Shaolin325 said:

Lamar Odom has been traded to the Mavs! Don't know if any tears were shed over this. I haven't seen Stephen A. Smith anywhere today Lakers get picks.

Does anyone here believe the Nets have a real chance of getting DHoward? I don't. It would be nice to see him play in Newark though.......

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There's got to be an endgame to this. Whether it's this season or next is anyone's guess. But there HAS to be, otherwise LA just made itself worse. But now it has flexibility with Odom's $ off the books to get Howard (perhaps) and keep Gasol, or better yet, get D12 and still get a CP3 or Deron Williams (who's my favorite player to watch in the entire league).

namepeace said:

Shaolin325 said:

Lamar Odom has been traded to the Mavs! Don't know if any tears were shed over this. I haven't seen Stephen A. Smith anywhere today Lakers get picks.

Does anyone here believe the Nets have a real chance of getting DHoward? I don't. It would be nice to see him play in Newark though.......

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There's got to be an endgame to this. Whether it's this season or next is anyone's guess. But there HAS to be, otherwise LA just made itself worse. But now it has flexibility with Odom's $ off the books to get Howard (perhaps) and keep Gasol, or better yet, get D12 and still get a CP3 or Deron Williams (who's my favorite player to watch in the entire league).

I'm sure the Lakers aren't finished making moves. This is just a means to an end....which is yet to be determined. However, how would they get Deron from the Nets? What would they offer? I believe the Nets goal is to keep Deron and build a team around him. Of course he has made it clear he will not sign a contract this year so they risk losing him without getting anything in return.

But I think they will hold on to him and take their chances. Unless the Lakers can offer them someone else they believe they can build around. There could be another team in the mix that could offer the Nets a player......I don't know.

I just want the Nets to have an exciting year their last year in Jersey!!! Howard would surely help with that.

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Abdul said:

Shaolin325 said:

namepeace said:

There's got to be an endgame to this. Whether it's this season or next is anyone's guess. But there HAS to be, otherwise LA just made itself worse. But now it has flexibility with Odom's $ off the books to get Howard (perhaps) and keep Gasol, or better yet, get D12 and still get a CP3 or Deron Williams (who's my favorite player to watch in the entire league).

I'm sure the Lakers aren't finished making moves. This is just a means to an end....which is yet to be determined. However, how would they get Deron from the Nets? What would they offer? I believe the Nets goal is to keep Deron and build a team around him. Of course he has made it clear he will not sign a contract this year so they risk losing him without getting anything in return.

Same structure as the Lakers' Grand Plan for Howard-Paul, modified a bit now that Odom is gone. Of course, not saying this would work, but . . .

1. Howard for Bynum + 2012 1st + Reserve Clause (9M)

2. Williams for Gasol/package (perhaps 3-team deal)

But I think they will hold on to him and take their chances. Unless the Lakers can offer them someone else they believe they can build around. There could be another team in the mix that could offer the Nets a player......I don't know.

I just want the Nets to have an exciting year their last year in Jersey!!! Howard would surely help with that.

Sure. As a Lakers fan, I'm beside myself that a perfectly legal trade blocked a shot at getting D12 AND forced them to blow up their championship core.

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namepeace said:

Shaolin325 said:

I'm sure the Lakers aren't finished making moves. This is just a means to an end....which is yet to be determined. However, how would they get Deron from the Nets? What would they offer? I believe the Nets goal is to keep Deron and build a team around him. Of course he has made it clear he will not sign a contract this year so they risk losing him without getting anything in return.

Same structure as the Lakers' Grand Plan for Howard-Paul, modified a bit now that Odom is gone. Of course, not saying this would work, but . . .

1. Howard for Bynum + 2012 1st + Reserve Clause (9M)

2. Williams for Gasol/package (perhaps 3-team deal)

But I think they will hold on to him and take their chances. Unless the Lakers can offer them someone else they believe they can build around. There could be another team in the mix that could offer the Nets a player......I don't know.

I just want the Nets to have an exciting year their last year in Jersey!!! Howard would surely help with that.

Sure. As a Lakers fan, I'm beside myself that a perfectly legal trade blocked a shot at getting D12 AND forced them to blow up their championship core.

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Williams for Gasol? The Nets are moving to Brooklyn. Gasol has a rep for being "soft"....I don't agree btw. But I'm not sure he has the image BK is looking for to build a team around.

Gasol and Lopez? I don't think that combo would strike fear in any team. But who knows? A team doesn't necessarily have to fear another team to lose to them. It could work.

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Shaolin325 said:

namepeace said:

Williams for Gasol? The Nets are moving to Brooklyn. Gasol has a rep for being "soft"....I don't agree btw. But I'm not sure he has the image BK is looking for to build a team around.

Gasol and Lopez? I don't think that combo would strike fear in any team. But who knows? A team doesn't necessarily have to fear another team to lose to them. It could work.

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I watched Gasol carry Memphis for years; he was the opponent's primary focus every night and they still made the playoffs every year. He may get knocked around a bit but he's not soft. I think that came from the 2008 Finals, when he played out of his position v. Perkins -- which was like him trying to outmuscle a right tackle.

I don't know whether any of this will work; Howard may be headed to the Nets. LA may be left with absolutely nothing to show for all their work.

Kobe is NOT happy over losing Odom, especially to Dallas.

Knicks are working on bringing Jamal Crawford back to NY. He'd be great for us coming off the bench.

uPtoWnNY said:

Kobe is NOT happy over losing Odom, especially to Dallas.

Knicks are working on bringing Jamal Crawford back to NY. He'd be great for us coming off the bench.

I can't stand Jamal................

I never like Jamal Crawford and I'm not even a Knicks fan. Dude pouts too much.

Kobe isn't happy, true, but Mitch Kupchaks explanation (which came after Kobe's media day shit talking) actually made some sense. So I'm sure he's not as bent as he was before. Plus, they can still use what they got for Lamar in a trade to get somebody else there that Kobe likes. In short, he'll get over it.

Cerebus said:

I never like Jamal Crawford and I'm not even a Knicks fan. Dude pouts too much.

Kobe isn't happy, true, but Mitch Kupchaks explanation (which came after Kobe's media day shit talking) actually made some sense. So I'm sure he's not as bent as he was before. Plus, they can still use what they got for Lamar in a trade to get somebody else there that Kobe likes. In short, he'll get over it.

Kobe did check himself, noting that Kupchak had earned the right to finish his moves. 4 years ago, Kobe had serious doubts about his team. The next 3 seasons ended in mid-June, 2 with O'Briens.

Something tells me Jim Buss is in the mix, which doesn't help.

I bet they wish they pulled the trigger on Melo now.

namepeace said:

Cerebus said:

I never like Jamal Crawford and I'm not even a Knicks fan. Dude pouts too much.

Kobe isn't happy, true, but Mitch Kupchaks explanation (which came after Kobe's media day shit talking) actually made some sense. So I'm sure he's not as bent as he was before. Plus, they can still use what they got for Lamar in a trade to get somebody else there that Kobe likes. In short, he'll get over it.

Kobe did check himself, noting that Kupchak had earned the right to finish his moves. 4 years ago, Kobe had serious doubts about his team. The next 3 seasons ended in mid-June, 2 with O'Briens.

Something tells me Jim Buss is in the mix, which doesn't help.

I bet they wish they pulled the trigger on Melo now.

The Lakers will get whom ever they are after. They always do.

Graycap23 said:

namepeace said:

Kobe did check himself, noting that Kupchak had earned the right to finish his moves. 4 years ago, Kobe had serious doubts about his team. The next 3 seasons ended in mid-June, 2 with O'Briens.

Something tells me Jim Buss is in the mix, which doesn't help.

I bet they wish they pulled the trigger on Melo now.

The Lakers will get whom ever they are after. They always do.

I'm not so sure about that with Dwight Howard. He doesn't seem to be demanding he go to LA or NY and is actually showing interest in NJ, which would of course end up being Brooklyn.

Graycap23 said:

namepeace said:

Kobe did check himself, noting that Kupchak had earned the right to finish his moves. 4 years ago, Kobe had serious doubts about his team. The next 3 seasons ended in mid-June, 2 with O'Briens.

Something tells me Jim Buss is in the mix, which doesn't help.

I bet they wish they pulled the trigger on Melo now.

The Lakers will get whom ever they are after. They always do.

The timing for prior deals was great: Shaq, Kobe, Gasol, etc.

The timing for these big deals is terrible, through no fault of their own, just that the owners and the league are bowing their backs against a superstars-to-major markets system that's been in place for nearly 50 years, DESPITE caving on player flexibility in a CBA that they just signed.

Clippers trade 4 Paul and give up way 2 much.

Graycap23 said:

Clippers trade 4 Paul and give up way 2 much.

Meh. I don't know about that one.

From ESPN:

The Los Angeles Clippers have agreed to a deal in principle with the league-owned New Orleans Hornets to acquire guard Chris Paul, according to sources close to the process.

The Clippers, sources said, will send guard Eric Gordon, center Chris Kaman, forward Al-Farouq Aminu and Minnesota's unprotected 2012 first-round pick to the Hornets for Paul.

The Clippers will also receive two future second-round picks, according to sources.

The deal is expected to be approved by the league Wednesday night, sources said.

Meanwhile, it looks as though the Bulls are about to sign Richard "Rip" Hamilton to a two-year deal.

http://espn.go.com/chicag...s-thursday

It appears that 4 team deal that would've made Howard a Net is NOT going to happen

oy........that's what I get for picturing myself cheering for him in a Nets uniform in Newark

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alexnvrmnd777 said:

Graycap23 said:

Clippers trade 4 Paul and give up way 2 much.

Meh. I don't know about that one.

From ESPN:

The Los Angeles Clippers have agreed to a deal in principle with the league-owned New Orleans Hornets to acquire guard Chris Paul, according to sources close to the process.

The Clippers, sources said, will send guard Eric Gordon, center Chris Kaman, forward Al-Farouq Aminu and Minnesota's unprotected 2012 first-round pick to the Hornets for Paul.

The Clippers will also receive two future second-round picks, according to sources.

The deal is expected to be approved by the league Wednesday night, sources said.

Other than the possibility that Minnesota could provide a high lottery pick and Kaman's contract is expiring I DO NOT believe this is a better deal than the one they "league" stopped from happening.

Shaolin325 said:

It appears that 4 team deal that would've made Howard a Net is NOT going to happen

oy........that's what I get for picturing myself cheering for him in a Nets uniform in Newark

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Yep. Reports started popping up in the early afternoon (West Coast time) that the Magic have pulled him off the market. Evidently some of what he's said behind the scenes has not been as drastic as what he's said to the press. They're hoping they can make some changes and get him to resign in Orlando.

Warriors sign Kwame Brown................... so not excited.

728huey said:

Meanwhile, it looks as though the Bulls are about to sign Richard "Rip" Hamilton to a two-year deal.

http://espn.go.com/chicag...s-thursday

The Bulls won't make it past the 2nd round of the playoffs. They (Bulls mgmt) learned NOTHING from getting swept out of the playoffs from the Heat.

They're still the Clipper and that's the way I'll feel until they made it out of the first round of the playoffs, AT LEAST.

Cerebus said:

They're still the Clipper and that's the way I'll feel until they made it out of the first round of the playoffs, AT LEAST.

Man team is going 2 be good............fast.

Now I see why the Lakers trade was pulled. This trade leaves the N.O. team with $14m in salary obligations. The Lakers deal would have left the team with $65m in salary obligations. It is much easier 2 sell a team with less liabilities.

Graycap23 said:

Now I see why the Lakers trade was pulled. This trade leaves the N.O. team with $14m in salary obligations. The Lakers deal would have left the team with $65m in salary obligations. It is much easier 2 sell a team with less liabilities.

I'm not sure its the only reason, but yeah, I mentioned that a ways back. It doesn't make them a better team, though, which sucks for the fans in NO.

Graycap23 said:

Cerebus said:

They're still the Clipper and that's the way I'll feel until they made it out of the first round of the playoffs, AT LEAST.

Man team is going 2 be good............fast.

Never out of the first round. Something will happen. Griffin and Paul will tear their ACL/MCL in the same week. I'll believe this hype after a full season and some noise in the playoffs. Otherwise they're still the Clippers.

Cerebus said:

Graycap23 said:

Now I see why the Lakers trade was pulled. This trade leaves the N.O. team with $14m in salary obligations. The Lakers deal would have left the team with $65m in salary obligations. It is much easier 2 sell a team with less liabilities.

I'm not sure its the only reason, but yeah, I mentioned that a ways back. It doesn't make them a better team, though, which sucks for the fans in NO.

Agreed but the NBA wants 2 sell this team ASAP.

Cerebus said:

Graycap23 said:

Man team is going 2 be good............fast.

Never out of the first round. Something will happen. Griffin and Paul will tear their ACL/MCL in the same week. I'll believe this hype after a full season and some noise in the playoffs. Otherwise they're still the Clippers.

At least now the excuses are gone.

Graycap23 said:

Cerebus said:

I'm not sure its the only reason, but yeah, I mentioned that a ways back. It doesn't make them a better team, though, which sucks for the fans in NO.

Agreed but the NBA wants 2 sell this team ASAP.

Unfortunately there's no guarantee it will happen fast, especially when you look at what they demanded for Paul. If they try to get that much out of a team with no immediate value on the investment it could take a minute. Even if (when) it does happen it adds to the tarnish that's growing on the David Stern era. Crappy end to all the good he did growing the league for so many years.

Cerebus said:

Graycap23 said:

Agreed but the NBA wants 2 sell this team ASAP.

Unfortunately there's no guarantee it will happen fast, especially when you look at what they demanded for Paul. If they try to get that much out of a team with no immediate value on the investment it could take a minute. Even if (when) it does happen it adds to the tarnish that's growing on the David Stern era. Crappy end to all the good he did growing the league for so many years.

Agreed again. This is what happens when u spread yourself 2 thin.