How about them Lakers?

[MikeW]

For 3 years we've been wondering what Laker management had been doing. We were ready to throw Mitch Kupchak to the wolves. We wanted Kobe out of town after going on a rant that got video taped this summer, calling out in particular Andrew Bynum. Then along comes this season. It seems Andrew Bynum heard Kobe. Got a personal trainer and worked even harder with Kareem Abdul-Jabar, his personal coach. Got Kobe's old teammate back, Derek Fisher, and they clicked from day one. Picked up Areza a month into the season, and he is a presence on the floor. Lakers were winning, not just winning but blowing out teams. Their bench is really deep, and has been blowing out the bench of all other teams this year. Then 3 weeks ago Bynum and Trevor Ariza both go down, and are out for 2 months. The hardest part of their schedule is coming along. They have to start at center the most overrated, under-acheiving, laziest player in the NBA at center; Kwame Brown. They are immediately in trouble. Their inside defensive presence is gone, and that's the best part of Kwame's game.

Today, they fix it. Not a small fix.
Trade away Kwame Brown, their 3rd string point guard, 2 first round picks, rights to Aaron McKie and Mark Gasol.
They get Pau Gasol.

Pau Gasol should fit right into the triangle offense. He'll slip in at center until Bynum is back from his injury, and then Pau will move to forward.

New starting lineup, is awesome.
Kobe, Derek Fisher, Lamar Odom, Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum.
Bench
Luke Walton, Trevor Ariza, Jordan Farmar, Chris Mihm, Ronny Turiaf, Sasha Vujacic
Extra Bench but moving close to out the door
Vladimir Radmonivic, Coby Karl

This team is young, not full of old veterans.

In a few months this team, barring injury, will be awesome.
From playoff also ran, to championship caliber.

I think Kobe will shut up now.

[sctx]

Lakers look pretty good this year..... but they still have the Suns, Spurs, and Mavs to deal with.... all 3 are very experienced teams at this point...... it'd be nice to see the Spurs have an opportunity to play their starting lineup more than 2 games w/o an injury........ even when we've had parker, Manu, and Tim on the court, they don;t play more than 34 minutes.........Kwame has to be the biggest bust ever, what a lazy sack.... and MJ drafted him

[roni]

We have the Lake Oswego Lakers here

Pretty good high school team

[KMAN]

I heard that James Worthy is coming out of retirement to help.

[jamesblonde]

Originally Posted by sctx

Lakers look pretty good this year..... but they still have the Suns, Spurs, and Mavs to deal with.... all 3 are very experienced teams at this point...... it'd be nice to see the Spurs have an opportunity to play their starting lineup more than 2 games w/o an injury........ even when we've had parker, Manu, and Tim on the court, they don;t play more than 34 minutes.........Kwame has to be the biggest bust ever, what a lazy sack.... and MJ drafted him

Psssst......you left out the Sonics. How could you overlook them as a threat

[sctx]

Originally Posted by jamesblonde

Psssst......you left out the Sonics. How could you overlook them as a threat

well, ya'll just MAY have the next Tim Duncan......... if they can build around Durant the next couple of years, Sonics will be playoff bound