Playing for Contention and Free Agency

Some say we can get Elton Brand (destined to earn 16m) to sign the MLE... Some even say JO will leave 40m to play for LA... Then we see Marion and Kidd asking to be traded because extension talks did not go well. Face it, your 5m ain't worth anything. Fish could very well be the best player 80% of the MLE can get and that's not without his daughter's situation. Remember he left 21m of contract to sign a new one with only 14. I'd like to raise several points for us to "see" that the reality of the matter is - money always talk. Forget Malone, forget Payton. They have earned more than 100m in their lifetimes already and their pockets are full. We are talking of primed players throwing away big money for a "long shot" of winning in LA? You have got to be kidding me! Remember Rashard Lewis. He was destined to earn 10m this year before he decided to opt out and landed Orlando's fat contract. Even then, Lewis had to scout the market if there were any teams interested in signing him, or he could opt out and simply return to Seattle for more money. Elton Brand is among the NBA's top 15 big men and he will be so for the next 5 years. To think he would give up roughly 40m in guaranteed pay just to win with the Lakers? The best way to lure free agents to be in LA is thru a sign-and-trade. Since the Lakers are well over the cap next season, adding a big-named free agent is out of the question. After Kwame expires, him, Ronny and Sasha are the 3 Lakers needing the re-up and the Lakers would need at least 10m to secure these 3. If Elton Brand decides to opt out, here's....

see warren, this one i like, YET i have to disagree...

i like the optimissism to get brand, he is one of the best pf in my mind,

but if its for sign-and-trade, why would the clips do it with us??

they would probably send him to the east caost, or just somewhere OTHER than LA...

Interesting idea, but highly unlikely. Why would the Clippers ever send Brand to the Lakers? Isn't that the last team they want to deal with? Besides, even if Brand decides to leave, it's not like he's going to demand a trade to the Lakers. There will be dozens of teams looking to add Brand, and I'm sure Brand wouldn't mind joining a bunch of them. Bulls? Nets? Cavs? Pistons? Knicks? Bucks? That's just the East. There will be only 1 team that will have max space to sign, and that's the Sixers. If Brand doesn't want that, his only option in to remain a Clipper as far as free agency goes. The Clippers don't have to agree to a sign and trade, because Brand can only sign for the mid level and they know he won't do that, so he's stuck. Essentialy it will turn into a sign and trade that is on equal terms. Clipps will ask for some reall good talant, and would want to send him out East.

If the Lakers want Brand, they'd have to really blow them away with a great offer, not some mediocare package. Clippers have no intention to help us out.

Here's an idea: http://games.espn.go.com/nba/features/traderesult?players=981~3197~1016~510&teams=21~21~21~13&te=&cash= A few reasons why the Suns would do it. Marion want's an extention and the Suns don't want to give it to him. Every analyst says the same thing about the Suns, that they need a post defender to get over the hump. Adding Kwame and his cap freindly contract gives them exactly that. They would have someone who can gaurd the likes of Duncan, Yao etc. The Suns get some more depth to surround their dynamic duo of Nash and Amare. They save 2 million dollars this year, and have Kwame contract come off the books at 9 mill next....

enough with the push for marion popp...

you been preaching it the last week or so...

its not gonna happen. =P

You have to see the light Sam, don't marinate in the negativity. lol

well i m gonna agree with everyone here, if i could this time.

ANYBODY, no matter if its JO, Marion, Artest...

ANYONE would be an upgrade fro LO...

so... i agree with your proposal all along,

but just seeing repeating posts everywhere for the past week make me want to give you a lil poke whahahaah =P... its all good popp!

I think Brand is untested now with that achilles. If you ask me, he looks like the next grant hill and its ironic he came from Duke as well since I'm a blue devil fan. I just don't think acquiring him is a safe option. I'd rather go old and declining for short term of JO's quality.

I also think Pau Gasol is the guy to go for badly. He fits at the 4 and the 5 for us. He's like Chris Mihm x 20. His shot blocking, intensity and second fiddle leader skills are what Kobe and the Lakers need. A team like Memphis is still rebuilding and Gasol is a puppet in the game. They are using him to stay competivive but slowly building around their new core. Expiring contracts and future potential is what they will be looking for and we can give it to them.

Warren. Try to swing a deal for Gasol please.

Maybe Kwame and Sasha (expirings), Sun Yue and Critt, and an uprotected 08 pick plus cash. They are getting rid of what? 11+ mil on the books, taking our first and third pick this year and next years first pick, plus cash.

haha now we have all these official trade requests swing at warren... nice!

do it do it do it!!

See, its not like I am suggesting we get Brand... I must say its rather a long shot even by my own standards.

ALL I AM SAYING IS PLEASE STOP THE ASSUMPTIONS THAT HE WILL SIGN THE MLE WITH US!