Goodbye Turiaf?

[Minhee]

No doubt we will miss Ronny's heart, passion and toughness. Honestly, I think Ronny was our only "tough" guy in the playoffs. Gasol? Please I feel some of you guys on this board can probably push him around in the paint. Odom? Guy is our best rebounder but he will never be accused of scaring people. Mbenga? Despite his black belt nobody get fazed by him since he doesn't know what he is doing in there half the time. Mihm? Please the guy might be weaker than Gasol. Bynum? The guy needs to prove he can stay healthy and play a full season first.

That leaves Ronny as our only legit proven "Big." He was the only guy on the team that committed a flagrant 2 in the playoffs. While his stats will never be great, his hustle and passion for the game gives us some toughness inside. He is only 25 years old and will improve. The reason GS signed him was because Ronny destroyed them in the paint everytime.

Next year we will definitely see a big difference in our play and we will lack that passion on the bench, that toughness on the floor.

If Bynum is back, who exactly is his backup? Mihm is our only other signed Center on the team. If bynum can't go, Gasol is our center with Odom at PF. Our backups at the 4/5 right now stands at Mihm/Vlad Rad/Walton. I gotta imagine Vlad and Luke will roate at the 4 spot since Phil will try to find some time for Ariza at the 3. Bynum's health is crucial to our success next season because I got to believe Gasol is a better fit at the 4. Our backup right now worries me because Mihm, Walton and Vlad are pretty much trash.

Having said all that maybe a Odom for Artest & Kenny Thomas isn't too bad. Who would you rather having playing the backup 4? Kenny Thomas or a combo of Vlad Rad/Walton and/or Mihm?

[Slava]

Mitch must have taken a lot of calls to get rid of Vlad and/or walton but looking at it now, its those contracts that keeps us away from Turiaf.

[ALL HAIL]

Mitch must have taken a lot of calls to get rid of Vlad and/or walton but looking at it now, its those contracts that keeps us away from Turiaf.

EXACTLY!

[magicfan4life05]

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-3 ... af-Go.html

Kobe Bryant: Sad to See Ronny Turiaf Go

July 22, 2008 1:10 PM

Kobe Bryant sure liked playing (and appearing in YouTube videos) with Ronny Turiaf. Janis Carr of the Orange County Register quotes Bryant on Turiaf's departure, via free agency, to the Warriors:

As a businessman, Kobe Bryant understands why the Lakers let Ronny Turiaf walk. The popular forward, a restricted free agent, had received a four-year, $17 million offer sheet from the Golden State Warriors and the Lakers decided not to match it.

But as a teammate and basketball player, he thought the decision stunk.

"I'm sad about it. I wish we could have kept him," Bryant said. "I love him as a person. I love him as a basketball player and I hate to see him leave. I just wish him all the best.

"He would much rather have stayed with us, but that's the nature of the NBA, man."

[blix]

Showtime Fan, now there's two posters who picked up my avatar. Somehow i feel like it steals a bit of my mojo. Or mambo. Anyways, props.

But I'd still don't think it's a given that Mihm will contribute next year. Or that Odom will unequivocally be a Laker past this year. Or that Mbenga is anything more than an awesome personal story.

And that leaves our frontline thin, imo. Don't get me wrong, we can always get some big bodies, some stiffs. None that will have his youth, talent, passion. But more importantly, who can replace his heart. HIs soul.

When our team was soft, he brought the dirt.
When drama threatened to weigh down on our team, he brought joy.
When his teammates were lazy, he brought the hustle.

He made the game fun. He made the game intense. His presence was infectious.
He was our catalyst.
He was our cosmic dancer.

I'm happy for him, because he deserves a chance to realize his potential. I understand why the Lakers let him go, although I disagree with their decision for the above reasons.

But anybody who thinks Turiaf didn't have an impact on this team, didn't contribute to our success, is dead wrong.

He will be missed, and not just for sentimental reasons.

I don't think there's ton of people - or really any for that matter - that think he didn't have an impact - but the gap between production and contract didn't make sense. I don't see how that's even debatable given the surrounding circumstances, contracts, etc.

Selling Ronny to Laker fans is silly - he's sold - he just ultimately cost too much and there was someone willing to overpay him.

Love him, love his heart, his soul, his passion - I would have all of those things too if I was lucky enough to play for LA.

[islander009]

Showtime Fan, now there's two posters who picked up my avatar. Somehow i feel like it steals a bit of my mojo. Or mambo. Anyways, props.

But I'd still don't think it's a given that Mihm will contribute next year. Or that Odom will unequivocally be a Laker past this year. Or that Mbenga is anything more than an awesome personal story.

And that leaves our frontline thin, imo. Don't get me wrong, we can always get some big bodies, some stiffs. None that will have his youth, talent, passion. But more importantly, who can replace his heart. HIs soul.

When our team was soft, he brought the dirt.
When drama threatened to weigh down on our team, he brought joy.
When his teammates were lazy, he brought the hustle.

He made the game fun. He made the game intense. His presence was infectious.
He was our catalyst.
He was our cosmic dancer.

I'm happy for him, because he deserves a chance to realize his potential. I understand why the Lakers let him go, although I disagree with their decision for the above reasons.

But anybody who thinks Turiaf didn't have an impact on this team, didn't contribute to our success, is dead wrong.

He will be missed, and not just for sentimental reasons.

^MIles your completely right about this fact. He was the one that got everything going when things werent turning out right. He kept on fighting for every minute to make a difference. I remember there were times when our front line was having a hard time guarding the opposing bigs and were letting their guards come through. From what i remember Ronny came into the game hustled to get boards, but more importantly stopped those guards from driving into the lane and bodying up the opposing teams front line. He was our man against duncan, against boozer, and against many 4-5s. he really made a difference, he played defense and enjoyed it. it is real sad to see him go. GOod luck RT

[semi-sentient]

Haven't chimed in since Turiaf signed with the Warriors, but best of luck to him. I'll be rooting for him in GS, except when we face them.

I personally think he will have a very nice season and earn his salary, which is good because I don't think we could have really put him in a position to succeed on the Lakers.