47 replies to this topic

[fido]

Very true last stand.

You being to see why making deals isn't so easy as you'd think it would be.

There are a lot of things to consider. This is why I hate when people just want to trade for everyone without giving it some thought.

Its good to have discussions like this that actually bring good points from all sides and explore the work an NBA GM has to go through every damn day.

[kobynum]

amare would fit,IMO in that system. I think it takes away from their guards driving b/c the lane would be crowded, but it would be just enough to put the Cavs as the fav. on paper. btw every time i witness ben wallace, he is doing positive things on the defensive end. he gets steals, deflections and hustle points. Powell isnt better overall but for the money he is

[lakerfool]

yeah but amare is also a terrible man to man defender

gasol, duncan, KG tear him to shreads

So is Varejao and Hickson. Both are awful. Mike Brown's system is not about one on one defense though, but about defensive sets that deter teams from driving.

Keep in mind too that getting Amare improves their offense 100 fold not just by adding a 25 ppg scorer (which he'll do) but he'll increase efficiency. Turnovers will decrease having a center who can hit the mid range shot, due to increased spacing, and LeBron won't have to hold the ball and create or score till the last minute, increasing chances of turnovers.

Also, if Brown's system can turn Hickson's opponent EFG% into 48%, imagine what it will do to Amare's.

Regardless of whether it hurts chemistry this season too, it's good for the long run in keeping James. But we don't even know if this ill happen.

[Real Deal]

Amare used to defend Duncan pretty well, actually.

Amare to Cleveland would be disappointing to me. I think they would be damn good with him. It takes the load off of LeBron offensively, and you just can't give LBJ a big to work with. He'll eat it up and pick apart defensive teams (and the Lakers are an average defensive team).

Additionally, if LeBron and Big Z had enough offense to nearly beat Boston last season, adding Mo Williams AND Amare will do the trick, and I don't even have to think about that. Boston doesn't have Posey or Brown this season, and that alone will give LeBron an advantage, but giving the Cavs more offensive firepower will boost them into the NBA Finals.

Defense wins championships, but you can throw that out the window if both Cleveland and the Lakers get into the Finals. It'll all come down to consistency on offense, and I'd just hate to see Amare in wine red and gold.

STAT wasn't going to fit with this Lakers team, though -- but that's why we do a three-team deal, to get us Tyrus Thomas and Kirk Hinrich.

[emplay]

the Lakers considered it before the Cetlics/Cavs games - but it was always financially unrealistic. Lamar playing so well just made it that much more unnecessary. Maybe it's a mistake - but only if LA doesn't win the ring this year.

[Real Deal]

the Lakers considered it before the Cetlics/Cavs games - but it was always financially unrealistic. Lamar playing so well just made it that much more unnecessary. Maybe it's a mistake - but only if LA doesn't win the ring this year.

If we trade Lamar, we should do it for defense. Amare can play defense, but he rarely does it, to boost his offensive game.

I actually wish the Lakers would just start Bynum, Gasol and Lamar at the same time. I know we'd have to find production off the bench without Lamar, but we wouldn't need as much from our bench if the starters did much better to start the first and third quarters, and I doubt we get killed on the board ever again, especially late in the game.

Plus, Odom doesn't play as well as he should when he's coming off the bench, or at least I don't see it. Sure, his minutes are down, but he's just not the same player. If we keep him, and it looks like we'll make that attempt to do so, we gotta experiment with the "Big Three" in the frontcourt, since we don't have a shooting SF to start (unless, of course, Adam Morrison becomes very good from beyond the arc, and plays decent defense, which might be a longshot).

[Real Deal]

AND let's not forget, VERY important, Lamar is on record as to supposedly saying he wants to stay a Laker SO BAD that he would even more than consider taking a heavy paycut just to stay here. If that was true, one can only hope, and we could keep him for even cheaper, what an absolute STEAL that would be. Plus the obvious extra money left over to get another weapon or weapons.

Kobe, Gasol and Bynum will be making around $52 million combined next season. Even if we let Lamar walk, we'd be over the cap, so if you're talking about us having money left over after Lamar re-signs for much less, we wouldn't.