meh, gasol + bynum is a bit better than hedo + howard probably.  the main allure is that it's way easier to upgrade hedo than one of bynum/gasol, and howard's only 26 so you have a good long window to build around him.  pau's 31 and bynum is always an injury question mark, so from a longterm position i take howard.  i just think you need jason richardson back to atone for the downgrade to lol hedo at pf.

Malone is certainly entitled to his opinion, even if it isn't shared by anyone else, including the Lakers.

The only reason Bynum is even in the discussion of "greatness" is because he was surrounded by the 2nd best guard in history and the best all around big at the time and they got him to the Finals.  Brook Lopez started 80+ games 3 years in a row and comes with better picks.

LA needs Howard at almost any price just to compete with the Clippers now.
You have always had a "once in a lifetime" talent and Howard guarantees that for the next 10 years.   At least Howard sells tickets and jerseys.  Given the way the rest of the NBA is shaping up, that could be all the Lakers can hope for.

Posted by badja on 12/12/2011 9:08:00 AM (view original):
The only reason Bynum is even in the discussion of "greatness" is because he was surrounded by the 2nd best guard in history and the best all around big at the time and they got him to the Finals.  Brook Lopez started 80+ games 3 years in a row and comes with better picks.

LA needs Howard at almost any price just to compete with the Clippers now.
You have always had a "once in a lifetime" talent and Howard guarantees that for the next 10 years.   At least Howard sells tickets and jerseys.  Given the way the rest of the NBA is shaping up, that could be all the Lakers can hope for.

i don't think you can be wrong on more levels

bynum is the 2nd best center in the NBA when he's healthy.  whether you want to call that "great" or not is a different story, but he's a very good player at a position that's very difficult to fill.  health issues and all, he's way more valuable than brook lopez (who ******* sucks) and crappy picks.

it's not hard to build a championship contender around howard, especially in LA.  if the lakers get him, they're heavy faves to win at least 1 title in the next 8 years.

Well dean your last point completely agrees with me.  Get Howard first and worry about the rest later.  He is a home run, Bynum is a question mark.

2nd best when healthy says it all.  TMac would be Kobe if he had better legs but he doesn't.  Yao, Bogut, Oden are great when healthy, too.   It's just a big gamble on Bynum & Pau vs. a sure thing in Howard.  Go trade Pau for some picks.  Keep some, send others to ORL.   

i agree, but it does make their team immediately worse and they should at least be looking to snake away a jameer nelson or something if they're trading both.

Bynum + dallas 1st + we take Turkoglu off your hands is better offer than Nets offer

if they dont get better (not worse) immediately #24 is going to take a massive **** all over Lakerland - his window is now, not the next 10 years

Gerald Green is basically a body but Josh McRoberts is not a bad addition

Posted by felonius on 12/13/2011 1:00:00 PM (view original):
Bynum + dallas 1st + we take Turkoglu off your hands is better offer than Nets offer

if they dont get better (not worse) immediately #24 is going to take a massive **** all over Lakerland - his window is now, not the next 10 years

Would trading Kobe realy be a horrible thing?  Assuming Gasol and Bynum stay, and Ebanks is half as good as hoped, couldn't Kobe bring a younger BC that would still make a competitive team?

Ebanks is a poor man's Ariza at the moment, at best - dont get too excited

and no, having two guys who are top 10-20 is not a title winning prospectus - if you are blowing it up Pau goes too and you build around Drew and we all get to watch dreadfulness for the next 2 to 3 seasons

The problem with trading Kobe is that he has far more value to LA than anyone else.  Besides who outside of LA wants to take on that big of a contract for a player on the downhill slide and a guys that has been known to be petulant.  So trading Kobe gets you .25 on the dollar maybe a little more.

Posted by deanod on 12/12/2011 10:16:00 AM (view original):
i agree, but it does make their team immediately worse and they should at least be looking to snake away a jameer nelson or something if they're trading both.

I get the feeling if Nelson went to the Lakers with Howard it would drive dear Dwight to going on a 12 state shooting spree.  I think Howard wants to get as far away from Nelson, and if you have been watching much of Orlando you know why.  Nelson does a terrible job of getting Howard involved in games, especially in the fourth quarter when he can rack up fouls against the other teams big men. 

we take turkoglu and maybe sneak away with richardson

but I think what really happens is we still move Pau to the Rockets and work out the Paul deal

I think it's too late to sneak away with Richardson?  Would be nice for you, def an upgrade over Metta.

I don't know why the **** the Magic want Brook Lopez.  I don't know why the **** they want Gerald Wallace (i.e. he's good, but too old to be worth anything by the time they may rebound from this).  lolotis

Posted by felonius on 12/14/2011 7:25:00 AM (view original):
we take turkoglu and maybe sneak away with richardson

but I think what really happens is we still move Pau to the Rockets and work out the Paul deal

There is no way to take Turk.. the cap numbers just don't work. Without trading Pau and Bynum. Unless the Magic want Metta and Luke! Ha. Gl with that. Chris Paul is a better bet but I fully buy the conspiracy theories there.. not sure the league wants to send a big star to the Lakers right after the big CBA fight.