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Before this large percentage of Laker fans come to their senses and realize that this team at it's core, can't cut it any longer?

The Dallas series should have been enough to shock us all into the realization that this generation of Lakers are done competing for titles. We're a fifth or sixth seed team in the West with this group.

We can't beat the worst teams in the league on the road any longer. Detroit and Washington! Are you freaking kidding me! Our old men can't hold onto a lead to save their lives. Bryant takes 30 shots a game and that's our offense.

We must move Gasol NOW in an attempt to re-balance this team somehow. We don't need two centers on the floor making it impossible to play any form of a transition game. The worst teams in the league are exploiting this mindless, one dimensional approach.

Stop holding onto this core. Make friends with reality. 2007 - 2009 is gone forever. It's not coming back.

You're only now saying what I've been echoing for months.

Jetset wrote:You're only now saying what I've been echoing for months.

I've been saying it for months too, but everytime the team has a rebirth moment like the Miami game, the fan base is back on this, "all we need is a minor tweak, an adequate point guard, blah, blah, blah"

Ramon Sessions can't fix this team. We need to focus on making the right improvements. Stop worrying about breaking up a potential championship team. That isn't what this Laker is or even could be with small tweaks.

In best Jim Mora voice......"Playoffs! Playoffs! Are you kidding me? Playoffs?"

You're only now saying what Jetsets been saying for months.

What's your answer OP?

Our title years are done with and balancing the team isn't changing that. I've only now started to realize that. We'll be in the same situation as the Spurs.

Optms wrote:Our title years are done with and balancing the team isn't changing that. I've only now started to realize that. We'll be in the same situation as the Spurs.

But the Spurs have awesome scouts. We have a bartender......

Yeah, but scouting quality late first/second rounders isn't gonna bring them another championship thankfully. Not with an old Duncan.

Lakers-Texas wrote:

Optms wrote:Our title years are done with and balancing the team isn't changing that. I've only now started to realize that. We'll be in the same situation as the Spurs.

But the Spurs have awesome scouts. We have a bartender......

ChampagnePapa wrote:What's your answer OP?

For starters:

1) Move the aging and expensive Gasol NOW while his stock remains high to Houston for a PG/PF combo sweetened further by either a draft pick, a competent reserve or an expiring contract.

-Kyle Lowry would bring youth and a very attractive contract structure aside from also being the star powered point guard we've been looking for, one step down from Paul or Rondo which also finally gives Mike Brown a fair chance to implement a style of play he's more accustomed to because he has the right personnel to run it. Kobe and Kyle would give the Lakers the best starting back court in the NBA. Lowry together with Bynum would form the foundation for the next generation of Lakers.

-Luis Scola would provide an adequate filler for the loss of Pau at PF in terms of rebounding and scoring although his contract isn't the most desirable, he's a serviceable player who punches in everyday and can suffice very nicely for a couple of seasons.

-Courtney Lee as a combo guard and a reliable scorer off the bench. If Houston won't budge on him take one of the younger pieces (Patterson, Morris, Budinger). if that doesn't work either take an expiring back like Thabeet for cap relief.

core was there...

until odom got traded for a bag of chips

it was always kobe and pau/drew/lamar trio that gave us that supreme advantage

ChampagnePapa wrote:What's your answer OP?

sounds like he wants to trade kobe

azdaver wrote:

ChampagnePapa wrote:What's your answer OP?

For starters:

1) Move the aging and expensive Gasol NOW while his stock remains high to Houston for a PG/PF combo sweetened further by either a draft pick, a competent reserve or an expiring contract.

-Kyle Lowry would bring youth and a very attractive contract structure aside from also being the star powered point guard we've been looking for, one step down from Paul or Rondo which also finally gives Mike Brown a fair chance to implement a style of play he's more accustomed to because he has the right personnel to run it. Kobe and Kyle would give the Lakers the best starting back court in the NBA. Lowry together with Bynum would form the foundation for the next generation of Lakers.

-Luis Scola would provide an adequate filler for the loss of Pau at PF in terms of rebounding and scoring although his contract isn't the most desirable, he's a serviceable player who punches in everyday and can suffice very nicely for a couple of seasons.

-Courtney Lee as a combo guard and a reliable scorer off the bench. If Houston won't budge on him take one of the younger pieces (Patterson, Morris, Budinger). if that doesn't work either take an expiring back like Thabeet for cap relief.

Only if we can get Lowry. The thing is rocket will not trade us Lowry unless we send them Bynum/

azdaver wrote:

ChampagnePapa wrote:What's your answer OP?

For starters:

1) Move the aging and expensive Gasol NOW while his stock remains high to Houston for a PG/PF combo sweetened further by either a draft pick, a competent reserve or an expiring contract.

-Kyle Lowry would bring youth and a very attractive contract structure aside from also being the star powered point guard we've been looking for, one step down from Paul or Rondo which also finally gives Mike Brown a fair chance to implement a style of play he's more accustomed to because he has the right personnel to run it. Kobe and Kyle would give the Lakers the best starting back court in the NBA. Lowry together with Bynum would form the foundation for the next generation of Lakers.

-Luis Scola would provide an adequate filler for the loss of Pau at PF in terms of rebounding and scoring although his contract isn't the most desirable, he's a serviceable player who punches in everyday and can suffice very nicely for a couple of seasons.

-Courtney Lee as a combo guard and a reliable scorer off the bench. If Houston won't budge on him take one of the younger pieces (Patterson, Morris, Budinger). if that doesn't work either take an expiring back like Thabeet for cap relief.

If its true that Houston won't part with Lowry, which they are saying they won't, then what?

Realistically, I think what at most trading Gasol gets us:

Pierce + Bass
Brand + Williams
Broozer + Watson
Stoudamire + Shumpert
Scola + Thabeet + Dragic

Not sure any of the packages will push us over the top

I said it before Jet

ChampagnePapa wrote:

azdaver wrote:

ChampagnePapa wrote:What's your answer OP?

For starters:

1) Move the aging and expensive Gasol NOW while his stock remains high to Houston for a PG/PF combo sweetened further by either a draft pick, a competent reserve or an expiring contract.

-Kyle Lowry would bring youth and a very attractive contract structure aside from also being the star powered point guard we've been looking for, one step down from Paul or Rondo which also finally gives Mike Brown a fair chance to implement a style of play he's more accustomed to because he has the right personnel to run it. Kobe and Kyle would give the Lakers the best starting back court in the NBA. Lowry together with Bynum would form the foundation for the next generation of Lakers.

-Luis Scola would provide an adequate filler for the loss of Pau at PF in terms of rebounding and scoring although his contract isn't the most desirable, he's a serviceable player who punches in everyday and can suffice very nicely for a couple of seasons.

-Courtney Lee as a combo guard and a reliable scorer off the bench. If Houston won't budge on him take one of the younger pieces (Patterson, Morris, Budinger). if that doesn't work either take an expiring back like Thabeet for cap relief.

If its true that Houston won't part with Lowry, which they are saying they won't, then what?

Not what they're saying. in fact what they're saying is that Lowry and Scola are on the table and Mitch is looking for more than that.

Centers like Gasol are valuable and don't grow on trees. But the Lakers are blessed with two centers and it's high time they realize they only really can afford to invest these sorts of dollars into one. Pau was never really a natural PF.

He can slide over and play it for periods of time but he's a center and most of the time he played center next to Odom as a Laker and would occasionally play PF while Bynum was in the game (when Bynum was healthy that is).

Anyway teams value Gasol much more than most fans realize because it's very hard to find a Center with the kinds of skills he has.

Houston has continued their pursuit of him every since Xmas. They have wanted him even worse than the Lakers wanted Chris Paul. The analysts I've read are saying 75% chance that this trade will happen provided Kupchak can get satisfied that the Lowry package is big enough.

Doormatt wrote:I said it before Jet

azdaver wrote:Not what they're saying. in fact what they're saying is that Lowry and Scola are on the table and Mitch is looking for more than that.

That's actually not what they're saying at all. The most that has been offered from Houston for Pau is Martin/Scola and possibly Dragic. Houston has been pretty adamant on not trading Lowry.

Don't you roll your eyes at me

Also...the loss to detroit was all about stuckey which is right along with the problems all year with penetrating guards but this loss to washington was just flat out zero effort. So many open dunks, open shots and lackluster rebounding effort. I am not saying the Lakers don't need help, just saying let's not lump the Washington game in to the same web of issues as most of the losses.