Purple and Gold's reign is over...

[Fresh8]

Man, the Lakers lost- I still can't believe it!
But tats life and I still think the Lakers are the best.

After this loss there are a few questions in my mind. Firstly, I'd like to say that I'll be supporting Philly and if they lose then I'll cheer on the Pistons.

What will become of Kobe. He did say that he wants to test free agency but he did also say if they completed the 4-peat he'd reconsider, but that option is now gone. Will Kobe leave? I reckon Washington should be interested in him and dump Stack and since MJ's left...will that happen?

What about signing players. Can Phil get Pips and Karl. Wat about The Glove? It'd be great for them to join. Only if Pips and Mailman sign for a minimum veteran pay and GP gets a huge paycut!

Watever happens, I still want the world to know that the Lakers are still the best team in the NBA and watch out next season for their revenge...
Watch out for K8!

[Matthew]

After this loss there are a few questions in my mind. Firstly, I'd like to say that I'll be supporting Philly and if they lose then I'll cheer on the Pistons.

If thats not bandwagoning I don't know what is!

As for the rest, the Lakers lost to the a better Spurs team. Simple. Revenge, Lakers are the best etc etc. Lets see it happen. I also remember Penny hardaway saying how he will take revenge on the nba and well what happened?

Actions speak louder than words.

[Fresh8]

Dude don't dis the Lakers. I accept the fact that they lost and they did to a better team but I don't switch sides and support a better team. I only say I'm cheering for 76ers or Pistons cos I wanna see them win it after Lakers.

As for actions speaking louder than words. Let's see what you say when it does happen... again and again and again...

[.]

Well...Congrats to the Spurs, they were the best in the NBA this year. Imo they will win the championship. The Lakers played with no fire, no desire to win.

I still believe the Lakers will come back next season, bring a PF in (PJ Brown, Howard, Clark) and dump Robert Horry

Now that LA is gone I will root for the Spurs cause they are the best


Good Luck

[Rens]

Clark isn't a free agent.

[Boyk]

dont dump horry, keep him as the backup, walker and murray go out of contract this year i think, and murray is making quite a bit of money which will open up cap, but i'd really like to see the lakers sign P.J brown and scottie pippen.

As for the rest of the playoffs, i dont really care, my team is gone, and my true loyalty showed today wen i had tears in my eyes

but if i had to say sum1, i hope pistons get it

[Matthew]

Dude don't dis the Lakers

Uh, where did I dis the Lakers?

As for actions speaking louder than words. Let's see what you say when it does happen... again and again and again...

They have to do it first. You're talking like its a done deal and the Lakers just wanted an early vacation and when they want they will reclaim the title. Things won't get any bit easier for them; especially if Kobe decides he wants to take his game to Memphis.

As for all you Laker fans, I will say this. I'm glad you're still sticking with your team. You haven't run away or jumped on another teams bandwagon and I respect that.

[.]

Casual conversations in the Laker front office, held before season-ending meetings decide the precise direction the club will take this summer, have identified Keon Clark, P.J. Brown and Juwan Howard as possible additions at power forward, Karl Malone in the second tier but not the first, and Scottie Pippen as an intriguing backcourt prospect, according to those familiar with the Laker thinking.

Clark would have to opt out of his contract with the Sacramento Kings. The rest are unrestricted free agents.

Malone, who concluded his 18th NBA season when the Sacramento Kings eliminated his Utah Jazz this week, has long had eyes for Los Angeles. While the Lakers do not doubt his skills, even in the summer of his 40th birthday, there is concern that Malone is too aggressive in the locker room and could be divisive.

Despite a need for depth at power forward, the Lakers passed on free agent Charles Oakley last summer in part for the same reason. But Oakley has little of the offensive talent of Malone, who could become the league's all-time leading scorer in the next two years.

There would be some congruity to Malone's breaking Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's record while wearing a Laker jersey, but that, too, could become complicated. Phil Jackson's triangle occasionally strains under the weight of two offensive forces — Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal — and it is possible the addition of Malone, while going for a scoring mark, would stretch the offense further

[.]

As for all you Laker fans, I will say this. I'm glad you're still sticking with your team. You haven't run away or jumped on another teams bandwagon and I respect that.

I will never ever run away from the Lakers, even if Shaq and Kobe are gone. I followed them when they had Eddie Jones, Nick Van Exel, Divac, Ceballos ect....

This is my favorite team for the rest of my life

[Boyk]

As for all you Laker fans, I will say this. I'm glad you're still sticking with your team. You haven't run away or jumped on another teams bandwagon and I respect that.

I will never ever run away from the Lakers, even if Shaq and Kobe are gone. I followed them when they had Eddie Jones, Nick Van Exel, Divac, Ceballos ect....

This is my favorite team for the rest of my life

Damn Straight mate.....Damn Straight

[Rens]

Casual conversations in the Laker front office, held before season-ending meetings decide the precise direction the club will take this summer, have identified Keon Clark, P.J. Brown and Juwan Howard as possible additions at power forward, Karl Malone in the second tier but not the first, and Scottie Pippen as an intriguing backcourt prospect, according to those familiar with the Laker thinking.

Clark would have to opt out of his contract with the Sacramento Kings. The rest are unrestricted free agents.

Malone, who concluded his 18th NBA season when the Sacramento Kings eliminated his Utah Jazz this week, has long had eyes for Los Angeles. While the Lakers do not doubt his skills, even in the summer of his 40th birthday, there is concern that Malone is too aggressive in the locker room and could be divisive.

Despite a need for depth at power forward, the Lakers passed on free agent Charles Oakley last summer in part for the same reason. But Oakley has little of the offensive talent of Malone, who could become the league's all-time leading scorer in the next two years.

There would be some congruity to Malone's breaking Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's record while wearing a Laker jersey, but that, too, could become complicated. Phil Jackson's triangle occasionally strains under the weight of two offensive forces — Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal — and it is possible the addition of Malone, while going for a scoring mark, would stretch the offense further

So you've proven you can echo an article from the Internet. I assume this was to show even "professional writers" agree with your post. Clark would have to opt out. Why would he do that? Especially if the Kings advance, it wouldn't make any sense for him to opt out. Even if they don't advance, he'd still be on a true title contender who had bad luck this year when they lost Webber.

[Shep]

So you've proven you can echo an article from the Internet

Clark would have to opt out. Why would he do that?

to be a starter on a championship team instead of being a 7th man on a championship team. not many people remember 7th men on championship winning teams (unless they are the better than 5th best on the team)

[paul_pierce_the_truth]

Yeah maybe be the starting power forward somewhere...

Some guys in here just insult people without any regard.

Why is it not an option to leave according to you when it's actually called an contract option?

Yes Sacramento has a good team and so on, but that is not everything, maybe he doesn't like it there, just wait and see and then cover how smart you are.

[Rens]

One reason Keon Clark may elect to option out of his contract might be...

HE CAN START!

He could've signed with the Lakers at the start of this season if he'd wanted to start for them so bad.

Why is it not an option to leave according to you when it's actually called an contract option?

I never said it's not an option to leave. He's not a free agent, that's all. He could become a free agent. Notice the difference?

Yes Sacramento has a good team and so on, but that is not everything, maybe he doesn't like it there, just wait and see and then cover how smart you are.

Maybe he doesn't like it in Sacramento, yeah great argument. That's probably why he signed there in the first place, right?

[bballer22]

i realy agree to the article, is Malone does get in with the Lakers then it would be hard for him to get the record, coz with the amount of shots that got to kobe and shaq and 3rt best scorer get under 10 a game, i supose this is where it get triky to him, would he rather a ring with the lakers 100%(if the team dont change too much) or does he want to go with the record in that case he could sugn in with like a eastern team ot the wolfs( if KG get a pay cut)

and if he does try to go for the record, acording to my calculations he would have to score 24 ppg to tie it, that is if he plays all 82 games!!! so um, yes he has to get in with the eastern team to get such an average!!

agree??

[Divan Santana]

I will never ever run away from the Lakers, even if Shaq and Kobe are gone. I followed them when they had Eddie Jones, Nick Van Exel, Divac, Ceballos ect....

This is my favorite team for the rest of my life

I love it! Keep it up all!

Love LA for Life!!

LakeSHOW4EVA



They'll be back next year!

Mean while im excited for the offseason to see LA's and others signings!

[bballer22]

sorry about the last post, i made a big mistake, its not 14ppg average, but he has to score almost 25 a a game! try to get that when ur 41!!!

[Shep]

well u said in that other post that he had to average 24.....

obviously Malone would want to sign somewhere for atleast another 2 years

[paul_pierce_the_truth]

That was then & this now.

He is a Free Agent if he says so, isn't that what matters?

[scubilete]

I feel satisfied with the Lakers performance during recent years (including this year), so I don't think it's that heartbreaking to let others have some fun, it was getting kinda boring to have the Lakers in the Finals against inferior teams like those Nets who still can show up again in the Finals.

Also, most of the people were counting the Lakers out as contenders and they still made a good run to get there. The team throughout the years had lost key players who were important to get another championship and still I don't see the Lakers back in a good run if they don't get some good players to support Shaq/Kobe, having on mind that those might get somewhere else "I don't think Shaq would". Congrats to the Spurs, they did play better and shoot extremely well to win the series.

[drummond]

still I don't see the Lakers back in a good run if they don't get some good players to support Shaq/Kobe

A playoff hero on several occasions in his career, Horry struggled this postseason, shooting 30-of-94, including a woeful 2-of-38 from 3-point range in 12 games.

Horry ,as a supporting cast, used to play a key role when it really mattered but this year he failed to do that. It is not only him to blame but.......Credit to the Spurs... they did their best to beat the ex champion.

LA will dominate again next season if they could sign a few veterans or role players at PG and Forward posistions at low salary. They have Phil and Tex yet.

Or do they miss Jerry West?

[scubilete]

I already gave credits to the Spurs, don't expect me to hurra!!!! the spurs since they had a better team so that accomplishment was not based on a miracle.

The case would be supporting cast coming from the bench, Horry missed shots but you can't blame anything on his performance cause he's not a guy you can compare with Duncan. The bench of the Lakers every year has been weaker & weaker, that's what they need, players who can support those 2 but from the bench, not a 3rd one from the starting line up, that's too much asking, there's not enough balls when Kobe is shooting near 30 shots per game to get his points.

[Stevan]

LAKESHOW 4 EVA!!!!! KOBE IZ DA GREATEST!!!!!!!!!! GO LAKAZ!!!!!!!!!!
4 IN 5 YEARS NEXT SEASON!!!!!!! THEY WILL SIGN KARL MALONE AND SCOTTIE PIPPEN AND TONI KUKOC AND GARY PAYTON AND D-ROD WILL UNRETIRE!!!!!!!! YEAH LAKESHOW!!!!!!!!!

[Steve04]

The Lakers do not need more help?? The Lakers need more consistency, they have Shaq and Kobe, that should be enough.

So enough of all this talk of signing all stars, they should address their needs(PF) but thats it, Devan George can be a consistent starter and if they get a decent backup SF they will be back in it again.

[Boyk]

i hope to see the lakers sign P.J Brown and Scottie Pippen.

this is one of the most possible out coems anyway.

P.J to the Mid-Leel and Scottie to the veterans pay thingy, if he accepts it.

also payton said he wouldnt mind sgining for the Mid-Level, based on the fact that he gets a ring.