[riffraff24]

6 days ago, Laker fans were sitting on top of the world having just landed Chris Paul; making the idea of having both CP3 and Dwight Howard a very possible outcome. Less than a week later, CP3 is in a Clippers Jersey and 6th man of the year Lamar Odom is in a Mavs jersey. As a Laker fan personally the latter is much harder to swallow right now.

I'm not saying I would rather have Odom over Paul; but the fact that we missed out on Paul and lost an extremely valuable asset along the way in Odom for seemingly nothing makes it a lot tougher to swallow.Reports on Wednesday were saying that Dwight is "off the market". But reports like this one have Otis Smith denying these reports;

"That's not where we are," Otis Smith, the team's President of Basketball Operations,

told

Josh Robbins. "What we’ve basically said is we don’t feel like we have to trade him today. We’re going to continue to look and explore opportunities. Actually, I don’t know if anything changed in my mind."

http://www.orlandopinstripedpost.com...-trade-request

A few questions come to mind as I sit here bumming out in front of my computer screen approaching 3am.

1. Where do the Lakers stand? Do they have to offer both Gasol and Bynum now just to have something to show for the Odom debacle? Is that going to be enough to top what the Brooklyn Nets have to offer? And let's say that trade does happen...Is having just Kobe and Dwight enough?

• I think yes. The Lakers have to go all in at this point and land Howard no matter what it takes minus Kobe Bryant. I would HATE to give up 2 skilled big men for Dwight, especially since they dismantled his team in the Finals just a few years ago. But like I said; it has to be done at this point.

2. What does Vegas know that we don't? The Lakers remain as #2 favorites to win the NBA title ahead of the Bulls, OKC, Mavs and yes, the Clippers. Why is this? The team is clearly not as good on paper as they were at the end of last year after being swept by Lamar's new team. Is Vegas banking on the fact that the Lakers will pull something off before the trade deadline is over?

• My heart and experience as a lifelong Lakers fan tell me yes. Sure. It's the Lakers right? They don't rebuild they reload...right? However my brain tells me...I don't know what is going to happen. It's the Jim Buss era. Does the guy even know what he's doing? Is he rebuilding rather than reloading as his father used to? Time will tell.

The coming days and weeks should prove to be very interesting...Or completely useless...I will end my little rant with this statement to Mr. David Stern...


I LIKE TO BE WINED N' DINED BEFORE IM FUKKKKKED!!!!

[tullamore21]

good post.
same concerns here.
I am not optimistic though about which one will the team land, but i cannot see Howard thing happening this time.
When they passed the Paul-trade after the first veto, trading Odom to Dallas, i was expecting an immediate Howard announcement, but nothing...
Let's see

[Diesel79]

if Gasol plays like he played few years ago then they still have a chance with the current roster... Bynum, Gasol, Metta, Kobe and whoever starts at point is still very good starting five

[riffraff24]

I agree that they are "ok" now. If they can add a quick young point guard it would make a world of difference. And if god wants to throw me a frickin bone and send over Dwight, the Lakers will be more than okay. But as I've learned the hard way this off season; not gonna get my hopes up.

[jsmithj88]

the lakers are screwed
they got worse from last year with losses to key players to their bench
last years team struggled against the hornets, who had nobody other than CP
every must have forgot about that since they were destroyed by the mavs

whos gonna score if kobe or pau gets hurt?
their front court is bare thin, their back court is slow and old
they have no bench, lakers are in serious trouble
the howard trade may not help that much b/c it will further deplete their lineup
its definately gonna take both gasol AND bynum to get dwight to LA

[riffraff24]

Okay all valid true points. But can someone answer why the odds are what they are?

<table class="lines" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" width="auto"><tbody><tr class="linesFuturesRow"><td style="width: 203px;">Miami Heat</td><td style="width: 203px;"> <input id="editx" name="C_0" size="4" maxlength="5"> +200</td></tr><tr class="linesFuturesRow"><td>Los Angeles Lakers</td><td> <input id="editx" name="C_1" size="4" maxlength="5"> +300</td></tr><tr class="linesFuturesRow"><td>Chicago Bulls</td><td> <input id="editx" name="C_2" size="4" maxlength="5"> +620</td></tr><tr class="linesFuturesRow"><td>Oklahoma City Thunder</td><td> <input id="editx" name="C_3" size="4" maxlength="5"> +700</td></tr><tr class="linesFuturesRow"><td>Dallas Mavericks</td><td> <input id="editx" name="C_4" size="4" maxlength="5"> +950</td></tr><tr class="linesFuturesRow"><td>Los Angeles Clippers</td><td> <input id="editx" name="C_5" size="4" maxlength="5"> +1200</td></tr></tbody></table>

[PAULYPOKER]

They will change quickly once the season gets under way.................

[upscope]

I wouldn't have minded giving UP both Bynum & Gasol assuming you could slot Odom @ the 4 but now that obviously can't happen so I'm not so sure the Lakers can now afford to give them both for Howard. And you know the Magic are gonna want that 8.9m trade exception thrown in as well & if the Lakers do it the trade then becomes Bynum/Gasol/Odom - Howard which is pure lunacy IMO?? Magic would have to include Nelson as well as Turk if Magic want the exception as well.....

This line-UP would have been $$
pg fish
sg kobe
c howard
sf metta
pf lo

But this could work as well:

pg nelson
sg kobe
c howard
sf metta
pf turk

[riffraff24]

I was thinking the same thing Upscope. If lakers could pick up jammer and take Turks contract they'd be in good shape.

[Landscaper]

Orlando is not gonna give u Nelson with Howard for Gasol and Bynum

[biggie12]

lakers have a better shot then heat with current lineup

[upscope]

Orlando is not gonna give u Nelson with Howard for Gasol and Bynum

No they are giving Howard & Turk for Bynum & Gasol. They are giving Nelson for the 8.9m trade exception. Nelson makes 7.8m & is likely to walk when his contract expires after this yr. I'm pretty sure the Magic are more interested in the 8.9m TE than they are an average pg that's walking anyhow??

[sportman1313]

DARIUS MORRIS-POTENTIAL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR...WATCH AND SEE

[kobefanatic]

i think this laker team has an ok bench, gerald green and ebanks running with darius morris, and mcroberts as backup PF not a bad team

[kobefanatic]

if they can somehow use odom's TE to get dalembert in a sign and trade deal with the kings it will be all set

[riffraff24]

Metta peace is part of the bench now btw.

[kobefanatic]

troy murphy just signed with the lakers, they have good backup bigs with mcroberts and murphy