Looking ahead to 2004/05

[dstyle]

Originally posted by fstkhnan lan who cares!

umm people that replied to the post, i would say they care. so there hahahaha

[loseyourname]

Originally posted by fstkhnan lan who cares!

Perhaps the millions of Americans that make the Lakers the NBA's biggest road draw and most profitable team.

[jilbagh]

Originally posted by loseyourname I'd gladly build around Kobe, but if he doesn't want to be here, there isn't much the Lakers can do. They need Shaq more than they need anyone else. Shaq is a playmaker if they can just learn to get him the ball. Luke Walton has also shown ability as a playmaker, especially in the post, and Gary Payton is a wonderful ball distributor whose play has been elevated lately as he learns the triangle. His contract will run out and they'll need another ball handler, to be certain, but that is a concern for down the road. I'm just looking to next year primarily.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=1734595

this is titled "But Bryant wants to be Laker for life"

[jilbagh]

Originally posted by dstyle Shaq is the most dominent player in the league by far. Lakers keep him, they can build around him, he can play for about 3-5 years and most elite guards in the league can better fit the offensive scheme then kobe. so sign shaq, get a good guard, maybe another filler, keep payton and malone. bam 3 more championships. after that go for garnett or duncan, once shaq retires.

Gary and Karl have Player Option contracts which means they can pick up the option to stay the 2nd year (2004-05). Karl is definitly done after that season, Gary will probably stick around another 2 years on 1 year contracts.

Kobe said he wants to be a Laker for life, in that ESPN interview today @ All Star media availability.

Buckle-up for a wild free agent season!!!

[jilbagh]

Originally posted by fstkhnan lan who cares!

you cared enough to read it and understand what its about to not care

[Hogg]

It's funny that I wanted Kobe traded to Chicago for Brand + others a few years ago. I'd love to have Brand on the Lakers but I doubt it'll happen. I can't see the Lakers trading Kobe midseason to get something instead of losing him as a FA.

[jilbagh]

so do you think Desmond Farmer will end up in the NBA? will he be a draft pick? he's got talent, but he's gotta lose some of the 'gitty' antics

with the expansion draft on June 23rd this is going to be a very interesting offseason, which players (that are under contract) are teams going to protect?

[Hogg]

I can't really see Farmer playing in the NBA. He's so damn erratic. I'm sure he'll get invited to some training camps but I don't know if he'll even be drafted in the 2nd round. I love his antics even though I'd hate him if he was on another team. It's great when they're on the road and the crowd is getting on him even before the game. Well, it's only great when he has a good game because he gets to talk xxxx to the crowd.

[dstyle]

No, he should shoot for europe, thats his best bet

[dstyle]

did anyone watch the lakers game yesterday? supposedly gp bit speedy, but from what i read on espn, speedy said he didnt, it just looked like it on tv. sorry i had to bring this up, my freinds from frisco have been b*tching at me the whole morning. this la envy has to stop from them, so what if weve won what 10 times more champhionsips overall, deal with it. city of champions were out.