$30 million invested in small forwards, yet thats our need?

[Kilroy]

What do any of the suggestions at the 3 provide us that a healthy Ariza/Machine combo don't?
To my way of thinking, Ariza is our (Versital)defensive minded, athletic, slashing SF, and Sasha is our defensive minded, shooter/playmaker at the 3...

Do we need to upgrade at this position? When the shots aren't falling for Sasha, we can plug Ariza in and get some penetration and help D in the paint.

This is an honest question looking for opinions, not a statement or sarcasm.

I'm wondering if our biggest weakness might be at the point... We're kind of thin there and with all the quality points in the West, we might need to fucus our acquisitions there.

Also maybe some talent to back up Bynum and Gasol at the 4 and 5, if Turiaf and Odom aren't retained.

To me there are a bunch of WHAT IFs for next season...

WHAT IF Bynum and Gasol work together on the court, who starts at the 3?
WHAT IF Bynum and Gasol don't work, who comes off the bench and what do we pay them?
WHAT IF Odom works at the 3, do we keep him and who backs him up?
WHAT IF Odom won't work at the 3, who starts, and will Odom accept coming off the bench for Gasol?
WHAT IF Odom won't come off the bench for Gasol, do we retain Turiaf?
WHAT IF we can't retain Turiaf, do we go for a back-up C or a PF, or a PG?

Etc, Etc, etc...

There's definately a lot of room for improvement, but I'm personnally not going to have a clue about next season untill All-Stars... I just think with a Championship contender, the margine for error is so thin, you don't make a move unless it's a no-brainer..
I'm sure the coaching staff has a plan though... They've probably run all these scenarios in practice.

[hermes]

i don't think sasha will ever play sf, if he's in there with kobe, kobe will more to the 3 spot

[Kilroy]

i don't think sasha will ever play sf, if he's in there with kobe, kobe will more to the 3 spot

So that's even better unless Kobe is asked to gaurd a freak at the 3... We have Ariza, and Walton as back-ups...

Sasha is 6'7" too though and has found his Defensive chops, so I think he could do some work at the 3 for us with a little practice.

I'm sure we could find a good fit at the 3 if Odom doesn't work as a SF... But I just have a feeling the Ariza is an off-season away from being something special for us. He seems to have meshed well with the team and the coaching staff. The question is whether he can move into a starting roll on a team with maybe the best 1-2-3 punch in the league from an offensive standpoint with 24-Bynum-Gasol. He shouldn't be asked to do a whole lot other than hit the ocasional wide open shot.

[daddyfivestar]

I love it when Phil goes with the Farmar/Sasha/Kobe lineup:
Sasha get more open three looks with Kobe on the floor, Kobe gets more assists as he gets in the lane with inside and outside threats, Kobe also gets that 12-16 footer game going, and Farm can push the tempo and keep the D in retreat and trying to find transition D matchups. Seems like the ol Lakeshow when those 3 are together.

Imo, Turiaf will stay a Laker. They showed great faith, signing him and supporting him through the heart thing.

[xSABOx]

Imo, Turiaf will stay a Laker. They showed great faith, signing him and supporting him through the heart thing.

I'd rather resign Vujacic and just let Turiaf walk, because you know someone is going to give him the full MLE and it's not worth it to match... nice high energy player, but he's not great at anything besides blocking shots which he offsets with his constant foul trouble... I'd rather replace by trading Walton or Radmanovic for a tough minded/do the dirty work big man...

let's look at the projected salary for next season

Fisher 4.7/Farmar 1.1
Kobe 21.2/Vujacic 5.5 (MLE)
Odom 14.1/Ariza 3.1(P/O)/Yue 1
Gasol 15.1/Radmanovic 6/Walton 4.4
Bynum 2.8/Mihm 2.5 (P/O)

roughly 82M, 12M over the projected 70.4M LT for next season... they have to find a way to get rid of Walton OR Radmanovic... I don't think Odom will be moved for the simple fact that they'll just let him expire and replace his contract with Bynum's... whether the resign him depends on how he performs with Gasol/Bynum, although I expect him to be used in a Ginobili role next season with Ariza starting...

[incontrol__]

I really don't like how we're discussing Odom's future right in the middle of the Finals right now, but:

...Andre Iguodala would be at the top of my list, for an Odom trade. Great defender, good (solid) jumpshot, good rebounder, good passer, still a few years away from entering his prime..

I wonder if we could work out a possible s&t for him, though...

Mike Miller would be a fantastic fit on this team btw. Very underrated player. He's a solid rebounder, good passer, exceptional shooter and a decent defender too. To boost him even further, him and Gasol have already established great chemistry on and off the court. I'd love to have him on this team, but doubt the Grizzlies will want to deal with us again.

Absolutely.

I remember reading after the Gasol trade that the Lakers were actually trying to add an Odom for Miller+Swift/Warrick part to the deal, but the Grizz said no because they wanted to see if they could get better for Miller. ...So i think the Lakers might agree on that.. Not that they'll necessarily go after him this offseason, or anything, of course, just that if they were to trade Odom, Miller might be on their radar. As you said, though, Grizz probably don't want to trade with us again.

Kinda thank god that if that's true that the Grizz did reject that, though.. Odom's been absolutely huge for us, and we would've been incredibly weak at PF (or C) without him.

[AgentK0be]

ok some of these ideas are crazy, redd? gilbert? we don't need another star, just a shooter

I'm just saying it wouldn't be bad to have that cushion when kobe can't turn it on.

[Jugoplastika89-90-91]

Trade somebody for Rudy Fernandez (Portland)

Or there is better idea - Ramunas Siskauskas (CSKA Moscow)

[snaquille oatmeal]

Mike Miller would be a fantastic fit on this team btw. Very underrated player. He's a solid rebounder, good passer, exceptional shooter and a decent defender too. To boost him even further, him and Gasol have already established great chemistry on and off the court. I'd love to have him on this team, but doubt the Grizzlies will want to deal with us again.

huge expiring contracts are our friends when it comes to dealing with the Grizz

[davidse]

m.miller would be ideal, but if the rumors are true - we already tried and failed.

battier would be great, but i don't see two teams who see themselves as contenders in the same confrence next season dealing with each other.

i allways wanted artest and still do, but the thread is about a 3 pt shooter which doesn't really describe his game even though he can hit that shot.

so...

m.dunleavy should be our guy.

possibly more players involved, possibly even another team, but this is our most realistic target for a big time sf sniper.

[NOODLESTYLE]

If it's true that Ron Artest will opt out and become a free agent this summer and is willing to sign for the MLE, I think it's very possible that he could be a Laker.

[RayAllen#34]

I think all you guys really need is for Bynum to return. With bynum in the lineup u guys have that big defensive center that your team lacks. Pau can then return to his natural power forward position. For the forward spot you can put in radmanovic if you want the extra floor spacing, or you can put in odom for his all round abilities. Don't think this team needs anything other than just staying healthy.

[RJM]

Mike Miller would be great for the triangle. Not sure we have the pieces to get him though. Maybe Luke Walton?

[KB20]

If we can't make any trades, we should start by making sure that Luke and Vlad don't play at all next season. Have Ariza and Lamar work on their shot all summer. The time at SF would be split between Lamar, Trevor, and Kobe.

[dockingsched]

if lamar is here next yr he should get all the backup minutes at pf, specially when gasol slides over to center.

[ALL HAIL]

m.miller would be ideal, but if the rumors are true - we already tried and failed.
I know this thread is about a 3 point shooter but cmon! Mike Miller is a good all around player and so is Dunleavy (horrible, horrible, horrible contract though) but like I've been saying for a long time. Even if we take the next two games or not, WE NEED TOUGHNESS.
We are losing this series bc Boston unlike Houston, Utah, or SanAntonio, has high caliber players aat both wing positions. We don't have another wing that we can trust to guard Allen or Pierce whilw being able to fit comfortably in the offense (knocking down open jumpers).

battier would be great, but i don't see two teams who see themselves as contenders in the same confrence next season dealing with each other.

i allways wanted artest and still do, but the thread is about a 3 pt shooter which doesn't really describe his game even though he can hit that shot.

so...

m.dunleavy should be our guy.

possibly more players involved, possibly even another team, but this is our most realistic target for a big time sf sniper.

[ALL HAIL]

I don't agree with players like Dunleavy or Miller at all.
We need toughness at the three spot.
We need a player at he 3 that we can put on Pierce with confidence knowing that Pierce will not be salivating when he sees who is guarding him (Walton, Radman).

#1 priority should be a tough three that can move his feet and body up his man FIRST and shoot the open shot SECOND. Not the other way around.

Just to reiterate: Walton and Radman are sooo scared of guarding Pierce.

[DubaLakers]

ODOM for GERALD WALLACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wallace isn't a good trade, that guy is a great player but he has gotta be the most injured player in he NBA, he has only one gear 6th. When was the last time he completed a full season? I'm not sure he has.

...Erik really you like Battier too? Butler doesn't fit the team with Kobe there. i see him more as a 2 anyway. Mike Miller doesn't play enough D, and makes big jack, but good thought. PLUS NO WAY WE ARE RAPING MEMPHIS AGAIN LOL. WE'D GO TO JAIL FOR SURE. Man I love Teyshawn Prince.

I wonder if we'd have to give up more for Teyshawn than Lamar. I don't think theres a chance we get him but fun to think about it.

[DubaLakers]

I think all you guys really need is for Bynum to return. With bynum in the lineup u guys have that big defensive center that your team lacks. Pau can then return to his natural power forward position. For the forward spot you can put in radmanovic if you want the extra floor spacing, or you can put in odom for his all round abilities. Don't think this team needs anything other than just staying healthy.

Thanks Mitch.

[DubaLakers]

If we can't make any trades, we should start by making sure that Luke and Vlad don't play at all next season. Have Ariza and Lamar work on their shot all summer. The time at SF would be split between Lamar, Trevor, and Kobe.

There is no way Walton has any value, we are stuck with him. Plus at least he's a smart player, knows what he's doing, and tries; he just has trouble vs superioir athletisism.. He has more sucurity than Kobe as well , he has like a 6 year contract or some crap and like 6M a season.

But I agree with you about Vlade. Not sure we have any room to do much, especially with traking in Pau, but we must rid ourselves of Vlade, forcing Phil to not play him.

Vlade has value, especially on up tempo crazy teams like GST, NO, etc. You know who else I love is SJax, that dude is a freak he's underrated.