In The Refrigerator

The All Ex-Laker Team

Here’s a sobering thought: suppose you put together a team of ex-Lakers who are still active in the NBA and had them play the current team.  What if the ex-Lakers won?  What would that say about management’s decisions over the years? 

Well, for the fun of it, and considering it’s summer and nothing’s happening, I did some research. Here’s a list of 14 ex-Lakers who are either under contract with other teams or are free agents who are reasonably likely to find roster spots somewhere in the NBA next year. I left off players like Gary Payton, Slava Medvedenko and Elden Campbell – guys who have likely played their last minutes in the NBA already. 

 

Name	Position	Team
Smush Parker	PG	Miami
Tyronn Lue	PG	Atlanta
Lindsay Hunter	PG	Detroit
Chucky Atkins	PG	Denver
Ime Udoka	SG	Portland
Eddie Jones	SG	Miami
Von Wafer	SG	Denver
Kareem Rush	SG	Indiana
Caron Butler	SF	Washington
Devean George	SF	Dallas
Mark Madsen	PF	Minnesota
Robert Horry	PF	Houston
Shaquille O’Neal	C	Miami
Tony Battie	C	Orlando

 

On paper, this is a pretty decent team.  It’s built around two all-stars: a still effective-when-he-wants-to-be Shaq and athletic, high scoring Caron Butler.  It has a plethora of experienced, playoff tested veterans off the bench (Robert Horry, Devean George, Eddie Jones, Lindsay Hunter, Tyronn Lue).  It’s got at least one young player with upside in Udoka and as many as three depending on how you feel about Parker and Von Wafer.  It’s got hustle players (Udoka and Madsen), shooters (Atkins, Kareem Rush, and Devean George on a good day), character guys (Eddie Jones, Madsen, Butler), and a strong leader in Shaq.  For a coaching staff, it’s got Mike Dunleavy as the head coach and Del Harris as his top assistant.

It’s got some weaknesses, though.  The coaching staff would have an “eeny, meeny, miny, mo” choice at point guard.  Hunter and Atkins are career backups.  Tyronn Lue couldn’t hold down the starting PG spot on Atlanta, one of the worst teams in the league.  You almost have to go with Parker and we’ve all seen the end to that particular story. 

The team is thin up front, as well.  If you put Battie on the bench to backup Shaq, you’ve got to start either Madsen or Horry.  Horry is too late in his career to be a full-time starter and Madsen is much better as an energy guy off the bench. 

Ultimately, this team would be all about Shaq and Butler.  If Shaq were healthy and motivated and Butler were aggressive, this would be a successful team – especially in the eastern conference. 

Would it beat the current Lakers?  I’m not sure.  Let me know what you think…

HoopsHype Blogger's Corner: Lakers

Thanks to the folks at HoopsHype for including me in their Bloggers Corner feature on the Lakers.  You can see the whole piece here: Bloggers Corner: Lakers.

For archival purposes, here are my answers:

1. There was plenty of rumors about Kevin Garnett, Jermaine O'Neal and other big names before the draft. How did you feel when draft night went by and nothing big happened for the Lakers?

Like a bride left at the altar!  I finally broke down and bought a 50” plasma TV.  I had to rush to get it installed by the draft, but come on, I just had to see David Stern announce the KG deal in larger-than-life HD.  I was sooooo ready for the Lakers to make a move.  The pre-draft roar was deafening.  If the Lakers could land KG, all would be right with the world again.  And why shouldn’t they?  Everyone knows the natural order of the universe is for the Lakers to win championships. 

I came home from work early.  Set out the chips and salsa.  Flipped on the plasma.  Eased onto the couch with a look of smug anticipation on my face and awaited destiny…

And then nothing.  Zilch.  Deafening silence.  “With the 19th pick in the NBA draft, the Lakers select Javaris Crittendon from Georgia Tech.”  Well that’s nice.  He’s a better than expected prospect at 19.  BUT WHERE’S KG???  Do you know how mind numbingly long the NBA draft is when you’re waiting for your team to do something and they don’t?  It’s worse than watching a mid-season baseball game…

2. How will the Kobe issue end up? What's your prediction?

I have two answers: one from the heart and one from the brain.  My heart tells me that a kinder, gentler Kobe Bryant, under the calming influence of Derek Fisher, will open up to the New Age tutelage of Phil Jackson and practice selflessness on the court and in the locker room for the entire year.  Lamar will flourish and have his best season as a pro.  Bynum will develop into a consistent low post threat and a force on defense.  Even Kwame will relax enough to catch the ball (occasionally) in the paint.  As a result, the Lakers will shock everybody by advancing to the Western conference finals.  Oh, they’ll be decimated by the Spurs.  Even my heart isn’t that dumb.  But they’ll do well enough to keep Kobe in the fold while they wait for Andrew Bynum to develop. 

Now my brain, on the other hand, well… that’s not a pretty picture. 

The Lakers will play well some of the time.  Lamar and Bynum will tease us with flashes of brilliance.  Fisher will hit a few big shots at the end of games.  The Lakers will beat the good teams and disappoint against the bad teams.  Kobe will have stretches of playing team ball, but more often, we’ll all groan as he jacks up 3 pointer after 3 pointer as the shot clock expires while open teammates stand around watching.  They’ll make the playoffs and have a chance to win the opening series, but Kobe will fail to pass to a wide open Luke Walton when the game is on the line.  Instead, he’ll throw up a prayer with three defenders draped on him.  The ball will clang off the rim and that will just be the beginning. 

After the season, all hell will break loose.  Kobe Watch 2008 will make this summer’s soap opera look like a dress rehearsal.  Kobe will demand a trade.  He’ll do every talk radio show in America and a few overseas.  He’ll blame Lakers management.  He’ll blame his teammates.  He’ll blame Al Gore.  He’ll go on Oprah and talk to Dr. Phil.  He’ll ask Congress to intervene on his behalf.  It will be all Kobe all of the time until the Lakers are forced to accept whatever riff raff the Chicago Bulls throw on the table.  Then Laker fans will be left with nothing but REM’s “it’s the end of the world as we know it” ringing in our ears – except we won’t feel fine…

3. What's your personal opinion on Kobe Bryant as a player and as a person?

Oh, that’s like handing me a loaded gun and asking me to pull the trigger!  I don’t know Kobe Bryant as a person.  I haven’t met him.  I haven’t walked in his shoes.  I don’t know what it’s like to live in the public eye. He’s tantalizingly well spoken.  He seems to love his children.  He works his butt off.  I want to love him.  I want to believe in his inherent goodness.  I want him to be my hero.  But sadly, he keeps falling short.  Maybe, probably… that’s just because he’s human.  But if I did live in the public eye, I would hope to emulate other public figures, not Bryant.  Dwyane Wade.  Elton Brand.  Derek Fisher.  Even Shaq. 

As an individual player, he’s unsurpassed.  Every time I watch a Laker game, I remind myself to savor the moment.  When the Kobe Bryant era is over, whenever that is, he’s going to leave a Grand Canyon like abyss in the LA sports scene.  His 81 point game was the most amazing athletic feat that **I’ve** ever seen and I suspect that’s true for many of you as well.  He makes scoring 50 routine.  He’s the rare athlete who can inspire an entire city, maybe even the entire world, with his greatness.  And yet, I suspect that his legacy will be one of failed potential and disappointment. 

Kobe says he’s all about winning. He works relentlessly on his game.  He’s in the gym at 4:30 AM every day working out because he’s all about winning.  If there’s a skill that Kobe can acquire by working hard, Kobe has it.  But the one thing he’s missing, the tragic flaw in this hero’s character, money can’t buy and hard work can’t develop: leadership.  Kobe just isn’t a leader.  He never has been and I’m afraid he never will be.  Imagine if Kobe had Magic Johnson’s leadership skills, or even Steve Nash’s.  It wouldn’t be fair.  He’d win ten championships in his career. 

4. What has been Mitch Kupchak's biggest mistake during his tenure as the Lakers GM?

Failing to get Dwyane Wade in the Shaquille O’Neil trade. 

I have no idea how Kobe and Wade would have meshed, but man, based on sheer talent alone, that would have been immensely fun to watch.  And I think it was doable.  Shaq was still close to the top of his game and Wade wasn’t quite Wade yet.  If Kupchak were a better poker player than Pat Riley, the Kobe / D. Wade Lakers might be on their third championship by now. 

5. The Lakers are still not champion contenders, but are they closer to being one than they were one year ago?

If you exclude the remarkable Michael Jordan Chicago Bulls, the following statement is true: dominant big men win championships.  This summer, in the big man department, the Lakers re-signed Chris Mihm.  Uh… I like Chris Mihm, but he’s not Tim Duncan.  Hell, he’s not even Nenad Krstic.

The Lakers have made some important incremental improvements.  Derek Fisher is a huge upgrade over Smush Parker, maybe not in the talent department, but certainly in the “intangibles” department.  Having players come back healthy will help.  Vlade Radmanovic will be more productive next season (he couldn’t possibly be worse).  So the Lakers will be better.  But are they closer to contending for a championship?  No.  Absolutely not. 

One of two things must happen for them to be contenders again.  They must either acquire a dominant big man to partner with Kobe Bryant (think KG here – I’m not sold on Jermaine O’Neil) or Andrew Bynum must develop into a dominant big man before the Lakers implode.  There have been some positive reports about Bynum this summer.  His workouts have apparently been impressive, but until he does it on the court, every night, he’s just a long term project. 

Pollyanaitis

No.  It’s not a word.  But it should be.  It’s 83 degrees.  Sunny as far as the eye can see.  There’s a Starbucks, Pinkberry, or Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf on every corner.  I’m getting 35 MPG on my Camry Hybrid and a Laker hero is coming home! 

I love Derek Fisher.  I love him because he seems like a regular guy.  If you ran into him in a Starbucks, he’d probably ask about your family or your job.  He wouldn’t profanely trash his teammates. 

I love him because he has his priorities straight.  He walked away from more money this summer than many of us will earn in a lifetime. Why?  So he could find the best medical care for his daughter.  You’ve got to respect that. 

I love him because he’s a leader.  Would the Jazz have been as good last year without him?  No freaking way!  And not because his contributions on the floor were so impressive.  It’s his presence in the locker that makes the difference.  I’ll bet the Jazz fall back in the pack next year.

Derek Fisher has that intangible quality that, sadly, Kobe Byrant lacks.  He makes the players around him better.  He’s the leader that the Lakers so desperately need. 

I don’t expect that D.Fish will have an impressive season next year statistically.  But I do predict that his signing will be worth 5 games in the win column.  He’ll mentor the young guards.  He’ll stabilize the locker room.  He won’t put up with Kobe’s BS.  And most importantly, he’ll free up Kobe to be Kobe. 

Over the past two seasons, I have watched Kobe perform magic on the court.  His talent and determination are awe inspiring.  But I keep waiting for him to mature into a leader.  I keep waiting to see Kobe revel in the achievements of his teammates.  I keep waiting for Kobe to sublimate his game to the benefit of the team.  I keep waiting for Kobe to “make his teammates better” (which has become the second worst cliché in basketball behind “play the game the right way”).  And it just doesn’t happen.  Not even close. 

With Derek Fisher on the team, Kobe doesn’t have to be a leader.  He can go back to being Kobe – the insanely talented, aloof, superstar who dances to the beat of his own destiny.  The rest of the Lakers will go along for the ride.  Fisher will keep them focused and productive amidst the insanity.  It’s what he did during the Shaq – Kobe years.  Remember the Lakers second title of the decade, during the 00 – 01 season?  They didn’t click until the final 20 games of the season when Fisher returned from the injured list. 

I know I’m in a Pollyanna mood.  I want to believe that the Lakers won’t implode. That they’ll return to championship form.  That I won’t have to watch Kobe get doused in champagne by his Chicago teammates.  So maybe I’m making too much of the Derek Fisher signing.  I know that Fish is a 33 year old point guard, with career scoring and assist averages of 8.7 and 3.3, respectively.  I know that he couldn’t stay in front of Tony Parker when he was in his 20’s and he won’t be able to now.  But it’s a beautiful summer day in Los Angeles and I really want to enjoy it.  So until proven otherwise, I’m going to believe that Derek Fisher is going to lead the Lakers to 50 wins next season!

The Lakers’ draft day dud

Well, that was fun while it lasted – the fantasy image of KB24 celebrating his 3rd championship with KG.  Laker fans had already placed Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett in the Parthenon alongside other great Laker duos - Magic & Kareem, Kobe & Shaq, and Wilt & West.  The guys at GetGarnett.com were getting ready to take on global warming having proven the power of the Internet to change the world. 

The deal was going to go down on draft day and restore the Lakers to their rightful place as the elite team in the NBA.  I was ready.  My new 50” plasma was freshly mounted on the wall so I could watch history unfold on ESPN in glorious HD, Steven A. Smith giving me a headache in surround sound.  And then…  nothing!  Not even the consolation prize of Jermaine O’Neil. 

What a dud!  

Although I’m sure next season will be fascinating watching Javaris Crittendon and Jordan Farmar battling for playing time behind Theodoros Papaloukas, it’s not quite what we had in mind.  With Garnett seemingly bound for Golden State or Phoenix, and Jermaine O’Neil getting ready to hop on a bus to New Jersey, next summer is looking an awful lot like Apocalypse Now. 

I can see it now.  The Lakers fail to make the playoffs as Golden State and Portland jump ahead of them.  Kobe Bryant, a year from his opt out, demands a trade for real this time, and the Lakers accommodate him thinking they can re-build around Andrew Bynum.  I hope the Chinese kid they drafted last week has some real upside because they’re going to need it desperately.  Do you think a lineup of Odom, Walton (whom they just signed to a 6 year $30 million deal), Bynum, Farmar (or Crittendon), and Sun Yue win 30 games?  I really, truly don’t want to find out!