LA Lakers - Steve Nash Will Save The LA Lakers

[calfzilla]

Is that John Harridan in front of you?

[El Diablo Blanco]

Curry is awesome

[calfzilla]

Curry is awesome

Agreed. Got to see them last year, made for a great game.

One of my favorite players who's not on "my team".

[jude2]

Agreed. Got to see them last year, made for a great game.

One of my favorite players who's not on "my team".

When his 3's are on, he will really hurt u.

[calfzilla]

When his 3's are on, he will really hurt u.

And Clay Thompson too. The game I saw them at last year they lost (Aldridge was on fire too) but it was just a great overtime game.

[Pray_4_War]

Kevin Durant on Kobe Bryant: 'I'd want to play with a guy like that' From USA Today

When asked about Kobe Bryant's recent passing of Michael Jordan for third place on the NBA's all-time scoring list, the Oklahoma City Thunder star who will be a free agent in the summer of 2016 not only raved about the Lakers legend's achievement, but also refuted the notion that players around the league don't want to play with him.

"Excuse my language, but that's (expletive)," said Durant, who congratulated Bryant via text message after he surpassed Jordan on Sunday. "I want to play with a winner every single night, especially somebody who wants to win that bad, who works that hard, who demands a lot, who raises up your level. I'd want to play with a guy like that every day. ... (His style) may make people uncomfortable, how he acts and just how he approaches the game, but I love that type of stuff. I think (the accusation) is BS."

"Just his work ethic, just his demeanor man," Durant said when asked what he admired about Bryant. "He doesn't mind being an (expletive), and he comes to work man. He's intense. He demands a lot out of his teammates, and I've seen that just playing alongside him in the Olympics (in 2012). He demands a lot out of everybody. He makes them better. Everybody out on the court. You've got to respect that. As a player, I study guys like that. We might not have the same personality, but I think we approach the game the same way and I've learned a lot from just watching him."

[Pray_4_War]

Paul George refutes report he didn’t want to play with Kobe Bryant: ‘Media reaching again’

From NBC Sports Oct 21th 2014

The largest sports media outlet in existence published two hit jobs on Kobe Bryant inside of the same week.

The first piece, which was in defense of placing Bryant at 40 in their individual player rankings, wasn’t worth responding to, mainly because of the bizarre, angry tone with which the screed was written. And, a line near the end stating that “the current version of Kobe is not much of an NBA player” essentially erased the entire argument, because if that were true (or at least if that was the true belief of those who compiled the rankings), he should have been much further down on the list.

The second piece, however, which claimed that Bryant is almost entirely to blame for the current state of the Lakers franchise, was different. It contained detailed reporting from numerous (anonymous) sources, some of which specifically called out players by name who refused to consider Los Angeles as a free agent destination while Kobe was still around.

One of those players has responded.

"Now how crazy does that Kobe story sound to you" ? #MediaReachingAgain

That would be Paul George, who re-signed with the Pacers in 2013 because, at least according to this piece, he reportedly “was turned off by the thought that Bryant would police his efforts.”

The problem here — besides the player personally refuting the information — is that it wasn’t like George ever had a chance to sign with the Lakers. He would have been a restricted free agent this summer had the Pacers not offered him a five-year max contract in advance of the 2013 deadline to do so, and even if George decided that he wanted to leave to play in Los Angeles, it wouldn’t have been his decision because Indiana would have had the right to match any offer he would have received.

That’s just one of many issues in the piece, which was well-written but comes from a very one-sided perspective.

It’s disappointing to see such a prominent outlet continue to take shots at one of the game’s greatest players. It feels like we should be celebrating Bryant in the final years of his career, especially after seeing him hobble through only six games a season ago. But for some reason, this particular network seems to feel that tearing him down is the way to go instead, which is even more odd considering that it’s one of the league’s broadcast partners, and the Lakers (as usual) will be heavily featured this season during nationally televised contests.

But as the kids are saying these days, that’s none of my business.

[catracho]

Funny how all the guys that know they really can't play with him due to contracts say they would, and all the big time free agents look everywhere but the Lakers, or is that just my imagination?  What exactly would you expect these guys to say when the media asks them about playing with Kobe?  Don't they have to say "oh yeah, I definitely would play with him"? They would get killed if they spoke the truth. lol

[Pray_4_War]

Funny how all the guys that know they really can't play with him due to contracts say they would, and all the big time free agents look everywhere but the Lakers, or is that just my imagination?  What exactly would you expect these guys to say when the media asks them about playing with Kobe?  Don't they have to say "oh yeah, I definitely would play with him"? They would get killed if they spoke the truth. lol

I don't know what you are talking about.  Who are all these big time free agents that could have come to LA and didn't?  From day one Lebron was always either going back to Cleveland or Staying in Miami.  Everyone knew that.  Carmelo would have had to forfeit tens of millions of dollars to come to LA.  Everyone knew he wouldn't do that.  Cleveland had to trade Andrew Wiggins to get Kevin Love.  The only one who could have re-signed and didn't is Dwight and he left because they hired D'Antoni instead of Phil Jackson.  D'Antoni and his system did not fit with Howard's game and he went somewhere that was a better fit.  Common sense.

This is what the real issues are with the Lakers.....

The CP3 trade was vetoed (which alienated Gasol and Odom)
Odom was 6th man of the year and the front office traded him and got no value for him.
The front office gambled on a 38 year old Steve Nash and gave up too much to get him.
Nash breaks his leg in his 2nd game as a laker and is never the same.
The team hires Mike D'Antoni when they could have had Phil.
The team is bitten by the injury bug so severely that they didn't have enough bodies to finish a game at one point.
Kobe ruptures his Achilles.
We draft Julius Randle with the 7th pick and he breaks his leg in his first game
Gasol leaves Because D'Antoni had him coming off the bench and playing 20 feet from the basket.
The front office let Gasol walk for no compensation instead of trading him.

None of these things are Kobe Bryant issues.  These are David Stern issues, front office issues, coaching issues, and injury issues, period.  End of story.

[Hulkotron]

Option A Go to LA and probably struggle to make the playoffs
Option B Go to CLE and probably be the best team in the conference
Option D

[Pray_4_War]

Option A Go to LA and probably struggle to make the playoffs
Option B Go to CLE and probably be the best team in the conference
Option D

LA is a team in rebuilding mode.  It's only common sense that 30 year old superstars who want to win right now wouldn't be flocking there.

Especially with the East being so weak right now and having so few good teams.

[catracho]

LA is a team in rebuilding mode.  It's only common sense that 30 year old superstars who want to win right now wouldn't be flocking there.

Especially with the East being so weak right now and having so few good teams.

What I am saying is that you post quotes from guys that know they can't go to the Lakers anyway.  Like they could say anything else but the PC answer. 

[Pray_4_War]

What I am saying is that you post quotes from guys that know they can't go to the Lakers anyway.  Like they could say anything else but the PC answer. 

And what I'm saying is the guys that didn't go to LA, were never going to LA, Kobe or no Kobe. 

I find it interesting that you choose to believe dickless trolls like Henry Abbot but not the statements that directly refute him made by the actual NBA players that he named in his article.  Are you by chance a 9/11 truther?

[catracho]

And what I'm saying is the guys that didn't go to LA, were never going to LA, Kobe or no Kobe.  

I find it interesting that you choose to believe dickless trolls like Henry Abbot but not the statements that directly refute him made by the actual NBA players that he named in his article.  Are you by chance a 9/11 truther?

I choose to believe in reality.  And that is that those guys, and any else (Melo for example)  are gonna give a PC answer to a kobe question. Even if they didn't wanna play with KB, you think that they could say it? I don't read articles that deal un-named sources.  BTW, who is Henry Abbot?  Rondo is on the market, no noise?  BTW, why did stern block the CP3 trade?  Wouldn't it have been in the NBA's interest for the Lakers to be good?

[Pray_4_War]

I choose to believe in reality.  And that is that those guys, and any else (Melo for example)  are gonna give a PC answer to a kobe question. Even if they didn't wanna play with KB, you think that they could say it? I don't read articles that deal un-named sources.  BTW, who is Henry Abbot?  Rondo is on the market, no noise?  BTW, why did stern block the CP3 trade?  Wouldn't it have been in the NBA's interest for the Lakers to be good?

While you're theory is plausible, it is not "reality".  It is simply your opinion.  An opinion with no hard evidence to support it.

Henry Abbott is the author of a recent ESPN hit piece on Kobe Bryant, unfairly and incorrectly blaming him for everything that's wrong with the Lakers.  Kobe and Rondo actually just had breakfast together a week or two ago.  What does that mean?  Maybe nothing, maybe something.  We'll see.  I don't claim to understand David Stern's motivation for vetoing a fair trade that was made between the Lakers and the GM of the Hornets.  I'm sure he has his reasons.

[catracho]

While you're theory is plausible, it is not "reality".  It is simply your opinion.  An opinion with no hard evidence to support it.

Henry Abbott is the author of a recent ESPN hit piece on Kobe Bryant, unfairly and incorrectly blaming him for everything that's wrong with the Lakers.  Kobe and Rondo actually just had breakfast together a week or two ago.  What does that mean?  Maybe nothing, maybe something.  We'll see.  I don't claim to understand David Stern's motivation for vetoing a fair trade that was made between the Lakers and the GM of the Hornets.  I'm sure he has his reasons.

So you think it isn't reality to that NBA players have t be PC or risk backlash? Say, for example, KD said he didn't wanna' play with Kobe, he would get killed by the media, it would be all over ESPN. That is reality.  That is what I am saying.  I am not saying that I believe he didn't, just that he couldn't say it if he did.  Even D12, that signed somewhere else cause he didn't wanna play with Kobe, doesn't come out against kobe cause he would get killed by the media.

[Pray_4_War]

So you think it isn't reality to that NBA players have t be PC or risk backlash? Say, for example, KD said he didn't wanna' play with Kobe, he would get killed by the media, it would be all over ESPN. That is reality.  That is what I am saying.  I am not saying that I believe he didn't, just that he couldn't say it if he did.  Even D12, that signed somewhere else cause he didn't wanna play with Kobe, doesn't come out against kobe cause he would get killed by the media.

It's not reality because there is no hard evidence to support it.  It's all speculation right down to your declaration that D12 signed elsewhere because of Kobe.

You are ignoring all the other factors and blaming Kobe.  The coach, the system, and the roster were all a horrible fit for Dwight and his game.  All the Lakers had was a 35 year old Kobe with a ruptured achilles, a 39 year old Steve Nash that couldn't stay on the floor because of back problems and a frustrated Pau Gasol who looked to be in severe decline.  The Lakers front office hired Mike D'Antoni when they knew that Dwight wanted Phil Jackson to be the coach.  D'Antoni wanted the team to run and jack up three pointers.  They played virtually no defense.  Even a 5 year old would understand that Houston was a better situation for Dwight in every way.  How does that break down to "duh, Dwight doesn't want to play with Kobe"    He wouldn't even have been playing with Kobe.  Kobe was injured and out for 9 to 12 months!

[catracho]

It's not reality because there is no hard evidence to support it.  It's all speculation right down to your declaration that D12 signed elsewhere because of Kobe.

You are ignoring all the other factors and blaming Kobe.  The coach, the system, and the roster were all a horrible fit for Dwight and his game.  All the Lakers had was a 35 year old Kobe with a ruptured achilles, a 39 year old Steve Nash that couldn't stay on the floor because of back problems and a frustrated Pau Gasol who looked to be in severe decline.  The Lakers front office hired Mike D'Antoni when they knew that Dwight wanted Phil Jackson to be the coach.  D'Antoni wanted the team to run and jack up three pointers.  They played virtually no defense.  Even a 5 year old would understand that Houston was a better situation for Dwight in every way.  How does that break down to "duh, Dwight doesn't want to play with Kobe"    He wouldn't even have been playing with Kobe.  Kobe was injured and out for 9 to 12 months!
It's all speculation right down to your declaration that D12 signed elsewhere because of Kobe.

I didn't say it, Phil Jackson did:

Phil Jackson says in book update Dwight Howard left Lakers because of Kobe, new CBA hurts team continuity

 "Kobe made a moving speech during the pitch, promising to teach Dwight the secret of winning championships that he’d learned from the best in the game.

If the meeting had ended there, it might have worked. But after the presentation, Dwight asked Kobe what he was planning to do after he recovered from his Achilles injury. Was this going to be his last year? “No,” replied Kobe. “I’m planning to be around for three or four more years.”

At that point, according to others in the room, Dwight’s eyes went blank and he drifted away. In his mind, the game was over."

http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/07/17/phil-jackson-says-in-book-update-dwight-howard-left-lakers-because-of-kobe-new-cba-hurts-team-continuity/

I guess he is full of it too?  Has no idea of what he is talking about?  He is just hating too? I get that you are a Kobe fan, but if you say Phil jackson is full of it then your are just being willfully blind.

[AbrahamG]

Starting to think it's gonna take more than Steve Nash' massive, freckled cock to save the Lakers this year.

[Quickerblade]

"Kobe made a moving speech during the pitch, promising to teach Dwight the secret of winning championships that he’d learned from the best in the game.

If the meeting had ended there, it might have worked. But after the presentation, Dwight asked Kobe what he was planning to do after he recovered from his Achilles injury. Was this going to be his last year? “No,” replied Kobe. “I’m planning to be around for three or four more years.”

At that point, according to others in the room, Dwight’s eyes went blank and he drifted away. In his mind, the game was over."

Shows how mentally ill Dwight is.

[catracho]

Shows how mentally ill Dwight is.

Definitely a screw loose, but averaging 20 pts and 12.  And walked away from " at least $30 million by signing with the Rockets and walking away from the Lakers’ five-year, $118 million offer."

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/no-pressure-howard-heading-rockets-article-1.1391394

[Quickerblade]

Definitely a screw loose, but averaging 20 pts and 12.  And walked away from " at least $30 million by signing with the Rockets and walking away from the Lakers’ five-year, $118 million offer."

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/no-pressure-howard-heading-rockets-article-1.1391394

Howard is very athletic.

I dont know how Rodman use to grab 25-30 rebounds.

[Pray_4_War]

I didn't say it, Phil Jackson did:

Phil Jackson says in book update Dwight Howard left Lakers because of Kobe, new CBA hurts team continuity

 "Kobe made a moving speech during the pitch, promising to teach Dwight the secret of winning championships that he’d learned from the best in the game.

If the meeting had ended there, it might have worked. But after the presentation, Dwight asked Kobe what he was planning to do after he recovered from his Achilles injury. Was this going to be his last year? “No,” replied Kobe. “I’m planning to be around for three or four more years.”

At that point, according to others in the room, Dwight’s eyes went blank and he drifted away. In his mind, the game was over."

http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/07/17/phil-jackson-says-in-book-update-dwight-howard-left-lakers-because-of-kobe-new-cba-hurts-team-continuity/

I guess he is full of it too?  Has no idea of what he is talking about?  He is just hating too? I get that you are a Kobe fan, but if you say Phil jackson is full of it then your are just being willfully blind.

That's great, but again it completely ignores the many other very serious factors that got the Lakers where they are right now.  Read the list I wrote, Dwight would have been nuts to sign with LA.

If you ask me, the Lakers dodged a bullet when Dwight split town.  He's a immature headcase and he's not worth anywhere near what they would have had to pay him.  You can't put your franchise in that guy's hands and expect to get anywhere.  He's a fucking moron.

[Hulkotron]

Howard is very athletic.

I dont know how Rodman use to grab 25-30 rebounds.

Rodman was fucking clairvoyant when it came to positioning for rebounds, I swear he could see into the future.  He was also only like 6'6" tops, they listed him at 6'8" I think but that's a big stretch.  Best rebounder ever by far in my opinion.

I agree on Dwight ^^^^ No way the Lakers were building a championship team around him.  A playoff team sure but that's not the goal in LA.

[Pray_4_War]

Rodman was fucking clairvoyant when it came to positioning for rebounds, I swear he could see into the future.  He was also only like 6'6" tops, they listed him at 6'8" I think but that's a big stretch.  Best rebounder ever by far in my opinion.

I agree on Dwight ^^^^ No way the Lakers were building a championship team around him.  A playoff team sure but that's not the goal in LA.

Rodman was something else.  He said once that what he liked to do instead of box guys out was get them tangled up with him so they weren't able to get to the ball.  His anticipation for where the ball was going was God like.  He used to tip the ball to himself several times if he couldn't just grab it.  He purposely became kind of a circus freak later on but I really used to enjoy his game.  Great, super athletic player with a very high basketball IQ.  Best rebounder ever.