Does Mbenga have value?

[ALL HAIL]

I'm beginning to think that Mbenga may have some value across the league as a legitimate athletic, shotblocking, and rebounding center ... he almost definitely will be signed by someone else this summer.

Knowing that he will be lost for nothing this summer and if he does have some value, maybe we can trade him with Farmar and Vujacic to a team that needs a PG (Farmar) and a backup center who can provide a defensive presence (Mbenga).

It would have to be a team that has a need a PG and Center, but also has a a guy with a somewhat similiar contract to Vujacic who can be a another defensive presence at PG with Shannon Brown and err Fisher.

I don't know what team or what player (I'll try to fill in the blanks later) but in your opinion does Mbenga have some real value? I think his numbers per 48 minutes are really good.

[LAKERS_1981]

I say keep him
He has the most value to us. Gasol and Bynum are always getting injured so it is good to have him one the bench.
I would love to let Powell because he give the team little.

[TonyMontana]

No, he's just fine where he's at.

[daddyfivestar]

a 3rd C making only 950k who isn't a rookie or total stiff, has mass value to the Lakers.

Plus, he owns Kobe.


.

[ManuteBol69]

hes our only backup center so yes he has value to us.

but other than the lakers, he should try mma with his 7 foot judo frame

[SALMIEN]

Yes he has great value, our true back up center with heart too, i hope he will stay n go nowhere.

[dockingsched]

the lakers need mbenga so they can run a productive practice.

[ALL HAIL]

Mbenga is a GREAT third center for us! I wholeheartedly agree that he makes life easier for us if Bynum or Gasol go down.

My point though is that he will be OUT this summer.

If WE SEE that he is a good backup, THE LEAGUE PROBABLY DOES TOO.

So going off the premise that he undoubtedly will leave like Turiaf, WHY NOT EXPLORE HIS VALUE in order to:

A. finally unload Vujacic

and

B. finally fill a real need (perimeter defensive salwart off bench) that exists even with a full, healthy roster

I love Mbenga too but if you know someone is leaving you have to use their value to HELP YOURSELF. In the case of the Lakers, that means trimming the dead weight salaries and modestly replacing them with more moderate ones.

[SApuro_]

Only to the Lakers. Any other team in the league he's a bum.

[Slava]

Well, DJ Mbenga has the value that he's always had imo. Its neither regressed nor has it gone up stats wise other than him getting additional exposure by playing for the Lakers.

Mbenga averages 1.4 fouls a game over 8.5 mins per game in the first 21 games of this season. That's one foul every 6 mins and a PER 48 of 8 fouls a game. I think this season has been generous to him in this category since he managed to play garbage mins of no significance anyways.

Edit: Just found his PER 40 foul averages and its ugly to say the least.Every season he's played more than 5 mins a game his PER 40 fouling rate has been no less than 8.

There are very few teams that can afford to give him minutes and not bother about him getting in foul trouble or put them in the penalty and the Lakers due to the abundance of front court mins is one of them.

There's no way he's going to demand Turiaf kind of money and the idea of using him to package a bad contract is just preposterous.

[ALL HAIL]

I don't think he'll get Turiaf money but he will get 3 mill per from somebody. At that price he will price out the Lakers.

And yes I am proposing, if he has some good value that we MIGHT be able to trade him AND FARMAR with Vujacic for a contract very similiar to what Vujacic makes.

I am in no way proposing that we steal some major talent from some team because we are willing to throw in Mbenga.

I'm merely suggesting that we MIGHT be able to steal a decent player from some team where that player is being under-utilized and has nearly the same contract years and money as Vujacic. Another team's willingness to deal with us could ONLY be further persuaded by giving them Farmar and Mbenga. That's all I'm saying and asking.

Is there a team that needs a cheap, solid point guard and a cheap bigman who can rebound and defend yet is not in need of a (preferably) veteran, defensive swingman who is quick enough to contain a guy like Aaron Brooks?

Thank you for answering my question though j-far. He fouls a whole lot. But I still think that as of right now, Mbenga will get a more lucrative offer from somebody else this summer because I do believe that he is being seen in a different light than his previous years. He has had some really solid games for us this year ... the league is watching.

[crazyeights]

Let us not forget how many players are going up for contract next summer. I don't think his value is going to be much more than it currently is, especially in this market.

[Slava]

On a related note I think Darko could be a solid bruiser/defenisve C next to Gasol and Odom.

[ALL HAIL]

I perused all the rosters in the league until I got to the last team alphabetically.

Farmar, Vujacic, and Mbenga for DeShawn Stevenson, Fabricio Oberto, Crittenton and/or Dominic McGuire.

Good for Lakers b/c they save a million or so dollars, get rid of Vujacic, get a good defender in Stevenson who can guard all three perimeter positions and a replacement for Mbenga in Oberto.

Bad for Lakers b/c Stevenson can't shoot, Oberto isn't that good, Crittenton may not ever play again, and they may mess up their chemistry.

Good for Wiz because they get a real PG to run Flip's offense (he should play ahead of Boykins and eventually beat out Foye), get an athletic, rebounding, shotblocking center.

Bad for Wiz b/c they end up paying an additional million or so, have to look at punk ass Vujachick for another season and a half, Mbenga fouls too much, and Farmar may or may not be any better than Foye and Boykins.

[CowsMoo]

He offers the team a chance to make fun of him after a tough loss so they can get over it fast.

[Mamba Venom]

Only to the Mavs

[Fred Williamson]

yeah, the Mavs would give him the full MLE.