Should Mitch Have waited on Dampier

[KingLakers]

Reports from Lakers media today say that Bynum may not play until the end of November looking back on the summer Mitch signed Ratliff 9 days after Dampier was traded maybe he should've waited on Dampier to get waived and signed him instead of signing Ratliff so quickly. What you guys think?

[DEEP3CL]

You do realize Charlotte just waived Damp only a week ago right ? You can't wait that long, MJ and company tried to time it out so that all the good teams finished building their teams off lower salary deals.

[KingLakers]

I know Charlotte just waived Dampier but if Bynum is going to miss 10-15 games maybe it would've been better if the Lakers had Dampier instead of Ratliff. But i could be wrong Ratliff did do a commendable job with the Bobcats at the end of the season.

[laduane1]

As Laker fans, we always want the best player we can get. For the lakers to wait a few months, they would have been without Theo and any real good center for a back up. I wish we could sign him. We just do not have the money any more or any spots left. If AB were to get bad news and say was out 3-4 months. I could see the Lakers exploring Damp or anyone out there. If we are just looking at training camp and a few games to start the season. Just move a big like Pau into the starting center spot and LO to the starting line up. Many options right now. AB out might mean a longer look at long shot Charater to get more minutes.

[KingLakers]

Im not saying the Lakers should sign Dampier now but maybe instead of signing Ratliff they should've waited for Dampier to get waived to fill the backup C position.

[crazyeights]

What money do they use to sign Damp?

[TruSkool]

ratliff will be fine...the lakers must have seen SOMETHING in him since they signed a very old aged veteran

[KingLakers]

crazyeights the Lakers could've used the vet minimum to sign Dampier. There was interest in Dampier from Houston and Miami they would've used the same thing to sign him. I said this before if Ratliff can do what he did with the Bobcats at the end of last season while Bynum is out it won't really matter.

[Plastered]

I think having Ratliff in the lineup to start the year will actually be a good thing. He gives us more offensive balance in that there isn't a shortage of shots going up. This will allow kobe to get his usual 20+, Pau to set up more in the low post and get up some more shots and lets everyone else follow suit. Also, Theo is a better defender than Bynum and he doesn't need offensive touches to get him going on the defensive end. I do think the offense will slack and we definitely aren't as dangerous as we are with bynum, but we'll be fine. Also, dampier doesn't seem like the kind of player to give up money in lieu of winning.

[KingLakers]

Give up money? He was waived when everybody is out of money or isn't going to spend big anymore outside of their vet minimums he's going to have to take a major pay cut wherever he signs.

[Plastered]

Give up money? He was waived when everybody is out of money or isn't going to spend big anymore outside of their vet minimums he's going to have to take a major pay cut wherever he signs.

See houston

[Plastered]

add atlanta to that as well - the amount of money they were willing to pay shaq would be much better suited going toward dampier and would move al horford to PF (where he would be a way better player) and put josh smith at sf.

[Optms]

Uh, there isn't much discussing to this.

What's done is done. We could sit here all day agreeing Damp instead of Theo would have benefited the team best, but that isn't the way our cards fell. We signed Ratliff so lets roll with it and be happy we have a serviceable center on the team. The team had a great off season.

[desertlakerfan]

Ratliff is a much better fit for the role we're looking to fill. The only thing Dampier is better at is scoring, something we don't need from a 5-10 mpg third string center. We need solid defense and rebounding, we got the guy who is better at both, Theo.

[LApwnd]

I dont see how this would've been a good idea....Dampier doesn't seem like the kind of guy who is going to sacrifice money to win....He'll go to the highest bidder, teams like Hou/Atl still has MLE to burn. Also say we dont get Dampier and Ratliff has already signed, now what would we do as a backup C?

[Jase]

Ratliff is more of a spot-role player, which is what we need. And he's a better defender. I'm not too disappointed in missing out on ol' Damp.

[chefy]

I would have chosen dampier over theo, I think hes a much safer choice. I'm fine with theo though, for short minutes you go for specialty players ex: 3 specialists, shot blockers. BUT, now that reports are coming out drew will miss a lot of games, dampier would be a really good addition for us, he would be a great fit next to gasol.

[laduane1]

I wish he would come to the Lakers now. Just have a feeling that AB will be slow to get better and now the starting line up is messed up with LO in the starting line up as he is better off the bench. So the entire process is kind of mixed up.

Damp would be a good fix at the vets min. Better with us than against us. Where else will you find 7 points and 7 rebounds this time of the year.

[KingLakers]

Chefy, what reports have come out saying that Bynum will be out longer than late November? You got any links?

[chefy]

Chefy, what reports have come out saying that Bynum will be out longer than late November? You got any links?

thats 15 games right there, that's a lot of games, plus we all know bynum is a slow healer.