Does anyone feel this way???

[ALL HAIL]

Lamar Odom is a better fit chemistry-wise with Bynum and Artest than Gasol with Bynum and Artest.

Why?

#1---Because Artest needs to have a defined role on offense to truly be happy. Artest is a very dynamic player but he's sees himself as much more. He needs his touches to feel like a top tier player in this league. If he doesn't get his touches he'll be unhappy and we ALL don't want an unhappy Artest.

Artest would be only a fourth option with Gasol at PF. With Odom at PF Artest at worst is a third option (behind Bynum).

#2---Because if you couple Artest's lack of touches with the fact that he'd be playing alongside Gasol, a player IMO he will disdain for being soft and who will steal his touches, it makes for a bad mix to me. Keeping Odom means Artest gets to play with his friend Odom who will defer to him, Bynum, and Kobe.

I'd rather dump Gasol and Mihm for Artest, Thomas, and a pick so we can have better chemistry. To me, Kobe and Bynum are the first and second options. With Gasol, Artest's offensive role would be very undefined thus making him feel under-utilized and unappreciated. With Odom, Artest plays alongside his boy Odom who is a better defender than Gasol and who, with his extremely unselfish way, will allow Artest to settle into a more clearly defined offensive role.

[bobobolas1]

No way dude. Id rather see Gasol+Bynum than Bynum-odom-artest.

I felt so dissapointed with odom in playoff. Gasol did pretty well against duncan, boozer and garnett. what else you want from him? Odom has been here for years and gasol just came a few months ago. it is time to change and dump Odom instead gasol

[snaquille oatmeal]

Lamar Odom is a better fit chemistry-wise with Bynum and Artest than Gasol with Bynum and Artest.

Why?

you are funny, you are judging chemistry between people that have never played together.

[hermes]

^thats the point, why don't we just wait and see how everyone plays together before we start shipping people out



unless its vlad, he can leave anytime

[TommyTheCat]

no thanks. the reasons you stated about having to cater to artest's ego to keep him happy and in line is one of the major reasons i'm iffy about the lakers trading for him. if the lakers get him, it should be because he's willing to play his role as the 4th option on offense (although when bench players come in he'll get more looks) and stellar defender.

[ALL HAIL]

Let's be clear. With Bynum on the squad, Artest becomes more valuable to us than Odom or Gasol. With Bynum back, artest is more important to our suiccess tahn Gasol or Odom. With this premise you have to build the team around Artest, Bynum, and Kobe, meaning you have to surround these guys with players that complimment them and accentuate their robust talents.

Odom would be a more effective role player next to Kobe, Bynum, and Artest than Gasol. Plus, eventually resigning Odom would save them lots of money over Gasol's bloated contract.

In addtion, I CAN accurately predict a future problem with Artest as a 4th option because of his history and the way he describes himself. He WILL NOT be a 12 point role playing Bruce Bowen-type for us and be happy. Gasol's presence would make a player more important than him unhappy and take looks away from our REAL second best player ... Andrew Bynum.

Do we all feel like Jerry West is senile? We must! West who has been around Gasol for years has already said that he can't see Gasol playing effectively next to Bynum and this is before the idea of the presence of another player who needs touches.

Artest would not accept being Bruce Bowen. He averaged 20 points a game last year people. If Artest were to get his touches that means that Bynum won't get his. Is that what we want?

[TonyMontana]

Lamar Odom is a better fit chemistry-wise with Bynum and Artest than Gasol with Bynum and Artest.

Why?

you are funny, you are judging chemistry between people that have never played together.

What up big SNAQ?
I agree with you, but I would take Artest for L.O anyday.......... I mean anyday .
We need guys like Artest on this team.

[hermes]

In addtion, I CAN accurately predict

oh so your a physic, well that explains how you know how everyone will play together

[TommyTheCat]

Let's be clear. With Bynum on the squad, Artest becomes more valuable to us than Odom or Gasol. With Bynum back, artest is more important to our suiccess tahn Gasol or Odom. With this premise you have to build the team around Artest, Bynum, and Kobe, meaning you have to surround these guys with players that complimment them and accentuate their robust talents.

Odom would be a more effective role player next to Kobe, Bynum, and Artest than Gasol. Plus, eventually resigning Odom would save them lots of money over Gasol's bloated contract.

In addtion, I CAN accurately predict a future problem with Artest as a 4th option because of his history and the way he describes himself. He WILL NOT be a 12 point role playing Bruce Bowen-type for us and be happy. Gasol's presence would make a player more important than him unhappy and take looks away from our REAL second best player ... Andrew Bynum.

Do we all feel like Jerry West is senile? We must! West who has been around Gasol for years has already said that he can't see Gasol playing effectively next to Bynum and this is before the idea of the presence of another player who needs touches.

Artest would not accept being Bruce Bowen. He averaged 20 points a game last year people. If Artest were to get his touches that means that Bynum won't get his. Is that what we want?

your premise and accurate prediction is nothing more than your speculation about how things would work out. they could be just as wrong as phil's hope of odom being a scotty pippen at sf.

[3-Pt_Shooter]

Personally, I feel that Bynum was the missing ingredient from the Laker's playoff run. He would have had a huge effect on both ends of the floor - believe that!!! On defense, he would have most definitely got key rebounds and blocked shots.

If Bynum was healthy (and ready to play) in the Finals, I believe there would have been a much happier ending for the Lakers Bynum, and Gasol, would have demanded so much attention on the Celtic's interior defense that Odom would have been able to do what he does best - which is to slash and find openings to the basket... plus be able to hit the offensive boards with wreckless abandon.

More than anything the Lakers need to add one more vet that knows how to win (i.e. Posey) and let this group learn from their mistakes... they are that close to winning a championship!!!

[DEEP3CL]

Lamar Odom is a better fit chemistry-wise with Bynum and Artest than Gasol with Bynum and Artest.

Why?.

Over Analyzing..........................way too much. All the guys you mentioned have never played a full season together anyway.

Lakers are better with a Artest-Bynum-Gasol line period end of discussion.

[laduane1]

This weeks rumor has LO going for Artest. Next week will be another and then the week after there will be another. Until we see a real trade go down. We are just passing time to we get to training camp.

At lease we get to see Kobe in the summer games. Hope he brings home the gold.

[ALL HAIL]

No offense to anyone, but we are all speculators on this board. Kupchak gets paid for it we do it for free. Kupchak and 29 others are the "real" gms. We use are own knowledge to predict, give advice to, suggest, crtiticize, highlight, speculate and/or praise our team the Lakers. Some of us, I believe, could run an NBA team. All that being said, please refrain from countering arguments by stating the obvious. The obvious in this case being that I am merely speculating. Of course I am speculating. I am also predicting, advising, suggesting, criticizing, highlighting, and praising my team the LA Lakers. I post from time to time to chat critically on ideas that I deem valid. Everyone has a legitimate voice. Criticize me intellectually, "shoot me down" with insight into alternatives, or point out the practicality of my ideas rather than primitively suggestting that my ideas are nothing but mere speculation ... it is! But so are yours. The sky turns really dark at night too. Let us all go deeper in our analysis avoiding stating the OBVIOUS.

[Anklebreaker702]

This is very premature. This is totally a wait & see subject

[Anklebreaker702]

This is very premature. This is totally a wait & see subject

[ALL HAIL]

Trading Gasol for Artest and keeping Odom is:
- cheaper (next year resign Odom for 8 mill per and Artest for 10 mill per)
- better for overall toughness (Odom's tougher/stronger than Gasol)
- better for rebounding (Gasol is a very inconsistent rebounder)
- better for defense (Odom guards 4s better than Gasol)
- better for chemistry (on the Bynum? board people are trying to predict what Bynum will do next year next to Gasol and Odom--people can't seem to figure out who will be option number two and three--imagine if we had Artest--where would he fit in the pecking order--would we expect him to defer to Kobe, Bynum, AND GASOL??--definitely Kobe, maybe Bynum cuz he's big and can play physical, but Gasol ... nope ... waaayy too soft)

Solution: Dump Gasol while his stock is high for Artest. Only do the deal if they take Walton too. Give us Kenny Thomas and Sheldon Williams. Throw in Ariza to make salaries match (keep Mihm because we'd need him for insurance-even after a minimum signing for a backup big ala Kwame).

[kno]

Over Analyzing..........................way too much. All the guys you mentioned have never played a full season together anyway.

/quote]

Lakers are better with a Artest-Bynum-Gasol line period end of discussion.

Irony at its best.

[ALL HAIL]

I have no problem standing alone on this one. I just don't overrate SOFT Euros. In my mind, bigs should average way more than 7 boards especialy if he's on the books for over 15 mill for another 3 years.

JERRY WEST I repeat JERRY WEST supports my assertion that Bynum and Gasol together will not be all that we think it will be.

There are some on this board who a year ago were boldly proclaiming the sheer and utter importance of Luke Walton. I said he was garbage and we should let him walk. Bad contracts on your roster not only costs more money but prevent a team from filling holes properly ala Turiaf.

Gasol is a soft-ass player. Stop living in denial people. Luke and Rad should have never been resigned and signed. The Gasol trade was GREAT but getting Artest is much more important than keeping Gasol. Artest is EXACTLY what this team needs even at the expense of Gasol and Walton.

[Slava]

I could probably think about buying into this idea if Bynum has proven enough but even then, our record with Gasol speaks for itself. We're what like 35-7 with him in the line up? Never since the days of Shaq & Kobe have we even sniffed those numbers. Gasol isn't as soft as everyone projects him to be. No way you go through guys like Nene/Camby, Duncan and Boozer and still be called soft. There surely are loop holes to be filled that he rather large salaries are preventing us from but well, in a way I'm glad to have the talent of someone like Gasol on our roster to be where we are than to have Ronny Turiaf, no matter what the requirement be.

[ALL HAIL]

Gasol is super soft. He's very talented and skilled but he is not strong or tough or imposing at all. He is 7 feet tall and grabs 7 boards. Are you all serious? The Lakers flourished with him in the line up this is true. If we did not have Bynum waiting in the wings I would never suggest trading Gasol even though I'd still tell you he is soft. However with Bynum and the possibility of getting Artest Gasol to me becomes expendable even with the great record. But I respect the wait and see. But if Artest can be had now you've got to seize the moment. Gasol is soft. Our whole team leans more to the soft side. We need a player like Ron Artest very, very badly. Our record may not be 35 and 7 but we'll be a much more balanced team. If on top of it all we can trade Walton's contract with Gasol, to me it's a no-brainer.