NBA Playoffs Rd 1: (2) San Antonio Spurs vs. (7) Los Angeles Lakers

[ZB1224]

Being realistic I don't think that the Lakers will beat the Spurs without Kobe. With Kobe? I think that we actually had a good shot at it as we had been playing .700 ball for awhile.

I still hold out hope and expect to win every game, however lol.

[Kevin Greene]

Gettin' late down by 12.

Best bring Goudelock in for some 3s.

[Kevin Greene]

uh that time out is too late Antonni.

[Kevin Greene]

Down 0-2 and with a back court of a 50% Nash and Morris it's time to start pondering who's gonna get amnestied.

Kobe, Pau, Artest or Blake?

[h0llywood]

Kobe initiates amnesty on himself

Trade Pau for Love

Kobe comes back at vet minimum and will make 100 million in endorsements.

[ZB1224]

Laker fans need to stop acting a fool.

Seriously, the Lakers have been hit with a historic amount of injuries this season. Next season will be much better. Unfortunately I am not sure that Pau will be back or that Nash will still be here.

[h0llywood]

The players are not the issue. I've said it before and will say it again, Mike D'antoni should have never been the coach of this team over Phil Jackson. Jim Buss has to go.

The fact remains that this team is about to blow up in Jim Buss' face.

[Kevin Greene]

Kobe initiates amnesty on himself

Trade Pau for Love

Kobe comes back at vet minimum and will make 100 million in endorsements.

If you amnesty a player I dont think you can sign him for a year. How big are Buss' balls?

[King Taharqa]

LA should amnesty Kobe, that would IMMEDIATELY give them a ton of cap space. And its not like people wont wanna play for the Lakers. I dont think they have the balls to though. He sells a lot of jerseys for them and is their main draw into Staples. Take that away and fans will be hot. But at some point LA is gonna have to REBUILD. There's no easy outs or fixes anymore. Its basically like the 90's again when Jerry West as GM had to construct the Lakers again when Magic & Worthy retired.

[Guest]

LA should amnesty Kobe, that would IMMEDIATELY give them a ton of cap space. And its not like people wont wanna play for the Lakers. I dont think they have the balls to though. He sells a lot of jerseys for them and is their main draw into Staples. Take that away and fans will be hot. But at some point LA is gonna have to REBUILD. There's no easy outs or fixes anymore. Its basically like the 90's again when Jerry West as GM had to construct the Lakers again when Magic & Worthy retired.

What if - and this is a big 'if' - in 2014 LeBron James opts out of his contract with Miami and he signs with the Lakers?

Combine LeBron James and Dwight Howard at the heart of the team and that could be a dynamic duo for the Lakers going forwards. All they'd need to do is make sure they have talent surrounding them. That's one way to quickly replace Kobe if he retires at the end of 2014, replace him with LeBron.

[h0llywood]

If you amnesty a player I dont think you can sign him for a year. How big are Buss' balls?

That is correct 1 year. Reports are he won't be game ready until after the all-star break. Why force the come back when you can take an entire year off?

As i mentioned, Kobe will make more money off endorsements taking a season off. He frees up cap space for 2014-2015 season and possibly* makes room for other elite super stars.

I just don't see any other way around this mess that Jim Buss has created.

And to answer your question, he has small balls.

[King Taharqa]

What if - and this is a big 'if' - in 2014 LeBron James opts out of his contract with Miami and he signs with the Lakers?

Combine LeBron James and Dwight Howard at the heart of the team and that could be a dynamic duo for the Lakers going forwards. All they'd need to do is make sure they have talent surrounding them. That's one way to quickly replace Kobe if he retires at the end of 2014, replace him with LeBron.

Doubtful LeBron would opt out to sign with the Lakers. Why would he leave a place like Miami and a basketball mind like Riles to go to a rebuilding project like the Lakers will be? IHe and Dwight don't get along great, and LeBron is obsessed with BRANDING. Usually players go to the Lakers to enhance their brand. LeBron really doesnt need that. The stage and the lights come to him no matter where he goes. If he played for the Twolves, they would sell a lot of jerseys and get nationally televised games, so going to the Lakers really doesnt help him the way it helps say a Kevin Love or a Brandon Jennings. Guys who play in small markets and can enhance their brands and chances for winning by going to a big market. I expect LeBron, Bosh, & Wade to once again TAKE LESS MONEY to stay together in 2014.

IMO, one of the reasons he went to Miami is because it was a bigger and more glamorous market than Cleveland, but it had very little history. As an expansion, they won 1 title, but weren't really CONTENDERS at that time, and technically, Miami is NOT a big market like NY or LA or even Chi. I think thats kinda what attracted him there, the chance to build his own legacy and create his own history with a team. He's not gonna have that playing for historic franchises like the Lakers, the Celtics, or even the Bulls.

If the Lakers were smart, they would be looking at the young PGs of the league like B Jennings (who is from Compton) or a Kyrie Irving.

[Guest]

Doubtful LeBron would opt out to sign with the Lakers. Why would he leave a place like Miami and a basketball mind like Riles to go to a rebuilding project like the Lakers will be? IHe and Dwight don't get along great, and LeBron is obsessed with BRANDING. Usually players go to the Lakers to enhance their brand. LeBron really doesnt need that. The stage and the lights come to him no matter where he goes. If he played for the Twolves, they would sell a lot of jerseys and get nationally televised games, so going to the Lakers really doesnt help him the way it helps say a Kevin Love or a Brandon Jennings. Guys who play in small markets and can enhance their brands and chances for winning by going to a big market. I expect LeBron, Bosh, & Wade to once again TAKE LESS MONEY to stay together in 2014.

IMO, one of the reasons he went to Miami is because it was a bigger and more glamorous market than Cleveland, but it had very little history. As an expansion, they won 1 title, but weren't really CONTENDERS at that time, and technically, Miami is NOT a big market like NY or LA or even Chi. I think thats kinda what attracted him there, the chance to build his own legacy and create his own history with a team. He's not gonna have that playing for historic franchises like the Lakers, the Celtics, or even the Bulls.

If the Lakers were smart, they would be looking at the young PGs of the league like B Jennings (who is from Compton) or a Kyrie Irving.

Fair point. I do think that if LeBron stays in Miami he could establish a legacy for himself there like Jordan did in Chicago. If all goes well they could end up winning a number of championships under the big three if all goes well. This year they should land their second, and they will be favorites in 2014 as well and beyond unless something changes the landscape. So I do agree with you that LeBron can establish his legacy with Miami; but at the same time, if by 2014 he has won three rings, then he might decide to go and join another team.

There's a chance he might want to go back to Cleveland to bring a championship to them. I mean, by 2014 he'll have at least one ring if not three. So he might go back to form a dynamic duo with Kyrie Iriving, or form part of a big three if Cleveland land another superstar talent either in the draft or free agency. It might be a fitting way to end his career if he brought home at least one championship to Cleveland.

I do feel that the Lakers might appeal to him because he could make a lot of money. If the guy already has up to 3 rings by the end of the 2014 season, then he might decide to go for money. Kobe is set to earn $30 million from the Lakers excluding endorsements and his brand. If Kobe retired/was amnestied, then signing LeBron in 2014 would fill a huge void for the Lakers, and in turn that could potentially be LeBron's best (last?) chance to sign a monster deal from a team that will be desperate to sign a player of his calibre. Also, factor in joining one of the biggest markets and that would help boost LeBron's brand and endorsements. He might never end up on their top five players of all time list, but he could certainly earn himself a lot of money by joining them.

However, I do agree with you that the Lakers should target some young star players like Jennings, Iriving or Wall if they are available at the right price. With a star PG and the best center in the league they could form a very solid base to build their next great team. But I still think that they will pursue LeBron if he opts out, and if he does, I wouldn't be shocked to see him go for the most money.

[Kevin Greene]

LA should amnesty Kobe, that would IMMEDIATELY give them a ton of cap space. And its not like people wont wanna play for the Lakers. I dont think they have the balls to though. He sells a lot of jerseys for them and is their main draw into Staples. Take that away and fans will be hot. But at some point LA is gonna have to REBUILD. There's no easy outs or fixes anymore. Its basically like the 90's again when Jerry West as GM had to construct the Lakers again when Magic & Worthy retired.

I think the Lakers should amnesty Kobe. No way he is ready to perform at his MVP level at the start of next season. Doesn't save them as much cap space as it does the millions in Luxury tax they face however.

And KT, I know you're dying for the Lakers to REBUILD but you know that's not how they operate. At least in conventional terms. PSC our resident hater/troll clings to the one year the Lake Show didn't make the Playoffs the last couple of decades because well, that's all he's got.

Howard will be re-signed, Pau, Metta and Co will be history and the Purple and Gold will reload with all that cap space in 2014 and contend once again.

Doubtful anyone contends with Lebron and Durant's dominance for a couple years though. They're simply too good and this is their time.

Doesn't mean a team can't be competitive though.

Enjoy.