Lakers Thread

[Patr1ck]

I'm going have to use that some time.

Aww, my butt cheek shut off, I'm all discentered. I gotta lean on the toilet cause I'm shitting at an angle.

[Jackal]

It's turning out to be that kind of season starting from the off-season already so Nash having to retire due to medical reasons seems like just the next thing bound to happen.

[_Steve_]

It would be nice if the Lakers could get rid of his contract. They owe him about 9 mio for 2013/14 and about the same amount for 2014/15. Never understood how Jim Buss could be that stupid to offer him that deal...

[Andrew]

He was still playing at a high level and given that his game has never relied on great athleticism, he probably would've continued to do so if not for a freak injury that unfortunately resulted in some lingering side effects.

[Jackal]

phpBB [video]

Dayumnnnn X!

Awesome career night for Jordan Hill in his first start of the season.

[Bruce]

It would be nice if the Lakers could get rid of his contract. They owe him about 9 mio for 2013/14 and about the same amount for 2014/15. Never understood how Jim Buss could be that stupid to offer him that deal...

I think Nash's injuries are hard to recover from in a short time. I hope he comes to grips soon about his situation. I think these days he is marginally a starting PG for any NBA team. At least for this season, if Nash misses enough games, he can still be useful for the injured player exception. And maybe he decides to retire in the offseason. That will give the Lakers an excellent chance to bag several FA players.

[Patr1ck]

They can also amnesty his contract if he doesn't retire if it comes to that.

[Jackal]

Nope, they can only amnesty a player whose contract predates the 2011 lockout. In the Lakers' case that would be Steve Blake, Pau Gasol & Kobe Bryant. Someone correct me if I'm mistaken about that. Plus they amnestied Metta didn't they? You only get one of those, right?

I really wonder what LA is going to be able to do for the future. Especially now with the PG dominated league, it's always been a weak point for LA. I don't think Lebron/Carmelo are going anywhere and I don't think LA will land a top 5 pick this year so then what's the plan after that? I'm hoping they get a solid big but in this day & age that's questionable too. Kevin Love has ties with LA from his college days...Monroe is a RFA this summer so there's that, but yeah a bit worrying for a Lakers fan.

At least Jordan Hill is making the most of his starting role & Steve Blake looks like the Portland days Blake. Still want to punch Mike D'Antoni in the face though.

[Andrew]

That's correct, players who signed contracts under the new CBA can't be amnestied.

[Jackal]

Sucky loss against Memphis, was a well played game. Blake's bounce pass is a thing of beauty, Meeks has become a much, much better all around player. He was already pretty fun to watch on the defensive end/hustle-wise last season but now he's developed his handles a bit and with the ability to put it on the floor/drive to the basket he's a bigger threat than just being a stand-shoot/catch-shoot player.

I gotta say this much; this team...even though they may not be the most talented bunch out there...are a lot more fun to watch than last years team.

[shadowgrin]

I gotta say this much; this team...even though they may not be the most talented bunch out there...are a lot more fun to watch than last years team.

[Jackal]

Was real fun seeing him either fumble the pass or throw up some sort of weird ass brick then complain.

[Andrew]

Kobe Bryant returns to practice with LA Lakers

Kobe Bryant returned to practice with the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday for the first time since he tore his Achilles tendon seven months ago.

Bryant went through several light drills with his teammates during a short practice at the Lakers' training complex.

''He looked good and did a few moves I didn't expect him to do right away,'' center Pau Gasol told the Lakers' official website. ''I'm very happy for him and for us, and definitely looking forward to when he'll play in a game.''

Bryant has given no timetable for his return to the court, but had previously said he'll need significant practice time while getting into game shape for his 18th NBA season.

[Bruce]

Kobe Bryant returns to practice with LA Lakers

I heard that the practice he had was more of a shooting drills. While it was said that it will take him 6-8 months to come back and we are almost done with the 7th month. The question now is whether Kobe has lost the quickness in his first step.

[NovU]

This Lakers team is quite a surprise. I can't recall anyone really being that consistent due to D'Antoni's fickle rotation but somehow won the games they weren't really favorites somehow. Pretty cool.

[Jackal]

Jordan Hill with another career night! When this team is clicking, they are a lot of fun to watch. Steve Blake must've learned a whole lot from Nash. You see it in his game too though; never giving up the dribble, probing in the paint, the stop and shoot and dat bounce pass. He wasn't this good in his previous years with LA.

But holy damn Dre:

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Edit: Pistons; I still want Monroe.

[NovU]

Steve Nash Considering Retirement over Pain

This would fucking suck. I hope the Lakers trade him to the contender immediately and let him at least have a shot at the ring, even from the bench would be ok. I really really hope he comes back healthy somehow, even semi-healthy would be ok, and then be traded. He doesn't have to play, he can play an assistant coach role for the contender while providing 10 min per game.

[benji]

Edit: Pistons; I still want Monroe.

http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=mfle4f9

[Bruce]

I hope the Lakers trade him to the contender immediately and let him at least have a shot at the ring, even from the bench would be ok. I really really hope he comes back healthy somehow, even semi-healthy would be ok, and then be traded. He doesn't have to play, he can play an assistant coach role for the contender while providing 10 min per game.

I am all for shopping Nash, but I doubt anybody would want him right now. He is still due 9M this and next year. However, if any, I think the only strong contender for Nash's services will always be the Raptors. If the Lakers can get Amir Johnson and a backup guard from the Raptors, then I guess that won't be so bad.

It still burns though that the Lakers still owe a '15 and a '17 1st round pick for the Nash & Howard trades respectively.

[Andrew]

Definitely a shame that he might not be able to end his career on better terms, but if it's between extending an already great career by a couple of years or his longterm health and wellbeing, it's a no-brainer. Having said that, perhaps we are jumping the gun. Doesn't Peter Vecsey have a habit of presenting sensationalist speculation as fact, or am I confusing him with someone else?

That report also mentions him having nerve damage in his back. I thought it was in his leg - a complication that arose when he suffered that fracture - with Dwight Howard being the one who was suffering nerve damage in his back following his injury the season prior to last. Either way, it's obviously a serious condition and from the sounds of it, very unpleasant to deal with day-to-day.

[benji]

Nash had back problems the last couple years more related to age, but they recently diagnosed it as related to nerves in his back and neck after it got worse. I assume it got worse due to his leg problems.

[Andrew]

Ah, fair enough. I thought he'd suffered nerve damage in his leg also as a result of the fracture, but guess I was mistaken. In any event, once again, ouch.

[benji]

Once you get up there in "league age" all the little things help contribute to lesser things becoming worse. (Much like real age!) I believe Hakeem went through something similar where he had some other injury and then compensating for that eventually led down the road to the injuries that took him out eventually. When ten years younger you just recover from the first and kinda shrug the rest off once you're back healthy.

[NovU]

Edit: Pistons; I still want Monroe.

http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=mfle4f9

Dunno why but that feature forever loads, perhaps some function messed up. Tried it on my laptop too, but same. You need take screenshot and post it instead.

[Jackal]

^^ Ditto. Thought it was just me.