WESTSIDE!!! The View from LA

Ok- couldn't help the shoutout to Pac there.

A number of you guys have remarked that you like hearing the view "from the other side", which makes sense, as I enjoy reading and hearing your guys thoughts on the Cs, Lakers and other contenders.

And judging by the threads on LA's bench and "LA Hanging Tough" last week, it seems you guys subscribe to the same theory I do. "Know your enemy."

So if you guys like it, I'll throw up some thoughts once in a while on what's going on in LA with the purple and gold. I usually am a big-picture guy, so it won't be a game to game thing, but more like the way Marc Stein does his power rankings, looking at the flow of the season.


LA's bench has been the main subject of discussion lately, so that's what's still on my mind.

Phil finally played Shannon Brown last night vs the Hornets for big minutes and, as always Brown delivered.

Had 13 points in the 3rd qtr (15 for the game), which is when they blew the game open. He has played well every time he has gotten minutes this year and last, including the playoffs.

DJ Mbenga (altough starting b/c of Bynum and Pau being out, so technically not a bench player) has been giving them everything you could ever ask of your third string center. He also continued his strong play last night with a double double and a bunch of blocks. He's a bargain at $1m/yr.

Walton also played well, as Phil kept one or two starters on the floor with the subs until it became a blowout and Walton usually does well when mixed in like that.


As I had said in an earlier post, I think Gasol coming back, (which moves LO back to bench), Phil tightening the rotation (which keeps some starters on the floor with the bench players) and playing Shannon Brown real minutes will take care of most of the bench's problems.


However, it doesn't solve them all, as they will still have dead weight sitting there in Farmar and Sasha.

I'd like to see them trade Farmar and Morrison's expiring deals to NJ for Keyon Dooling and Trenton Hassel, neither of whom is getting any minuts, but who would be nice additions to LA's bench. Salary neutral deal- all are expiring except Dooling, but only $500k of his money is guaranteed next year. Essentially, they would be getting a $500k test drive on Dooling to see if he is part of a short term/medium term solution at pg.


I would also look to dump Sasha's contract on Memphis for AI, who I would immediately cut, and filler like Haddidi. I would give Memphis enough cash to cover the difference in cost of Sasha's deal for the second year, so it wouldn't cost the Grizz anything, but it would allow Memphis to save some face in the Ai debacle by removing a major problem and getting a guy for a two year free trial as bench depth who won't destroy their team.

Next year, after Ai's one year deal expires, Lakers would save about $8m in salary and lux tax cost by moving Sasha, so they would net about $4-$5m even after paying Memphis the money to cover Sasha's contract.


LA's got a tough week coming up with a 3 game four night stretch of PHX/ at DEN back to back and then Houston on Sunday.

LEt me know if you guys find this type of post interesting or not.

If you guys like it, I'll keep it coming sporadically through the year. If not, that's cool too b/c I don't want to bore anybody, as this is a Cs board after all, so I won't.

Anyway. Let me know.

cheers,

bsh

Sky..
I find it interesting....and I have always respected the brains and the resources of your yellow and purple. From 1970 on....you folks have written the book on how to be a successful franchise. I'd like to think that Danny has studied Dr. Buss's and Jerry West's methods and stolen what works...
I am a reformed Laker hater, now I only hate them when they win....just kidding.

Interesting yes!!

But I still hate the Lakers!! LOL

Seriously you present some well thought out moves. The AI move is very interesting. I doubt he will again step on the floor in Memphis and moving him to LA seems a bit far fetched esp when you state you cut him.

Poor misunderstood AI.
Inch for inch he is a tough player but his prime is past.
When will he ever understand that HE will never win a ring in a lead role.

beat

Sky

Yes please. Know your enemy indeed. My nerd ass actually goes to latimes.com on the regular to read Laker news. So I would love the occasional progress report.

I think you guys are looking really tough and responding to the injuries with grit.

Brown is really tough and Lamar will help of course when he returns to that role. I liked the moves you suggested for you as well but cant imagine the other team being dumb enough to do them. But after Gasol...who knows.

Kobe just looks plain scary and is easy the best player in terms of raw impact in the nba right now. I aint SEEN any game but Dallas but I keep a clean eye on the box score.

Best

Jeb

Sky (are we calling you that because it's weird for you guys to call another guy baby?)
I'm a fan of your posts. You write very well and somehow manage to keep bias out and report facts. No easy task! Keep 'em coming!

Even when it's not in context,can we use a different word than "bias".

Ha! Whatever you want DJ. What's your preference?

beat wrote:Interesting yes!!

But I still hate the Lakers!! LOL

Seriously you present some well thought out moves. The AI move is very interesting. I doubt he will again step on the floor in Memphis and moving him to LA seems a bit far fetched esp when you state you cut him.

Poor misunderstood AI.
Inch for inch he is a tough player but his prime is past.
When will he ever understand that HE will never win a ring in a lead role.

beat

BSH -
Love your contributions to Sam's forum here and hope you'll keep at it with your updates and point of view on the Laker's season - the facts as you see em ! i think it's great !!

Re: AI. i had a pretty close look at him for a while when he was playing in Denver, and while he and Melo developed a good positive friendship off the court, and clearly liked and respected each other, it never really blossomed into sharing on the court. It seemed like it was either AI's turn to score, or Melo's. No mesh, no TEAM play between them... and forget the other guys. It was a lot like they were taking turns playing one-on-five. It was a grand experiment and it really, REALLY didn't work.
(With AI just a note in the Nuggets' history books, Denver may have a pretty good year now that Carmelo has grown up some and learned some things by playing with a few top NBA guys and high caliber coaches on the Olympic team.)

Michael in Denver

bobheckler wrote:

Sasha for AI and Haddidi? If that deal happens, again with Memphis, there will certainly be an investigation after the highway robbery of the Gasol deal. LOL. Is AI's deal guaranteed for the year? If not, they can cut him without financial loss.

One of the problems you may run into is that teams don't like making deals with the champions that make the champions stronger. Contenders trying to become champions ok, because they still might not win, but the current champs?

bob

Jeb, Kelly, big, beat and bob:


Glad you find it interesting. I will keep floating stuff out once in a while.


Bob and beat-

I think an AI to the Lakers trade (especially if they cut him immediately) would be regarded in exactly the opposite way as the Gasol deal.

Lakers would still have to pay Ai for the year, but would be saving on salary and lux tax next year. Grizz would get a player who could give them some minutes backing up the 1 and 2 for free (and who wouldn't destroy the team), while allowing Heisley to save some face.

If LA cut AI, it would be clearly all about dumping Sasha's salary, so the difference in talent level wouldn't matter. And since Buss would be throwing in cash to offset the difference in salary (Memphis not being a taxpayer is key to making the whole deal work), it would be looked at in the same way as the Lakers sending Chris Mihm to Memphis last year or the Cs sending Sam Cassell to Sacto. Just one team making a few $$$ by trading contracts with a team that is over the tax line.

So I think it would be noteworthy only in that AI has fallen so far that he is now mainly valuable as an expiring deal, but with the Lakers cutting him, there would be no outcry about the Lakers stealing AI. Especially since no one wanted him this summer except Memphis anyway.

As for teams making deals with the champs, I agree if we're talking about another contender, but when dealing with the dregs of the league, I don't think that's the case. The teams at the bottom have a whole different set of priorities and as long as their needs are being served (usually involving getting cash), they will trade with anyone. It's the mid-level and upper tier franchises that are reluctant to trade with the champs. But even there, if both sides are getting something they want, you never know who might trade with whom.

Sky

To your knowledge what is up with Pau?

Sky

Bad day at black rock.

Jeb