Doctor MJ wrote:
I think for the most part you're making this more mysterious than it really is. I mean sure, they have to factor in the money situation in a way we as fans don't have to care about, but if that's what they are doing, that only confirms that it doesn't necessarily make basketball sense.
Mysterious? We are talking about multi-million/billion dollar companies involved here. This is not a small business or some rec league. There is far more information and due diligence that must be done for deals like this.
Basketball or Business sense. When you are the Lakers they are hand in hand.
Now when you talk about agents, etc, you're quite right this is dark matter. Realistically though, can you even imagine that any star would give his word years out that he was planning to go to a team when he hits free agency? I'm sure Kevin Love would love to hear the Lakers pitch, but none of these guys are homer enough to be dead set on moving to another team simply because they like the franchise's history and colors.
The agents component was really more of a general add to the goings on of the business that us as fans don't know much about.
It wasn't about what 1 agent said to another and they did this deal based on that... it was more about there is a lot of stuff that goes on behind the scenes that we as fan don't know about.
Well, I've said this might be the best plan the Lakers have, I just still don't like it.
Fair enough. I am not trying to talk you in to liking it. Merely stating that the Lakers did this deal with a plan in mind.
I've got a lot of sympathy for Laker management. They deserve a ton of credit for both the Paul and the Howard deals. The Lakers should be set for the next generation already given the quality of work they've put in to putting a team together, but they really, really aren't.
Well... sympathy? I don't know about that. But they do deserve some trust that they know what they are doing and will do what they can to get back to the top.
As far as what I would do, I would at least wait for Kobe to really prove he was right back where he'd been before the injury.
I probably would have done the same from my couch. But I suppose they have more info and put more time into this then you or I
They agreed to pay a 35 year old still unproven after a potential career ending injury more money than the best players in the game when they still had more than half a year before he hit free agency. This is not the behavior of a party knowing they have leverage and using it. It looks identical in fact to giving the other party everything they could possibly want before the other party could reasonably expect to even ask for it.
They don't pay players based on what better players on different teams are getting. They manage their players and payroll. They have options they know their options and they made their moves. If you don't like it.. again, I am not arguing you should. My point is they made this move with a plan in mind.... and they don't have a history of fielding bad teams in the long term.
If the Buss family is in worse financial shape now than they were before the TV deal and globalization boom of the NBA, doesn't that seem crazy?
I understand the temptation could be seen as all the stronger to maximize profits right now, but this is not a Fortune 500 company desperate to raise its stock price in the next year. The Buss family should be in a more robust financial position now, and thus more poised for long term thinking...
on the other hand of course, the Buss kids are probably not used to playing poker like this, which might be a part of the problem.
Worse Financial shape? how do you figure?
When I say "duping" I'm not talking like I'm a victim here. And really I don't see the fans as victims either, I just think they are digging themselves into a hole.
Is it a hole they can't escape from? No, but why start digging if you don't have to?
I guess I don't panic and look at as such despair as you do. There are a lot of moving parts and things unknown. I do believe the Buss Family and all the other players that are working with them want 2 things. Make money and Win. or Win and Make money. How they do it is on them and we as fans have to let them do it. If not, then we are being selfish and talking about stuff we are not even remotely involved in.
I'm sure mopper8 will also vouch for that.
— Mags