Theo Ratliff (arthroscopic knee surgery)

[semi-sentient]

Looks like Ratliff is having arthroscopic knee surgery in the morning, meaning he'll be out a minimum of 6 weeks. Since he's older and injuries typically take longer to heal, I wouldn't expect him back in under 8 weeks (I could be wrong).

Anyway...

The news wasn't all good in Los Angeles as the Lakers' thin frontcourt just got even thinner with the loss of backup center Theo Ratliff to injury.

Following a MRI on Monday morning the team learned Ratliff's sore left knee will require arthroscopic surgery. Ratliff did not travel with the team on its three-game road trip through Milwaukee, Detroit and Minnesota and will have his surgery performed Tuesday in Los Angeles by physicians from the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopedic Clinic. A timetable for Ratliff's return is unknown.

Ratliff, 37, was one of three free-agent acquisitions by the Lakers during the offseason but has averaged just 0.3 points and 1.6 rebounds in 8.4 minutes per game.

http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/n ... id=5810979

[Slava]

Teams should start listing their centers as PFs to avoid the curse in the NBA.

[That Nicka]

damn... hurry up Bynum

[The Skyhook]

Whats the deal with Lamars foot? Didn't he just get X-Rays/MRI on his foot. I wonder if Mitch is considering Dampier.

[laduane1]

Lakers should take a gamble and sign Eric Dampier. Suns want him and a few other teams want him. Why not get him and make him see that if he was a ring, his best shot is with the Lakers.

[crazyeights]

And so it begins.

[semi-sentient]

Whats the deal with Lamars foot? Didn't he just get X-Rays/MRI on his foot. I wonder if Mitch is considering Dampier.

Odom was diagnosed with a bone bruise and will play tonight.

[H00PDREAMS]

Damp to the Staples Center Stat!

[Gek]

The good news about Ratliff's injury:
1) It's early in the season and he's a vet that just keeps chugging, he'll be back in 6 weeks.
2) Now Ebanks and Caracter can stay activated until Bynum's back.
3) It's early in the season so if his health does go down hill, we can still sign a FA big to get some banger minutes (There are plenty of DJ Mbenga/Josh Powell skill players out there).


Ideally though, I'd take Dampier right now if we could for the min and a season.

[Danny Darko]

Whats the deal with Lamars foot? Didn't he just get X-Rays/MRI on his foot. I wonder if Mitch is considering Dampier.

Might need to at this point eh?

[LApwnd]

I'm not surprised he is injured considering age and his style of play but I am surprised it has come this soon, he hasn't even played much to begin with ......we need another big seriously, we dont want to wear out Pau or Bynum when he returns. Also if we can get a solid backup and he isn't injury prone we should cut ties with Ratliff if his contract isn't fully guranteed, I know it sounds harsh but this is a business we need to stop paying OLD arse players to sit on the bench, it has happen to many times with guys like McKey/Vlade.....

[NOODLESTYLE]

Josh Boone is in China waiting for a call from the NBA

[crazyeights]

Are there even rumors that we're looking for a big man? I wish there were....

[H00PDREAMS]

If not Damp who is else is out there? Anyone have any ideas? Otherwise we are going to see Matt/ Artest playing the 4 and a whole lot Pau at center. Sprinkled in with a bit of Caracter. Just a little cos you all know how old Coach Jackson is.

[semi-sentient]

One name the team has tossed around already is Erick Dampier. The 6-11, 265-pound center is 35 years old and looking for a team after a 14-year NBA career when he averaged 7.8 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game with Indiana, Golden State and Dallas.

Dampier averaged 6.0 points and 7.3 rebounds in 55 games with the Mavericks last season and has received interest from the Miami Heat, Toronto Raptors and Houston Rockets in recent weeks. A deal fell through in Houston after the team had concerns about Dampier's health.

Looks like we're already eye-balling Dampier. I suppose the concern is that there may be something wrong with him since no one has picked him up yet.

http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/n ... AHeadlines

Hopefully he's in good shape and we pick him up. It would be an epic battle between him and Shaq in the Finals... lol.

[MaDsKiLLzz24]

EDamp's name has come up according to sources.

://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/news/story?id=5813680

[thegamefritz]

I heard lakers is looking @ mike mad dog madsen..he'll be dancing again on our 3peat celebration.-LOL

[Anklebreaker702]

EDamp's name has come up according to sources.

://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/news/story?id=5813680

This would be a good move but I don't understand why would give up on a much younger Mbenga & go with Ratliff in the first place.

[closg00]

Why aren't you guys playing Caracter?

[The Skyhook]

Why aren't you guys playing Caracter?

Even with Caracter we don't have a backup Center since Caracter is a PF. At 6'9 he would get gobbled up by taller and stronger guys.