only one who will stay, the lakers can offer him 140 million over 7 years, more than any other team, if he leaves it's a personal choice. The other guys could get more money elsewhere for their "laker status" instead of staying with the lakers.

galfordo · Jun 19, 2004

I honestly think the Lakers could win next year if they tighten up their game. Shaq and Kobe put up abysmal performances during the finals - just those two guys alone could've probably made the difference if they had kept their head on straight. Not that I'm not glad they got pwn3d, but I'm just saying.

All the dynasty stuff is just foolish pride bs, IMO. They just need to get up, dust themselves off, and try again next year. To me, a lot of what defines a champion, or a champion team, is its ability to respond to disappointments.

aria · Jun 19, 2004

In the world of hot-head professional sports, the Lakers had one of the biggest problems of (owner) Jerry Buss/Kobe vs. Jackson/Shaq and Buss finally made the move and picked Kobe over the other two.

It seems that, in the end, Kobe will remain on the Lakers (pending the trial, of course) and get to pick who he wants to play with. They will also try and keep Malone, though we'll have to see if that works out.

Shaq will probably go back to Orlando, unless Jackson suddenly wants to coach the Knicks or something. If Shaq goes to Orlando, McGrady will likely stay.

RAINBOW PONY · Jun 19, 2004

heh if Shaq went to orlando, it would be the lakers lite, with t-mac and shaq, and a bunch of guys worse than the lakers "other guys". I also think kobe is more of a team player than t-mac, if that's possible...

i wanna see shaq go to miami or the bulls or something.

Lets Gekiga In · Jun 19, 2004

Bobak said:
In the world of hot-head professional sports, the Lakers had one of the biggest problems of (owner) Jerry Buss/Kobe vs. Jackson/Shaq and Buss finally made the move and picked Kobe over the other two.

It seems that, in the end, Kobe will remain on the Lakers (pending the trial, of course) and get to pick who he wants to play with. They will also try and keep Malone, though we'll have to see if that works out.

Shaq will probably go back to Orlando, unless Jackson suddenly wants to coach the Knicks or something. If Shaq goes to Orlando, McGrady will likely stay.

Shaq + T Mac = Awesome for us!

SouthtownKid · Jun 19, 2004

galfordo said:
They're acting like a bunch of babies.

'Continuing to act like a bunch of babies,' would be a more accurate statement. Honestly, I would've loved for this to happen a couple years ago. I'd enjoy a Lakers team that maybe wins less, but doesn't act like a bunch of prima donas, refuse to practice and improve something so fundamental as a free throw shot, run around to the other side of the arena and punch an opposing team member as he leaves the court, etc. The only one I'm sorry to see leave is Fisher; and I wish they'd take Fox with them.

RAINBOW PONY · Jun 19, 2004

SouthtownKid said:
and I wish they'd take Fox with them.

fox is retiring anyway this offseason.

RAINBOW PONY · Jun 21, 2004

good news for Rockets fans, the magic are finalizing a deal with the Rockets to get Steve Francis, Cuttino Mobley and Kelvin Cato in exchange for T-Mac, Juwan Howard and Tyronn Lue.

rockets could be very good next year.

unfortunatly i think this is a bad move for the magic in the short term, they will still suck next year, since francis is no t-mac, he can't carry a team, but in the long run they will have more money without having to pay t-macs huge bill, and when that injured asshole grant hills contract is up, they can free up that money too.

there is also talk the lakers are going to trade shaq to the grizzlies or the nets, for god only knows who, neither team has a good center. and i can't see someone like K-Mart playing in LA.

Nesagwa · Jun 21, 2004

Shaq, come back home

We miss you

RAINBOW PONY · Jun 21, 2004

another shaq trade theory from an espn writer:

"We leave you with this thought: Sacramento. At first glance it sounds absurd, given Shaq's various dismissals of the Kings over the years. Who can forget his declaration that if the Kings lost Chris Webber to free agency, that they'd go back to "expansionism?" Or that Sacramento was no longer the capital of California? Or that whole "Sacramento Queens" business?

I suspect the fans in Arco Arena would hold a grudge ... until Shaq dunked hard on someone's bean. And then, they'd forget.

Webber ($17.5 million next season) would certainly have to factor into a deal. To those who believe Webber to be damaged goods, I submit that in my experience covering hoops, it almost always takes a minimum of 18 months for a guy to truly recover from the kind of ACL injury Webber suffered a year ago. Which would make the real Webber return sometime around New Year's Day, 2005. If we assume that the old Webber is in there somewhere, a package of C-Webb, Bobby Jackson ($3.15 million), Brad Miller ($7.87 million) and Anthony Peeler would be somewhat enticing, giving the Lakers quantity and quality. The Kings' cupboard would still be filled with Peja Stojakovic and Mike Bibby and Doug Christie."

bwahahaha, could my kings get teh diesel? BOOYA!

dullbuoy · Jun 22, 2004

Lakers = reality tv without the chicks :mr_t:

Neo Mike · Jun 22, 2004

What about this -- Yao Ming's contract is up this year as well. HMmm... maybe Yao for Shaq trade?

That would be awesome, and a good deal. Yao needs some experience, but would be an asset to the lakers.

Lakers - end of a dynasty? I think not.

RAINBOW PONY · Jun 22, 2004

Neo Mike said:
What about this -- Yao Ming's contract is up this year as well. HMmm... maybe Yao for Shaq trade?

That would be awesome, and a good deal. Yao needs some experience, but would be an asset to the lakers.

Lakers - end of a dynasty? I think not.

houston would never trade yao, he's their franchise player, thats why they are letting steve francis go for t-mac.

Chicago Cheeseburgler Crew · Jun 22, 2004

Neo Mike said:
Lakers - end of a dynasty? I think not.

Then you aren't thinking at all.

The dynasty has been over. They haven't won it all the last 2 years, and from the looks of things, they won't be winning again for awhile.

E=MC2 · Jun 22, 2004

i hope kobe gets some sense slapped to his punk ass. if they let all them motherfuckers leave the leakers will return to their slumbing form mid 90's. now that would be fucked up, i cant understand why anybody would want to see a kobe team without the rest. sure he's good but cant hope to be as important in the game as shaq can be. they should just shut the fuck up for the amount of money their being paid and start playing like a real team.

RAINBOW PONY · Jun 22, 2004

MUSOLINI said:
i hope kobe gets some sense slapped to his punk ass. if they let all them motherfuckers leave the leakers will return to their slumbing form mid 90's. now that would be fucked up, i cant understand why anybody would want to see a kobe team without the rest. sure he's good but cant hope to be as important in the game as shaq can be. they should just shut the fuck up for the amount of money their being paid and start playing like a real team.

kobe planned all this shit if you think about it, see he opted out of his contract, even though he said he wanted to be "a laker for life", the lakers chose kobe over shaq offering him a max contract and not shaq, shaq gets pissed, and wants a trade, and with shaq gone it's Kobes team now (what he's always wanted im sure), and if shaq would have stayed, kobe could have signed with another team since he's a free agent, like the clippers, and be "the man" there instead of sharing the team with shaq. i mean kobe already has 3 rings, i don't think he's gonna cry if he doesn't win anymore, and right now he's in the "i want my own team" phase. but i'm sure he'll find out like t-mac did, that it isn't all that carrying a team, you're not gonna win.

RAINBOW PONY · Jun 23, 2004

well gary payton has decided to stay with the lakers for his final year of his 2 year contract (he's the first of the big 4), he probably knows he couldn't get a much better deal anywhere else after the way he's played this year, and with jacksons tri-angle offense gone, he probably figures he'll get more ball time.

the clippers also traded the 2nd pick in the draft to the bobcats, they will get okafor or howard.

showdownfan666 · Jun 24, 2004

I wish the knicks would get Shaq. All they need to do is hire Jackson (he's better then Wilkens) I've been watching all the nba rumors and people saying the knicks don't have the players but I think they can pull it off just get rid of everybody except Stephon. Houston , K.Thomas and T. Thomas are good players but I'd rather have Shaq. By the way I just watched an interesting show on ESPN it was outside the Lines and they brought up the curse of the Shaqino (Like Boston) after they let him go they sucked. Man if they would of kept Shaq they probably would of did better then the Lakers. We'll never know good show on ESPN

Chicago Cheeseburgler Crew · Jun 24, 2004

Bulls have the #3 and #7 pick lets see if they can package one of those for a decent veteran player.

Robert · Jun 24, 2004

DashK, I see your point when you say that Kobe want his own team but I think it's big mistake. Perhaps he'll shine every match but if the team won't win, he'll never get the same recognition than in a winning team.

Chicago Cheeseburgler Crew · Jun 24, 2004

FatGuy said:
Bulls have the #3 and #7 pick lets see if they can package one of those for a decent veteran player.

Indeed. Should be an interesting day. The bulls can either use both picks, or trade one for a veteran and still use a pick. According to the paper, Paxson isn't done dealing.

/me rocks bulls hoodie

Chicago Cheeseburgler Crew · Jun 24, 2004

buttasuperb said:
According to the paper, Paxson isn't done dealing.

/me rocks bulls hoodie

Well word is Pacers want the #7 to get Luke Jackson so they may be willing to deal Artest or Harrington.

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